You Ain't Seen Ruthin Yet

I have stayed in JD Wetherspoons hotels many times over the last 10 years in places as diverse as Salisbury; Monmouth and Chesterfield. They have all had individual characteristics and all had good and not so good features. However, last weekend my wife and I stayed in a recently opened Wetherlodge in Ruthin (pronunciation rhymes with "muffin") in North Wales. I am unable to fault any aspect of this hotel or indeed this delightfully quirky town.

Like most other people from the North of England I have visited North Wales countless times down the years.  However, I have tended towards the coastal towns of Llandudno etc. Of course, this coast has beautiful scenery and has pockets of Welsh speakers but also vast amounts of tourists which always seems to dilute my enjoyment of any trip. Ruthin, however, lies in the shadow of the Clwydian hills and is unspoiled.

Upon arrival at the friendly, economically priced Wetherlodge, we decided to leave the unpacking and head straight out to see what the town had to offer. We were based in St Peter's Square which is the historic centre of the town. I was immediately impressed by the "other worldly" nature of the buildings and surrounded on 3 sides by the beautiful Clwydian hills. After spending some time browsing the independent shops and taking a tour of the fascinating Ruthin Gaol (closed as a working Gaol since 1916) it was apparent that the first language of most of the inhabitants was Welsh. This felt like a true step back in time and made the whole visit a greatly enjoyable experience. Tourists in any great numbers appear to be uncommon to this area. However, it is clear the Wetherspoons hotel is likely to change this state of affairs in the near future.

The rest of the weekend was spent exploring the surrounding area. It literally felt like a huge breath of fresh air. All the local people we came into contact with were friendly and welcoming and just as happy to converse with us in English. Many people's families have obviously lived in this town for many generations and I found their everyday use of the native Welsh language very refreshing. 

This town has a remarkably low crime rate and, personally, was the perfect way to unwind and relax with a few drinks in a wonderfully scenic location.

Well done Ruthin!