Mold
A busy Flintshire market town under the Clwydian hills, with a big street market, a newly rebuilt theatre and a Norman castle mound, all within an hour of Wrexham.
Mold (Yr Wyddgrug in Welsh) is the county town of Flintshire and one of the easiest day trips from Wrexham, about 12 miles north by road. It is a compact place you can cover on foot: the High Street runs downhill from St Mary's Church and Bailey Hill to Daniel Owen Square, and the market fills the length of it twice a week. Pick a market day, add a walk in the Clwydian Range or an evening show at Theatr Clwyd, and you have a full day without much travelling.
Getting there from Wrexham
By road. The A541 links Wrexham and Mold directly, a drive of about 12 miles that usually takes 25 minutes or so. There is no parking at Bailey Hill itself; Griffiths Square car park (CH7 1DJ) is a few minutes' walk away and charges. On market days the town fills up early, so arrive before 9am if you want a space near the High Street.
By bus. Arriva's service 27 runs from Wrexham Bus Station to Mold Bus Station via Ysbyty Maelor, