Improved visitor welcome at the Horseshoe Falls, Llantysilio
After six months' preparation the area around the intake and meter house at the Horseshoe Falls has been transformed to create an improved visitor welcome.
The Lengthsman Hut and stop plank shed has been full restored and an interpretation panel installed, the railings and down pipes on the meter house have been rubbed down and repainted along with the installation of further railings around the intake. The work was undertaken by the Our Picturesque Landscape project, which is a landscape partnership scheme funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund based in the Dee Valley and supported by Canal and River Trust.
The work has been made possible by Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics capital fund, which is supporting local authorities and national parks to deliver the improvements which will benefit both communities and visitors, will support projects to help alleviate pressure in areas that are seeing increased visitor numbers.
Our Picturesque Landscape Partnership Officer Kate Thomson said: "Thanks to Welsh Government Brilliant Basics and National Lottery Heritage funding, the area around the intake and the meter house has been transformed to create a much improved visitor welcome.
“To celebrate this, we formally opened the Lengthsman’s Hut to the public for the first time. It has been closed up for many years and after a full restoration has been furnished as if the lengths man who would have been responsible for the maintenance of a section or length of canal has just popped out to work and will be back shortly! The Lengthsman's Hut can be found opposite the meter house on the canal towpath.
“We are keen to recruit volunteers to open it up going forward if anyone would be interested in helping please contact our.picturesque.landscape@denbighshire.gov.uk or telephone 01824 706163."
Welsh Government Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said: “We’re very aware of the important part that local tourism amenities have on someone’s overall experience when on a day trip or on holiday. These facilities often go unnoticed, but they are an important part of people’s experiences when they visit Wales, while also benefit those who live in the area”.
Furnished as though the lengthsman is due back any moment!
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Our Picturesque Landscape Project centres on the landscape of the Dee Valley and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site. It takes the theme of inspirational journeys that have been, and continue to be, a feature of the area which is cut by the canal, Telford's A5 and the River Dee. Visitors have drawn inspiration from this beautiful valley in art and poetry since the 18th century and it continues to draw tourists in search of the sublime.
This landscape is under growing pressure with high numbers of visitors drawn to what are often our most fragile sites. The communities on its doorstep, born from the industrial endeavours that shaped it, are now less connected to the benefits the landscape offers. The five year project will invest in the resilience of key visitor sites and engage communities in its appreciation and management while reinterpreting this rich landscape for a new generation.
Projects have been developed under 3 themes -Conserving the Picturesque Landscape, Accessing the Picturesque Landscape and People and the Picturesque.
Our Picturesque Landscape Project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is a partnership project developed by the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site, Denbighshire County Council, Wrexham County Borough Council, Shropshire Council, The Canal & River Trust, Natural Resources Wales, Cadw, Cadwyn Clwyd,) and the Friends of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley.
http://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/our-picturesque-landscape-project/
ABOUT THE NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.HeritageFund.org.uk.
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Dee Valley Picturesque Bus service resumes on Saturdays in 2022 improving access to key destinations in the Dee Valley
The Dee Valley Picturesque bus service is running again this year to provide access to some of the key destinations in this beautiful and historic landscape.
The Dee Valley Picturesque Bus service is a circular route which running every Saturday until October 2022, and links Llangollen and the surrounding villages to popular local attractions including Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Wenffrwd Nature Reserve, Horseshoe Falls, Valle Crucis Abbey, Plas Newydd Historic House and the Horseshoe Pass.
The service will enable people to visit these key locations without the need of a car and reduce the need for parking spaces, making it easier for those without their own vehicle to access these places, and helping to reduce congestion at some of the busiest sites in the Dee Valley. Consider parking in some of the bigger car parks such as at Wenffrwd and hopping on the bus for a visit to some of the more crowded locations or for a longer linear walk. A great option would be to park at the main Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Queen Street car park, Cefn Mawr, take the bus to Horseshoe Falls and walk back along the canal. The service will also provide both visitors and local residents with the opportunity to explore the wider area. The bus offers hop on/ hop off facility with a 1Bws ticket price allowing unlimited travel on the service through the day making it ideal for getting off to visit a site and then back on the bus later.
The service has been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales, and delivered in partnership by the Council and the Our Picturesque Landscape project, a landscape partnership scheme which is working to conserve and improve access to the inspiring landscapes of the Dee Valley and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site.
The Dee Valley Picturesque Bus Service 199 will operate Saturdays only from Saturday 7th May – Saturday 29th October 2022. For the full timetable and ticket prices for the Picturesque Bus service please see Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB website, Denbighshire bus timetable webpage or pick up a leaflet from Llangollen Tourist Information Centre.
https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/projects/the-picturesque-bus/
https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/parking-roads-and-travel/public-transport/bus-timetables/bus-timetables.aspx
https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/parking-roads-and-travel/public-transport/1bws.aspx
Kate Thomson, Partnership Officer for the Our Picturesque Landscape project, said:
“We are delighted to welcome back the Dee Valley Picturesque Bus Service for a second year. We are really pleased that this service will be able to run at the full 16 seater capacity following the pandemic. By working in partnership with Denbighshire County Council, we have been able to ensure that the service complements existing public transport provision. Connecting to bus timetables from Corwen and Wrexham makes the Picturesque Bus service the ideal option for planning walks in the area. We are grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales for making this service possible, and hope it will go on to be a great success and a real legacy for the Our Picturesque Landscape project.”
IMAGE: The Picturesque Bus at the Ponderosa, Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen.