Walks at Hafod
Bonc yr Hafods beautiful countryside, interesting mining history and wonderful views, make it an excellent place to go for a walk. The park has mile after mile of quiet pathways criss-crossing the park in all directions. Most of these paths were installed when the park was landscaped in the 1990s, but many are desire lines created by walkers exploring the park. If you would like to follow a trail there two way-marked routes in the park which are detailed below.
Hafod low level circular walk
Hafod is a park rich in wildlife, not only is the park specially protected because of the Great crested newts that live there, it is also home to dragonflies, grass snakes and bird life such as buzzards, kestrels and skylarks. In the summer the park is full of wildflowers, including the common spotted orchid and birds foot trefoil, while in the autumn, the woodland is full of fungi. This walk takes you though oak woodland and grassland and past the ponds where the newts and dragonflies breed. Apart from a small hill at the being of the route this is a level walk around the base of the hill.
1. Leave the far end of the car park and follow the path up the hill, before taking the first turning on the right.
2.The path goes through oak woodland before dropping down and eventually emerging onto a stone surfaced track. Follow the track alongside ponds and ditch which are breeding sites for the Great crested newt. The railway line to the right carries the Shewsbury to Chester line.
3.Veer left before the large gate and follow the path past the pond on your right. On reaching the concrete road turn left. Look out for the railway tracks in the road, which use to carry coal from the mine.
4.The concrete road soon turns into a path, follow the path back to the car park.
The heritage and nature trail
Until 1968 the park was the site of Hafod Colliery, employing over 1900 people from the surrounding villages. Waste from the coal mine was piled up to create the hill at Hafod. Since the mine closed the spoil heap has been landscaped and transformed into a beautiful park, but the mining history of Hafod can be explored on this walk.
The route includes a series interpretation panels and carved oak posts, themed on the parks mining heritage and natural history. Following surfaced footpaths, the trail leads you to the summit, where you will find a large stone sun dial sculpture of a miner, and wonderful views over the surrounding countryside.
The directions below assume that you are starting from the car park. If you wish to do the trail from the Gwalia entrance walk past the pond and up the wide track to the second turning on your left. Follow the directions below from point 3 onwards.
1. Leave the far end of the car park and follow the path up the hill, taking the second turning on the left
2. Follow this wide flat track past the first path which goes up the hill on the right, until you reach the second path on the right.
3. Turn off the wide track onto this path and go up the hill and take the second turning on the right.
4. This path will take you up the hill until you reach the summit of Bonc yr Hafod.
5. Once you have enjoyed the views and looked at the sculpture, continue past the summit and take the path which zig–zags down a steep bank turning right onto the path at the bottom of the bank.
6. If you wish to return to the Gwalia entrance of the park follow this path down the hill and take the second turning on the right. Follow this wide track until you reach the Gwalia entrance, otherwise just follow the path down to the car park.
