Countryside Services

Parkland buzzes with busy new arrivals

Work in Bodelwyddan is already boosting support for important pollinators.

The Council's Countryside Services has installed a number of bee hives in the parkland adjacent to the Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel.

The historic park area, a mix of grassland, woods and orchards has been managed and maintained by Countryside Rangers since 2022.

Bee hives have now been installed by a local beekeeper on the site to provide benefit to the bees through the rich variety of trees and plantlife on the land. They've also been introduced to volunteers through the Nature For Health program that runs in partnership with Countryside Services.

Emlyn Jones, Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, said: “Bees are such an important part of the pollination system and this parkland offers a great mix of support for them to carry out their important roles. They can seed nearly 90 percent of all flowering plants and support fruiting of around 30 percent of the food on our tables. After foraging and helping transfer pollen from flower to flower, bees also bring back a mix of nectar and pollen to the hives that is eventually processed into honey.

“It has been great to see these new residents take to their home on the parkland and also help our volunteers really discover more about how important nature is for their own well-being by seeing first-hand how bees can influence the food they eat.”

“A lot of hard work has already gone on behind the scenes to maintain and improve the parkland area by our ranger team and volunteers and having these hives on the land will really help enrich the variety of species growing here and we look forward to seeing the impact of these new little residents.”

Final work carried out to preserve Prestatyn historical site

A final piece of restoration work is set to preserve a Prestatyn slice of history for future generations.

Work has been carried out at the Prestatyn Roman Baths to help protect and restore the historical site at Melyd Avenue.

The hidden gem was first discovered in the 1930’s during a round of excavations on the site. It was then covered, only to be excavated again in the 1980s, during the construction of the neighbouring housing estate. It is believed that the Bath House was constructed in around 120AD, and further extended in 150 AD.

There is some debate over the reasons for its location in Prestatyn. However, it is believed to be linked to the Roman legions in Chester and Caernarfon, lying around halfway between the two.

It may also have been associated with a nearby harbour, due to its coastal location.

The Roman Baths is looked after and manged by Denbighshire Countryside Services who have carried out a programme of restoring the area.

Recent restoration work carried out by Ben Davies who specialises in restoration work on the site included restoring the remains as last time they were worked on, the stone was put back in place with cement which is not ideal.

Ben, who is also an artist, has been removing this and putting stones back in their original position but using lime mortar instead. Lime mortar is what would have been used historically and allows for expansion/contraction during temperature changes helping to preserve the original stone (preventing cracking etc.)

Voids have also been filled to prevent water sitting on the remains and subsequent frost damage.

Countryside rangers alongside volunteers supported by the Nature for Health Programme also carried out work to improve the footpaths at the site.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “This important site really is one of Prestayn’s ‘hidden jewels’ and we are grateful to all who have been involved in restoring and preserving this historical area.

“I would encourage anyone who is interested in history to come and visit the Roman Bath House to view this slice of ancient times that proudly sits in Prestatyn.”

Summer plans for visiting the countryside

The Council and the Clwydian Range and Dee valley National Landscapes are reminding visitors to park responsibly while visiting countryside attractions this Summer.

Visitors looking to enjoy countryside hotspots around the Dee Valley and Clwydian Ranges are urged to plan ahead before travelling into the areas.

A number of preparations have already been made for an increase in traffic into the area as the summer holidays get underway.

Extra countryside rangers will be in place at areas including Llangollen’s Horseshoe Falls, Moel Famau and Loggerheads Country Park to provide support and information for visitors.

Civil enforcement officers will also be monitoring sites, especially at predicated peak busy time.

Visitors coming into the Llangollen area on a Saturday can now use the Dee Valley Picturesque Bus which provides a circular route running every Saturday until August 30, linking Llangollen and the surrounding villages to Horseshoe Falls and popular local attractions including Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Wenffrwd Nature Reserve, Valle Crucis Abbey, Plas Newydd Historic House and the Horseshoe Pass.

The service will enable visitors and residents to visit and explore these locations without the need of having to constantly find car parking spaces at the sites.

Stops include Llangollen Pavilion where there is ample parking to leave vehicles for the day.

A series of measures have also been introduced at Moel Famau to relieve congestion in the area including double yellow lines, additional parking spaces and road side parking provision to improve visitor flow.

Visitors are also urged to respect the countryside and be sensible by parking responsibly, not littering and only riding bikes on permitted routes.

If the weather is fine over the period, people ae urged not to have BBQ’s, camping stoves or campfires on moorland areas because of the significant risk of fire. Bring a picnic rather than a BBQ and take all litter home with you.

Councillor Alan James, Denbighshire Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “We want people to enjoy the great outdoor attractions we have to offer but also remind them that parking restrictions are important for both road safety and ensuring there is a fair turnover of parking spaces. Anyone not complying with parking restrictions risk receiving a Penalty Charge Notice from civil enforcement officers.

“Our rangers are working every weekend to provide advice and guidance to visitors coming to the site and I would ask that the public also respect the role they are there to carry out.

“Please plan your day in advance, try to use facilities such as the Dee Valley bus to travel on which will save parking spaces and make sure you have other options planned for visiting and parking if you cannot stop at your first choice of venue as our fantastic area has plenty of attractions to visit.

County Voice: August 2024