Top photography locations in Wrexham, North Wales
Nestled within the captivating landscapes of North Wales, Wrexham beckons photography enthusiasts with its array of picturesque charm and best photography locations. This article unveils the top places to capture beautiful views in Wrexham, inviting you to embark on a visual journey like no other. From panoramic vistas to stunning landscapes, Wrexham offers a wealth of captivating scenes that are waiting to be immortalized through the lens.
With a rich heritage spanning centuries, Wrexham boasts iconic landmarks like Wrexham Cathedral and St. Giles Church, making them perfect subjects for landscape photography. Additionally, remnants of the region’s industrial past at Bersham Ironworks provide unique and intriguing photography opportunities. However, the true natural beauty of Wrexham unfolds in scenes such as the majestic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, where panoramic views abound, and the vibrant Erddig Gardens, offering a tapestry of colours and textures. For those seeking tranquillity, Alyn Waters Country Park provides serene landscapes that are perfect for capturing beautiful views.
Beyond the landscapes, Wrexham offers vibrant cultural events, such as the Wrexham Food Festival, which provide lively and colourful photo opportunities. And let’s not forget the excitement of football matches, where you can capture the energy and passion of the game through your lens.
Join us as we uncover the hidden gems and showcase the best photography locations in Wrexham, inviting you to capture its essence through your own lens. Get ready to explore the captivating landscapes and capture the most beautiful views that Wrexham has to offer.
Natural Landscapes and Scenic Spots
Explore the natural landscapes and most photogenic spots in and around Wrexham, including:
Alyn Waters Country Park
This is the largest country park around the area of Wrexham. It’s in two halves, on either side of the River Alyn. There’s a visitor centre on the Gwersyllt side with plenty of parking. There’s a combination of forest areas, some of which follow the river bank together with open areas, all with clear paths.
On the Llay side of Alyn Waters, there is also a combination of forest areas with large open grass areas, also with a large car park.
There’s plenty of wildlife to photograph around the country park including a variety of birds, if you’re lucky you may even spot a kingfisher or buzzard. It is one of our favourite places to visit in the early mornings to catch a glimpse of animals such as badgers, foxes and herons.
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World’s End
Worlds End can be reached either from Minera or from Llangollen/Panorama side. There’s a single-track road which leads from Minera providing stunning views back over Wrexham. Then on the left, there’s Esclusham Mountain with places for parking on the right. The singletrack road then travels through the Moorland towards Eglwyseg Valley and Worlds End. If you continue to follow the singletrack road, crossing the 2nd cattle grid and through the shallow ford. The road then splits towards either Panorama, Trevor on the left or Llangollen on the right. It’s one of the places we visit every time we take friends and family on a North Wales Road Trip!
All of the above places are normally very quiet and offer fantastic opportunities for photography. In summer, the heather is a vibrant purple and the ferns bright green. There are usually a lot of sheep around throughout the year, so drive carefully! Also, watch out for large potholes in the road! Having said that World’s End offers the most spectacular views of the valley and is simply a premier destination for landscape photographers!
Horseshoe Pass
The Horseshoe Pass is a popular mountain pass in Denbighshire, North Wales. The name comes from the A542 road travels around the side of the valley in a horseshoe shape. The pass reaches a maximum elevation of 417 metres (1,368 ft) which provides stunning views down into the valley towards Llangollen.
Due to its elevation, it’s usually one of the first roads to get affected by snow and ice, but the great thing is that after some snowfall, the scenes down into the valley can be beautiful, especially at sunrise or sunset.
You can find The Ponderosa Cafe near the highest point of the pass. It is popular with cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists and visitors to the area and offers great views and a relatively large car park.
Nant Mill and Plas Power Woods
Situated 2.5km (1.6 miles) west of Wrexham in the Clywedog Valley between Coedpoeth and Bersham, the woods The best parking and access is from Nant Mill Visitor Centre car park.
Plas Power Woods has it all! Waterfalls, weirs, wildlife and a winding river. It’s an amazing place to visit and for photography. Some of our favourite times to visit are in Spring, in particular for the bluebells. Autumn is also a great time with the colours and fallen leaves. However, it’s a place which can be visited at any time of year.
Historic Landmarks and Architecture
Visit the historic landmarks in Wrexham, such as:
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct became a World Heritage Site in 2009 by meeting three criteria sections, one of which is a ‘masterpiece of human creative genius’. And for a good reason! It’s the longest aqueduct in Great Britain and the highest canal aqueduct in the world!
It stands 126 ft (38 m) tall with a footpath and sheer drop on the other side of the Llangollen canal. If you’re afraid of heights crossing the footpath may not be for you! It’s a short walk across, but it is certainly not for the faint-hearted… So if you are not keen on an adventure shoot, another great way to cross the canal is on a boat trip (but it may be tricky to craft good compositions out of the window of a small canal boat…).
In terms of photography, an early morning is perfect, for a few reasons. Firstly, it can become quite busy, making avoiding people in your shots near impossible. Secondly, the light is far better in the morning, with the added bonus of getting the opportunity to capture the unique shadow of the aqueduct.
Overall, the aqueduct offers the best views of rural Wales and is one of the most beautiful places just a short drive from Wrexham town centre.
St Giles Church
The Church Tower at St Giles is one of the “Seven Wonders of Wales” situated in the centre of Wrexham town. The tall 135ft tower can’t be missed, whether you are on the hills around Wrexham, or in the centre itself. If pre-booked and at specific times each month it’s possible to climb the tower at St Giles Church. Aside from nearby hillsides
Erddig
Erddig is a National Trust estate including a home and gardens. The formal symmetrical hedges, trained fruit trees and wildlife make perfect subjects for photography. It’s a perfect place to spend a couple of hours photographing at any time of the year with the large gardens to explore. It’s one of our favourite locations to visit on sunny days! There are plenty of free-of-charge nature walks around the National Trust park, allowing you to take beautiful photos of the great outdoors too!
