Oswestry - day trip and things to do.

[Guz]

Hi all,

I'm heading to Oswestry from Belfast next week to buy a used car, not expensive at all (student budget). MG-ZT 2.0litre diesel.

Plans are to fly over early Monday morning with wife and teenage son to Liverpool, spend day in city centre as son wants to visit a few stores in the city centre. Pick car up around 4pm in Oswestry (owner of car picking us up in Liverpool) and travel home next evening via Holyhead - Dublin ferry.

My question to you all, as I know there is a vast amount of knowledge on the forum, is; would you recommend staying overnight in Oswestry or just head into Wales and do a very brief tour of the north coast that evening, stay overnight in Wales and take my time getting to late ferry, sight seeing as I go. I've never been to Wales, so happy for any sensible suggestions :-)

Thanks in advance.

[zelig]

I'd pick a day by the sea in Llandudno or Conwy - lots of nice places to eat too.

This one is a favourite

The Seahorse Restaurant
7 Church Walks,
Llandudno
LL30 2HD

https://goo.gl/maps/jNTyjTmiqZrg3QzZA

( you may need to book in advance )

z

[astonandy]

Like most "i'm visiting X" recommendation threads it depends on what you like doing. Oswestry is a pleasant market town but bothing exceptional - although it does have Booka which has twice been UK bookshop of the year if that's your thing. It has a heritage railway and museum but I'm not sure that's not a weekends only thing at this time of year.

Away from Oswestry you have Chirk with it's NT castle and topiary garden about 20 minutes North and then, and really not to be missed, thr World Heritage site at Pontcysyllte aqueduct, Thomas Telford's masterpiece and well worth a visit. You can take a canal boat or horse drawn canal boat over the acqueduct and get a nice pub lunch nearby. From there on to Llangollen - a pleasant if slightly touristy town with an excellent steam railway if that's your thing, then drive down the valley to Corwen (stopping at Rhug estate for excellent organic burgers from their own herd) and then to Bala - not a great town but an excellent lake and lakeside walk/drive. Two ways to go from there - Dolgellau and on to the coast at Barmouth or, it it were me, towards Porthmadog stopping at Portmeirion the Italianate village designed and owned by Clough Williams Ellis and featured as the setting for The Prisoner TV show. If you've not been to Wales this is truly amazing and somewhere the like of which you've not seen - you can stay as I did for my Honeymoon but it is pricey. You're on the right coast for Angelsey then so you can head up to Holyhead at leisure.

You could see a lot more of Wales with a tour South from Oswestry and head to the Elan valley for instance but to avoid huge mileage and hours in the car I'd stick to a more local A5 based tour personally.

[John Wall]

I’d just head north and sightsee on the way.
You’re not missing anything in Oswestry.

[number2]

I'd head straight to the coast.

[bandylegss]

Llangollen or chick castle, just down the road powis castle fantastic gardens Welshpool light railway next door.

[jaytip]

I know that they are not, but I think of Oswestry and Chester as being in Wales due to the A483. The Welsh/English border meanders so much around that area.

[bandylegss]

I'd head straight to the coast.

I always do. :)

[Guz]

Zelig, astonandy, John Wall, number2, bandyleys and jaytip; thank you all for the great information, it is very much appreciated and let's us have a night of searching google to view your recommendations. I'm easy pleased, looking forward to the beautiful scenery.

Brilliant, thank you all again. The forum is a wonderful place

[mondie]

I'd pick a day by the sea in Llandudno or Conwy - lots of nice places to eat too.

This one is a favourite

The Seahorse Restaurant
7 Church Walks,
Llandudno
LL30 2HD

https://goo.gl/maps/jNTyjTmiqZrg3QzZA

( you may need to book in advance )

z

This nails it. I suggest you take the A5 from Oswestry so you go through Llangollen and catch some of Snowdonia on the way down to the coast. Betws-y-Coed is also worth stopping by as the A5 passes right by it.

[thegoat]

There is a Wilfred Owen memorial in Oswestry.
That’s it, sorry .

[notnowkato]

I bought a BMW 3 series from a chap in the Tesco car park, that's as far as my TripAdvisor review extends, it was some years ago, things may the improved, or not. Is that my coat? Thanks, I'll be off then.

[hogthrob]

I know that they are not, but I think of Oswestry and Chester as being in Wales due to the A483. The Welsh/English border meanders so much around that area.

Similarly, I always thought Wrexham was a Northern English town, until I knew better.

[astonandy]

I bought a BMW 3 series from a chap in the Tesco car park, that's as far as my TripAdvisor review extends, it was some years ago, things may the improved, or not. Is that my coat? Thanks, I'll be off then.

Your memory's a little wonky - there isn't a Tesco there. :)

[John Wall]

Similarly, I always thought Wrexham was a Northern English town, until I knew better.

Don’t go to Wrexham either…

It’s even worserer than Oswestry

[markrlondon]

Lake Vyrnwy is doable from Oswestry, possibly on way to/from. Lovely. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Vyrnwy

[notnowkato]

Your memory's a little wonky - there isn't a Tesco there. :)

You are quite right, I was thinking of Uttoxeter, my apologies to all concerned.

[bandylegss]

Lake Vyrnwy is doable from Oswestry, possibly on way to/from. Lovely. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Vyrnwy

Yep we’ll worth a trip.

[Adge]

If I was you I'd immediately hit the road and play it by ear. See what tickles your fancy and see where you end up.

Otherwise staying, you'll see everything worth seeing but dinner.