ty mawr country park

The Ty Mawr Country Park, Wrexham, in northern Wales is lovely collection of pasture, river, and woodland set in the Welsh countryside. It is a oasis of peace and quiet in an otherwise hectic trip. For a quick panoramic view, click here.


At one end is the impressive Cefn Viaduct built by Thomas Brassey in 1848. Ty Mawr Country Park is a favorite location for families, due to the petting zoo including retired Cavy the pony who has been put out to pasture along with donkeys. At the opposite end is the Pontcysllte Aqueduct, 1000 feet long and 125 feet high, taking the Llangollen Canal over the beautiful River Dee valley. (I did not take it, but you can actually ride the aqueduct in a small boat.)


The park doesn't show up on a list of things to do in Wales. But, it was still a nice break from a day of driving and an opportunity to stretch my legs with a short run. Besides, at this point in my trip I am extremely tired of the tourists, me included, and I want to see how the Welsh enjoy life.

Funny thing, it is not so different from parks anywhere. Mothers with strollers gather together to share news; old couples hand in hand, walk the grounds and talk; young groups of boys and girls wander down to the river, take their shoes off, and wiggle their toes in the cold water. Then, there I am, jogging along as best I can, trying to take it all in.

they still speak welsh

In parts of Wales, they still speak Welsh, a Celtic language. Welsh is spoken daily by roughly 20% of the Welsh population, slightly more than a half a million individuals in mainly the north and west of the country.English is also spoken as a secondary language.

The Welsh Language Act 1993 gives Welsh equal status with English in the public sector in Wales. The BBC has a daily radio program in Welsh, as well as its own website, BBC - Cymru. Public libraries encourage the reading of Welsh language books and periodicals.

It has to be difficult keeping this ancient language alive. English is spoken in almost all daily commercial transactions, and the influx of English tourists make English a necessary conversational tool. Still, the language manages to hold its own against the incursion of English.