Mention Flintshire to most people and they might struggle to pinpoint it on a map. The county sits just on the Welsh side of the border with England, with Liverpool to the east and the mountains of Eyri (Snowdonia) to the west. It's a place of quiet beauty, where small villages punctuate rolling farmland and you'll likely get stuck behind a tractor if you spend more than 10 minutes on the road. Heather-clad hills along the Clwydian Range and broad, windswept beaches to the north provide some drama. Fans of country strolls, sustained by a pint and a pie in a local pub, will find plenty of appeal here.
Close to the English border is the Hawarden Estate, the former home of William Gladstone, who served as prime minister to Queen Victoria four times between 1868 and 1894. His great-greatgrandson, Charlie Gladstone, has set about turning the estate into a celebration of the good life, with a focus on slow food, nature and traditional skills. Among the rambling grounds are all sorts of accommodation, plus a walled garden school and farm shop. It's a great base for wider exploration of the region but it's easy to enter through the gates and find no decent reason to leave for a few days.
Where's the best place to stay?
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