Minera Lead Mines & Country Park
Minera Lead Mines is in the Clywedog Valley just below Minera Mountain. It’s easy to find and access just off the B5426, with plenty of parking spaces. In terms of things to do and photograph, there’s a path along the old railway line which can also lead up to Minera Mountain offering a great vantage point over Minera and Wrexham together with wildlife such as grouse.
The remains of the lead processing area provide unique architecture great for photography, especially with a wide-angle lens. There are many opportunities for leading lines, making use of the old railway tracks. You can read more about the history of Minera Lead mines ahead of your visit.
Cultural and Festive Events
Wrexham AFC – The Racecourse
In 2022 actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the club, and a couple of years later the “Welcome to Wrexham” TV Series was launched. This led to a significant increase in the clubs’ visibility with the fan base becoming global. in the 2022-2023 season, Wrexham was promoted to the EFL League Two. This has brought visitors to Wrexham, particularly from the USA.
Wrexham AFC’a stadium the Racecourse Ground is situated next to Wrexham Glyndwr University. It’s on the main road into Wrexham, therefore has great accessibility. My favourite spot for photos of the ground is up above in nearby Pentre Broughton where you can see down onto The Racecourse with the floodlights on each corner.
Early morning is the optimal time for capturing these shots, as the lighting is superior and there is a possibility of mist or fog elevating the scene. Make sure you take your longest focal length zoom, and a tripod for a stable shot if the lighting is poor.
Ty Pawb
Ty Pawb which means “Everybody’s House” in Welsh, is a unique cultural and community hub in the heart of Wrexham. It combines a market, an art gallery, a food court and a performance space under one roof, creating a vibrant and welcoming place for locals and visitors alike.
At first glance, Tŷ Pawb may not look like an impressive building. It is housed in a former multi-storey car park and market hall that was renovated by Featherstone Young in 2018. However, if you are into portrait photography, you will find plenty of opportunities to capture the faces and stories of the people who gather there. Whether it is for an art exhibition, a live music event, a workshop or a festival, Tŷ Pawb is always buzzing with activity and energy.
Hidden Gems and Local Gems
If it’s your first time visiting Wrexham, you may be surprised at how many amazing photography spots you’ll find in and around this small town! Uncover lesser-known or hidden photography locations in Wrexham, such as:
Castell Dinas Bran
If you’re in the River Dee Valley or around Llangollen then you’ve probably seen a castle up on a hill, Castell Dinas Bran. There are a few laybys nearby which you can park at if you’re there early enough. Take care not to park in any places which could cause damage. The walk up to the castle is fairly short but steep.
Panorama
There is a road along the hillside called “Panorama Walk“, behind the hill with Castell Dinas Bran. From this road, numerous laybys, paths and viewpoints offer stunning vantage points over the valley. This is one of our all-time favourite local spots to visit and is especially good at sunset.
There are a number of rock faces popular with climbers and always many sheep around which can be great subjects. The photography opportunities here are endless, with incredible views in all directions.
See below a few time-lapses taken from various sports up at Panorama Walk.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Pj4hCZoVU
Ty Mawr and Cefn Viaduct
Ty Mawr has a circular walk which takes you past a variety of areas. These include an area where you can meet farm animals such as goats, pigs and sheep, together with smaller animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. There’s a small forest area with a selection of wooden carved animals. Our favourite part is the Cefn Viaduct which you can walk beneath or view from the riverside, there are many vantage points to get great shots of this Viaduct. There is also a couple of llamas which can be very entertaining to photograph. Visit this fantastic location at the end of the day, when the sun is setting for beautiful soft light.
The shot below used a 10-stop ND filter and a tripod to extend the shutter speed and flatten out the water. Find lots of further information on the use of ND Filters in A comprehensive guide to seascape photography
Practical Tips for Photographing in Wrexham
Best time of day for capturing the ideal lighting conditions.
For all the locations listed in this article unique weather conditions and lighting can turn a standard photo into something special. For this reason, venture out early in the morning or early evening for sunset focusing on the golden hours. At these times, the light is soft and colours are vibrant.
If your only option is to venture out during the day, try to find days with dramatic weather and lighting, ideally with partial cloud cover. Blue skies and sunshine can be a challenge to obtain amazing photos due to the harsh lighting and high contrast.
Recommended camera equipment and accessories.
Use any camera body for photography around Wrexham and the surrounding areas. Ensure you’re using gear that you’re familiar with to enable you to focus on your photography as opposed to how to use your camera.
It’s the lens choice that is most critical, this has the most significant impact on your options for composition, image quality and depth of field. Although one zoom lens can serve you well in terms of flexibility, due to the variety of locations, for the best results a few different lenses would be preferred. If you’re looking for more detail on lens choice, for crop sensor or full frame check out the Best lenses for Nikon D7200 for travel photography
Conclusion
From historic landmarks and architectural wonders to serene natural landscapes, Wrexham offers a wealth of captivating scenes waiting to be captured through the lens. The region’s rich heritage is reflected in iconic landmarks like St. Giles Church, while the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct stands tall as a masterpiece of human creative genius. Whether exploring the serene beauty of Alyn Waters Country Park, capturing the cascading waterfalls of Nant Mill and Plas Power Woods, or immersing in the historic ambience of Minera Lead Mines and St. Giles Church, Wrexham unveils hidden gems at every turn. Whether chasing misty sunrises atop Horseshoe Pass or venturing to lesser-known spots like Castell Dinas Bran and Panorama, Wrexham reveals its hidden treasures to those willing to explore. So pack your photography gear and make Wrexham your next trip!
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