Wales is home to a number of stunning and varied landscapes, from impressive mountain ranges and rugged coastlines to quaint farmland and villages.
Whether you have a keen interest in hiking, history, culture or the outdoors there is certainly lots to enjoy.
But aside from being a popular holiday destination, it is also a beautiful place to live.
And one Welsh town in particular has garnered attention for this very reason.
Ruthin, in the north east of the country, has been named among The Times’ best places to live as of 2023.
The small market town actually took the title of the best place to live in the whole of Wales, beating more well known locations like Abergavenny, Cardiff and the Gower Peninsula.
The newspaper described it as, “a small handsome town in the Clwydian hills with big ambition and an even bigger heart”.
With a population of less than 6,000 people, Ruthin benefits from a laid back, peaceful atmosphere.
While it has attractions that draw in tourists such as a castle and museum, it is not as well known as some of its neighbouring locations.
But this could change with The Times’ alluring report of what to expect from a visit.
“All eyes are on Ruthin,” it said. “This handsome, historic town is a jumble of Medieval and Victorian buildings on winding streets leading off the grand hilltop market square.
“At its centre is the grade II* listed 16th-century property known as Seven Eyes, for the seven windows poking out from its sloping roof, soon to reopen as a restaurant.”
Historic architecture is not in short supply in Ruthin with its 600-year-old courthouse repurposed as a community hub and cinema, as well as a former bank converted into a re-use store.
For those with a keen interest in the Welsh countryside, Ruthin neighbours the breathtaking Clwydian mountain range and Dee Valley area of outstanding beauty.
Here you will find a range of hiking trails, in varying lengths and difficulty levels.
The area of outstanding beauty’s website says: “The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley form a dramatic upland frontier in north Wales, with scenic landscapes, dramatic summits and historic towns and villages.
“The heather-clad hills of the Clwydian Range that reward the adventurer with ancient hillforts and incredible views give way to the Dee Valley’s rich cultural and industrial heritage.
“The distinctive beauty and significance of this exceptional landscape is protected and enhanced as one of only five areas of outstanding natural beauty in Wales.”
The area is also home to an array of creatures you might not get to see often elsewhere.
Birds such as stonechat, tree pipit, hen harrier and merlin visit the moors during the spring and summer months to breed. And voles and otters can be found in its waterways.
So if you’re looking to visit somewhere new, why not consider Ruthin?
Source: express.co.uk