艾爾前坑步行點

I started this walk at the memorial to the now demolished Point of Ayr coal mine, which is located just off the A548 coast road at Ffynnongroyw. There is plenty of parking. Cross the road and walk along 'The Cob', which is part of the Wales coastal path. The path goes across a field with cows and a LARGE bull! But the path is protected with hedges and gates. At the other end of The Cob, you will go under a railway bridge. There is always standing water under there, and sometimes it can be deep enough to cover the pavement. The amount of water bears no relation to the weather! I went after two days of Storm Dennis, and as you can see there was very little water. The path is signposted and easy to follow. I took the path to the left, which is slightly narrower and can be overgrown in summer. It doesn't matter which path you take as it all joins in the end. You walk around the area where the coal mine used to stand, and some of the rail tracks are still visible. There is an option to take a path to Talacre beach, though I didn't on this occasion. If you do continue that way, there are toilets, cafes, pubs and shops there. There is an option to visit the RSPB bird hide on the walk, so bring binoculars if you fancy a bit of bird watching. There are several information boards and mementos of the former pit along the walk. And there are lovely views of the countryside and the estuary, and out towards the Wirral.