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Dog walkers nearing Erddig's Dovecote
Dog walkers nearing Erddig's Dovecote | © National Trust/Steve Rawlins
Wales

Erddig French meadow walk through Emes' pleasure park

Erddig's French meadow trail is a 3.5-mile circular walk in Wrexham around a red waymarked route through a mix of riverside paths, a meadow and woodland.

Discover the natural lake and wetland wildlife

With over 30 ponds on the estate, the lake in the French meadow was formed in the 1980s by subsidence caused by coal mining. Today it is an oasis for a wide variety of birds, mammals and invertebrates.

Total steps: 17

Total steps: 17

Start point

Erddig car park, grid ref: SJ326481

Step 1

Start by the dovecote and walk east through the coach park, continuing straight on to the stony track. On your right you'll see the dead oak tree (Quercus robur), which is home to barn owls and a myriad of invertebrates.

Step 2

Follow the path round to the left and past the ha-ha.

Step 3

Continue along the path and enter Big Wood.

Step 4

Follow the path round to the left and take the right-hand path, following the waymarkers.

Step 5

At the next set of waymarkers turn right and continue along Lime Walk, enjoying the views across the French meadow, following the course of the Clywedog River below you.

1,200 acres of parkland at Erddig
For over 300 years visitors have been welcomed to explore the parkland at Erddig | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

Step 6

At the end of Lime Walk go through the kissing gate onto the road. Take care when entering the road as there is a blind bend. Turn left and make your way down the steep road over the bridge and towards Sontley Road car park.

Step 7

At the car park, turn left and go through the kissing gate into the French meadow and continue straight across the fields, passing through a wooden farm gate half way along. In winter this route is quite wet, so an alternative is to walk through Coed-Y-Glyn Wood beyond the car park and follow the footpath to the left.

Step 8

Continue through the French meadow until reaching the stone footpath of Erddig Road, turning left over the stone bridge.

Step 9

Continue straight along the footpath, following the course of Black Brook and over a second stone bridge.

Step 10

A little further on, head over the wooden bridge on your right and towards the Cup and Saucer water feature.

The cup and saucer waterfall in Erddig, Wales, where water flows down into a circular aperture, while a family watches with autumn trees in the background
Visitors at Erddig's Cup and Saucer water feature | © Natalie Overthrow

Step 11

Staying on the left-hand side of the Cup and Saucer water feature, head through the wooden kissing gate, following the red waymarker sign. You'll follow the course of Black Brook through fields commonly used for grazing the trust's shire horses, particularly in the summer months.

Step 12

After going through the second kissing gate, go straight across the field, to an opening in the woodland through another kissing gate and up a gentle slope.

Step 13

Turn right and walk 100 metres along the main drive and then turn left, heading through a kissing gate onto Green Lane footpath.

Step 14

Continue along the footpath, bearing left as you go through a wooden gate. There are many wooden structures just off the footpaths in this area. They were used for the cross-country element of the annual Welsh National Horse Carriage Trials that used to take place on the estate.

Step 15

Passing Sontley Lodge Farm on the right, continue along the stoned drive and head through a kissing gate on your left into Forest Wood and head straight down the central track.

Step 16

Turn left when reaching Forest Drive and go over the cattle grid at the bottom.

Step 17

Turn right and follow the edge of Forest Wood back up to the dovecote.

End point

Erddig car park, grid ref: SJ326481

Trail map

Erddig French meadow walk through Emes' pleasure park trail map
Erddig French meadow walk through Emes' pleasure park trail map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

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