Kingfisher Escapes

Once you've ticked off Chirk Viaduct (five minutes' drive) and the castle (five minutes), you might like to head up the road to Pontcysyllte's even more dramatic viaduct (10 minutes) or to stroll along the Dee and the Grand Union Canal. Travel a little further west along the A5 and you'll soon be in Llangollen (20 minutes), where there's a choice between horse-drawn boat trips, a steam-powered heritage railway and Plas Newydd Historic House and Gardens. Sporty and adventurous options locally include whitewater rafting trips starting and ending in Llangollen, off-road segwaying just outside Chirk (10 minutes), or, if you like the look of day trips to Snowdonia, Zip World Fforest in Betws-y-Coed (an hour). If your idea of entertainment definitely doesn't involve getting mucky, a smart spa 10 minutes away has a stash of soothing treatments that may appeal (particularly if you've come here as a couple). Once scrubbed up, put on your best attire and head over the border to similarly smart venues like Chester Racecourse (30 minutes) or the Storyhouse Theatre (30 minutes).