Prestatyn tourist information
Prestatyn Wales
Prestatyn is the gateway to the North Wales coastal area, and the most easterly of the beautiful North Wales coastal resorts. The Town Centre is nestled between magnificent sandy beaches and a spectacular hillside, where mountain air meets salty sea breezes. Uniquely sited with its "shield" of hills and mountains, Prestatyn boasts a distinctly favourable climate all of its own. It is the perfect setting for that traditional holiday, or well-earned break.
Prestatyn is thought to be the oldest resort along the North Wales coast. Tourism began with the building of the Chester to Holyhead railway line in 1848. During the 1800s, people flocked to this resort to "Sea Bathe", lured by the heady descriptions of the air being like wine and honey, and the abundant sunshine being ideal for arthritis and nervous disorders.
Domesday records show Prestatyn's original name to have been Prestetone, from the Anglo Saxon PREOSTA TUN, meaning a settlement in which two or more priests reside.
Artefacts have been discovered that date back as far as prehistoric times. Fossils can be seen in abundance around Graig Fawr and the Bryniau. The Romans' XX Legion had their headquarters in Chester, and it is presumed that an auxiliary detachment was based in a fort, where Ysgol-y-Llys in Princes Avenue is now to be found. A Roman Bath House was excavated in 1984 at a site in Melyd Avenue.
Prestatyn Castle, which was built in Norman times by Lord Robert Banastre, is understood to have been a typical Motte (mound) and Bailey (outer defensive wall) castle. The site of this Norman Castle is just south of the railway line, near to the East side of Bodnant Bridge. A stone pillar on top of a raised mound locates its original position.
Today, Prestatyn offers many recreational activities for all age groups, and is not only a very fine place to live, but also to visit. The town has the additional benefit of providing an ideal base from which to discover North Wales and the surrounding Borderlands, the magnificent scenery of the Snowdonia National Park and Clwydian Mountains, and the excellent shopping and sightseeing on offer in the historic walled City of Chester.
A "Park and Walk Paradise", Prestatyn is also a wonderful base camp for walking enthusiasts. The most famous of Prestatyn's walks is the Offa's Dyke Footpath. The dyke was built in the eighth century AD, and spans some 177 miles from Prestatyn to Chepstow. The start of this now famous walk is to be found at the seafront on Central Beach, where the Offa's Dyke and Tourist Information Centre is to be found. From here, it meanders up the High Street and climbs the magnificent Prestatyn Hillside, entering as it does so the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It then wanders its way along the spectacular Range of hills, and from then on down to Chepstow.
There are many suggested walks and cycle rides in and around Prestatyn, for which individual leaflets are available for free, or to purchase, at Tourist Information Centres. These include: The North Wales Path from Bangor to Prestatyn, Prestatyn Hillside Wildlife Walks, Prestatyn to Dyserth Way, Gwaenysgor - Trelawnyd - Golden Grove - Prestatyn Hillside - Gwaenysgor - Graig Fawr. Not to be forgotten are the leisure and wildlife walks available along the sand dunes and the beaches and promenade, from where wonderful sunsets are often visible. Information on bicycle rental is available on the Community Services page.
Prestatyn is surrounded by endless golf courses, including Prestatyn Championship Golf Course adjacent to the Gronant Sand Dunes Reserve, and the St. Melyd Golf Course off Meliden Road. Some of the many other leisure opportunities on offer include the excellent tennis facilities, football and cricket clubs, the North Wales Bowls Centre, the Nova Complex, and the Leisure Centre.
Prestatyn aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Prestatyn aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Prestatyn.
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