People will soon be able to take a look at some of the Dee Valley’s top attractions ... without leaving Llangollen’s Riverside Park.
That’s because there’s a plan to completely facelift the old mini golf range there, with each of its nine holes being based on model representations of the area’s major crowd-pullers, including Plas Newydd, Valle Crucis Abbey, Castell Dinas Bran, Llangollen’s ancient bridge, the Horseshoe Falls and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
The idea of using the golf course to showcase all these local tourist spots comes from the team behind the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which recently took over the running of the range and nearby refreshment kiosk.
Paul Evans, manager of Plas Newydd, home of the Ladies of Llangollen, is now also responsible for their development and explains how the transformation is gradually starting to take shape.
He said: “Denbighshire County Council, which runs the park, traditionally leased out the kiosk and the golf.
“A local couple held the lease for 12 years up until the pandemic struck. Like lots of other places it then had to close and they did not renew the lease. The AONB looked at it and decided to take over.
“We’ve now started to run the kiosk on the same lines as we have successfully used at the cafe in Plas Newydd and we also intend to give the mini golf a completely new look.
“We see this as a good opportunity to do something for the town and also to use the new features as a showcase for Plas Newydd and other major attractions in the Dee Valley.”
Paul, who had a summer job working in Riverside Park when he was 16, added: “We want to try and replicate the success we’ve had at Plas Newydd down at the park.
“The kiosk was completely gutted with new flooring and a re-wiring. We’ve also installed a state-of-the-art machine for making good quality coffees and teas.
“At the moment we’re also serving cold drinks and ice creams but our aim is to eventually offer things like home-made cakes and sausage rolls all sourced locally like at Plas Newydd.”
Detailing what’s in mind for the mini golf, Paul said: “We’re aiming for a totally new experience. It will be a nine-hole course with each of the holes representing an area of importance within the Dee Valley.
“We’re also hoping to have a big map on the side wall of the kiosk directing people to where they can visit the attractions themselves.
“We have a specialist company working on the project and we’re still going through the design process so I can’t say yet when this is likely to be finished.
“The idea is to highlight the whole of the Dee Valley and perhaps to incorporate some walking routes, one of which could be from the park up to Plas Newydd with people leaving their cars in town where there’s more parking than up at Plas.”
As things recover from the pandemic, Paul said the kiosk was currently opening as and when it could during the summer but he added that the aim was to extend the traditional season from April through to October opening seven days a week.
To do this effectively it will have to be adequately staffed and Paul revealed that, in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions, this had been “a nightmare”.
He explained: “Like everyone else we’ve had trouble with recruitment – for both Riverside Park and Plas Newydd.
“We’ve had two recruiting drives over the past few months and only now are we starting to get enough of the right people. But I think we’re nearly there.
“We’ve taken on the park attractions as a long-term project and we want to gradually build them up to the point where they become real assets to the town.”
Ensuring that the best use it made of Llangollen’s outdoor attractions is something of a family affair for Paul and his wife Jessica.
In her own right she has created a new organisation known as the Llangollen Parks and Open Spaces Project, which includes the future well-being of Riverside Park.
Paul said: “She’s been looking at ways of funding and getting grants to upgrade facilities and pay for adequate maintenance. She’s also been trying to find out what sort of improvements people would like to see and speaking to the local MP and Senedd Member along with the town and county councils.
“There’s lots going on behind the scenes but one of the things she’s looking at is the possibility of putting in a splash park at Riverside if the right sort of funding can be secured.”
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