Hanmer: Landscape, Mere and Village History

Hanmer offers several specific starting points for planning a trip: Hanmer Mere and the surrounding landscape, different types of paths, and individual details of church art and history. If you are looking for a hotel in Hanmer, you can first consider which of these themes matters for your stay. Your focus might be the natural environment, a longer route or a single historical detail.

Hanmer between the Village and the Mere

The Hanmer Conservation Area covers most of the village. Its landscape consists of rolling lowland, used mainly as pasture; well-maintained hedgerow trees and small woods also shape it. Pasture, hedgerow trees and woodland together form a rural landscape. If you would rather plan your trip around the surroundings than individual buildings, this landscape is a focus in its own right.

Hanmer Mere is a small, shallow lowland lake covering 18 hectares, with high alkalinity. Hanmer Mere and parts of its surrounding catchment form the Hanmer Mere SSSI. The lake is also part of the Midland Meres & Mosses Phase 2 Ramsar site.

Two perspectives can help with orientation: the Hanmer Conservation Area covers most of the village; the SSSI and Ramsar designations apply to Hanmer Mere, with the SSSI also covering parts of the surrounding catchment. This sets the village setting and the lake’s designated status alongside one another as distinct points of focus.

The Maelor Way and the Lakeside Path

The Maelor Way is 24 miles long and passes through or close to Hanmer. Its route includes public footpaths, bridleways, quiet roads and a towpath along a canal. At 24 miles, the Maelor Way is a longer route; in addition to its total length, the different types of paths are a practical consideration when planning. If you include it in your trip, you can take its length and route into account together.

A public path runs through meadows and woodland along the eastern side of Hanmer Mere. Here, the focus is on its position on the eastern shore of the lake and the landscape of meadows and woodland. Check the path locally before setting out. This raises a different planning question from the Maelor Way: you can weigh its length and different types of paths against the meadow and woodland path on the eastern side of the lake.

Church Art and History

The church heritage includes stained-glass windows by C E Kempe & Co Ltd in St Chad, Hanmer. A substantial medieval churchyard cross stands south of Hanmer Church. The windows draw attention to glass design and its maker; the cross to a medieval object and its location south of the church. If you are interested in church art and history, these details offer a focus in their own right alongside the landscape and paths.

Discover more destinations: Erbistock, Penycae, Bradley, Bangor-on-Dee, Llanarmon Dyffryn-Ceiriog, Rossett, Trevor, Chirk.

For the wider travel overview: Wrexham.