Afon Clwyd (River Clwyd) Cycleway / Cycle Path
Rhyl to Rhuddlan 3 miles (Photos)
This short attractive cycleway was opened in 2008, running for the most part along the right bank of the river Clwyd.
It is tarmacadammed and has open views of river and countryside with the more distant prospect of the Clwydian hills. At the southern end one can see Rhuddlan church and castle. One drawback is that there are fairly frequent gates at which cyclists have to dismount to pass through. CTC Cymru is pressing for these to be removed or at least left open by default.
START: Rhyl - the main entrance is at Marsh Road, grid ref: 003804, but it can also be accessed via a cycle path starting at the Brickfields Lake nature reserve, Ffordd Derwen, off Cefndy Road, grid ref: 014813. The advantage of this latter access point is that the entrance barrier can be negotiated (taking care) without dismounting, while at Marsh Road there is a minimally sized kissing gate to be got through. The relatively short and direct route to the Marsh Road access from the western end of the prom involves carrying your bike over a steep footbridge (see photo). This can be circumvented by a fairly short detour but that in turn involves crossing the railway by what is known as the H bridge which because of traffic, the narrowness of the bridge and some awkward turns requires cycling with care.
Rhuddlan - near St Mary's parish church, grid ref: 022781
This path conveniently links communities. Not only does it provide a direct off-road link between Rhyl and Rhuddlan but it can also be used to link Rhyl with St Asaph, since there is excellent cycle track provision by the side of the road (mainly the A525) all the way from Rhuddlan church to the outskirts of St Asaph. Indeed if one turns left off the A525 track into a small housing estate on the edge of St Asaph, and then right, one can join a cycle path that takes one off-road over the river right into the town.