Wrexham

Wrexham is the home of Wrexham University and the largest town in the north of Wales, right next to the border of England. It is situated between the rugged landscapes of the mountains of Wales and the big cities of north east England.

Over the decades Wrexham has gone from an industrial town of mining and ironworks to being the technological centre for north Wales, and you’ll be able to see both sides of this when you go round the town. There are still a good number of historic buildings here, but there’s also a big focus on science and technology that’s accessible whether you’re a scientist or not (and let’s face it, most of us really are not!)

If you’re in this latter group, you’ll probably like Techniquest. This is a science and discovery centre that’s probably meant to be aimed at schoolchildren, and we all know what that means - interactive displays! What could be a better way to spend a post-hangover weekend than to dash around like a five year old, hitting every button in sight, twisting every dial, pulling every lever, and basically lighting the place up like a Christmas tree? There are also shows and workshops (again aimed at people half our age, so we’ll probably be able to understand most if it) that change round regularly, so you’ll have something new to see each time you go. If you enjoy that, the Wrexham Science Festival takes place every year, with free talks, demonstrations and activities that pull thousands of people to the town.

The rest of the time Wrexham provides everything a growing student needs, including a busy nightlife, particularly in the older parts of the town around St Giles Church. There are lots of clubs here and they are big ones, some of the biggest in Wales. There’s good shopping in the town centre, the Eagle Meadows complex which includes a cinema, and Queensway Leisure centre has an impressive lineup of sports facilities. Wrexham’s music scene has also been getting a lot of notice. Again there are a lot of venues in the town, but one you should definitely be aware of is Central Station, which is a live venue that regularly attracts big name artists over a good range of music genres.

Despite being right next to an area of north Wales known for it’s mountains, Wrexham manages to be surprisingly flat. It’s only just east of the Clwydian mountain range, which has some well-trodden footpaths for those that want to venture out and see some outstanding natural beauty. If you’ve not got that much time on your hands, Trevor Basin is only 15mins away by car, taking you through some great woodlands to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct that carries canal boats across the River Dee valley at a height of 126ft. You might want to skip this if you get vertigo, as it’s both the highest and longest in Britain, and the towpath is open for pedestrians to cross alongside the boats.
 

Nothing to do today?

Any pub selling Wrexham Lager: This has been brewed in the town for over 120 years, but changing times means that it keeps coming and going. See if you can track down a pint.

St Giles Church: Yes, the tall tower makes it an excellent navigational tool for those trying to get to the clubs in the town centre, but it’s a pretty great landmark in it’s own right. It’s considered the best example of medieval gothic architecture in the whole of Wales and has a long history behind it, so stop and appreciate it once in a while.

Liverpool or Chester: These are your nearest big cities, although both will involve a short trip across the border into England.