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A gateway to northern England and Ireland, Flintshire in a warm and welcoming Welsh county with much character and a prolific heritage. Scattered with historic landmarks from ruined castles to Iron Age hill forts and brimming with the colour of seasonal festivals and cultural entertainment, a stay in Flintshire promises a chocolate box of delights.

The market town of Flint boasts a castle which saw battles with Romans, Celts, Saxons and Normans. From when it was established by the Romans to when it was in the hands of the Lords of the Manor, Flint market continues to be an excellent place to buy local wares and seasonal foods.

At Holywell the remains of Basingwerk Abbey can be seen and if you’re into myth and legend you’re going to relish tales of ancient pilgrimages to St Winefride’s holy healing waters – one of the Seven Wonders of Wales – from which the town takes its name.

As well as two castles, Hawarden holds Britain’s finest example of a residential library and it’s free to visit. Founded by four times prime minister William Ewart Gladstone, the 200,000 publications on a broad range of subjects at St Deinol’s became monument to the statesman’s life’s work.

Mold is where the action’s at with bustling open-air markets twice weekly, the Theatr Clywd and its productions of national note, the annual summer carnival which includes the popular mascot race, the Blues and Soul Festival in August, a Food Festival in September, and the Festival of Light come winter. As well as being close to Loggerheads, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Mold provides easy access to hiking tours amidst the heathers of the Clwydian Range and to the peak of Moel Fammau.

Book a holiday cottage in Flintshire and start your exploration of north-east Wales without delay.