The Horseshoe Pass ( cy, Bwlch yr Oernant, "Pass of the Cold Stream") is a

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...

Denbighshire Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...

, north-east

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. It separates

Llantysilio Mountain : ''Both Llantysilio Mountain and Maesyrchen Mountain re-direct here.'' Moel y Gamelin is a hill in Denbighshire, North Wales, to the northwest of the town of Llangollen. It is the highest summit of a range which stretches eastwards from near ...

to the west from the 565 metre (1,854 feet) mountain and Marilyn Cyrn-y-Brain to the east. The

A542 road A54 may refer to: * A54 road (England), a road connecting Chester and Buxton * A54 motorway (France), a road connecting Salon-de-Provence and Nîmes * A54 motorway (Italy), a ring road around Pavia * A-54 freeway (Spain), a road connecting Santi ...

from

Llandegla Llandegla or Llandegla-yn-Iâl is a village and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales. In the 2011 census, the community had a population of 567. Name The village's name is Welsh for the "Parish of Saint Tecla", which honours th ...

Llangollen Llangollen () is a town and community, situated on the River Dee, in Denbighshire, Wales. Its riverside location forms the edge of the Berwyn range, and the Dee Valley section of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beau ...

runs through the pass, reaching a maximum height of . The road travels in a horseshoe shape around the sides of a valley, giving the pass its English name. In 2022, a proposal for a 40 mph speed limit on the Horseshoe Pass was approved after a lengthy campaign by Llangollen's county councillors. This route dates from 1811, when a

turnpike Turnpike often refers to: * A type of gate, another word for a turnstile * In the United States, a toll road Turnpike may also refer to: Roads United Kingdom * A turnpike road, a principal road maintained by a turnpike trust, a body with powers ...

road was constructed across the area. As with the rest of the roads in the Clwydian Range, it is not uncommon for sheep to gather in the road, sometimes causing problems for drivers. The road is also frequently closed in winter due to snowfall or landslides. The Pass is well known for the Ponderosa cafe at its highest point and the scenic views along the road. Both the cafe and the pass itself are extremely popular with cyclists and motorcyclists. There are many walks and routes in the immediate area that are popular with hikers, and there are a number of campsites nearby. The area was devastated by wildfires in 2018 which broke out 19 July, and continued until 25th September, damaging 715 acres of land.

Gallery

File:HorseshoePassPonderosaWinter.jpg, View of pass and the Ponderosa Cafe File:HorseshoePassWinterScrubland.jpg, Scrubland under snow File:Horseshoe Pass (2011.10.16).jpg,

Eglwyseg The Eglwyseg valley is an area to the north east of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales; it is within the boundaries of Llantysilio Community. The name also refers to a widely scattered hamlet in the valley. Formerly the old township of Eglwysegl ...

valley from Horseshoe Pass File:Horseshoe Pass - geograph.org.uk - 74374.jpg, Sheep in a lay-by File:HorsesoePassViewNE.jpg, View north-east from pass File:HorseshoePassViewSE.jpg, View south-east from pass

References

* Llandegla Millennium Action Group (2003) ''Llandegla Then and Now'', LMAG, Llandegla.

External links

Historic Landscape Characterisation - The Vale of Llangollen: Maesyrychen
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust
Horseshoe Pass walk
BBC
HorseShoe Pass Denbighshire
Positively North Wales Mountain passes of Denbighshire Roads in Denbighshire Scenic routes in the United Kingdom {{denbighshire-geo-stub