cafe
Ponderosa Cafe
A legendary biker stop high on the Horseshoe Pass above Llangollen with panoramic views across the Welsh valleys.
12 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomWales
Ruthin
Wales, United Kingdom · Europe
About Ruthin
Ruthin works well as a base: 20 minutes from Llandegla, 15km from Llyn Brenig.
Ruthin is in Wales, United Kingdom, with about 5,500 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Llandegla, about 10 km away.
Ruthin ( RITH-in; Welsh: Rhuthun) is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas and Rhewl. The name comes from the Welsh rhudd ('red') and din ('fort'), after the colour of sandstoneRead more
bedrock, from which the castle was built in 1277–1284. The Old Mill, Ruthin, is nearby. Maen Huail, a registered ancient monument associated with King Arthur and with Hueil mab Caw, the brother of the historian Gildas, stands in St Peter's Square.
Where to Stay in Ruthin
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ruthin?
Within an hour or so of Ruthin: Ponderosa Cafe (12 km), Horseshoe Pass (13 km), Horseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant) (13 km), Llyn Brenig (15 km).
Are there any good drives near Ruthin?
The nearest famous roads are Horseshoe Pass, Evo Triangle and B4391 Milltir Gerrig.
Where is Ruthin?
Ruthin is in Wales, United Kingdom, about 10 km from Llandegla.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 5,461
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Wales
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.1137, -3.3178
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Ruthin
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
mountain pass
Horseshoe Pass
Sweeping A542 mountain pass curling above Llangollen in a giant horseshoe, climbing to 417m past the Ponderosa Cafe with wide views over the Dee Valley. A classic North Wales driving and biking road.
13 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Horseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant)
A sweeping 417m moorland pass on the A542 above Llangollen, with the Ponderosa cafe at the top and views to the Berwyns.
13 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Llyn Brenig
A large reservoir on the Denbigh Moors beside the Evo Triangle roads, with a 10-mile shore trail, Bronze Age sites and big open skies.
15 km · about 30 min drive
famous road
Evo Triangle
Legendary 20-mile loop of the A5, A543 and B4501 across the empty Denbigh Moors, made famous as evo magazine's road-test circuit. Fast, open sightlines past Llyn Brenig make it a pilgrimage for keen drivers.
17 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
Llyn Alwen
A quiet moorland reservoir next to Llyn Brenig on the Denbigh Moors, a peaceful stop on the Evo Triangle circuit.
18 km · about 20 min drive
waterfall
Pistyll Rhaeadr
Wales's tallest single-drop waterfall at 73 metres, cascading through a natural rock arch in a remote Berwyn Mountains valley.
29 km · about 35 min drive
famous road
B4391 Milltir Gerrig
A high, empty moorland crossing of the Berwyn range between Bala and Llangynog, all long sightlines and sheep.
30 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Ruthin
10 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- Right hereHorseshoe PassSweeping A542 mountain pass curling above Llangollen in a giant horseshoe, climbing to 417m past the Ponderosa Cafe with wide views over the Dee Valley. A classic North Wales driving and biking road.
- Right hereHorseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant)A sweeping 417m moorland pass on the A542 above Llangollen, with the Ponderosa cafe at the top and views to the Berwyns.
- 17 kmEvo TriangleLegendary 20-mile loop of the A5, A543 and B4501 across the empty Denbigh Moors, made famous as evo magazine's road-test circuit. Fast, open sightlines past Llyn Brenig make it a pilgrimage for keen drivers.
- 30 kmB4391 Milltir GerrigA high, empty moorland crossing of the Berwyn range between Bala and Llangynog, all long sightlines and sheep.
- 40 kmBwlch y Groes (Pass of the Cross)Wales's highest public road at 545m, a 1-in-4 climb from Llanuwchllyn used for pre-war motoring hill-climb tests.
- 41 kmBwlch y Groes (Hellfire Pass)Wales's highest public road at 545m, a 1-in-4 single-track climb from Llanuwchllyn used for decades as a motoring hill-climb test.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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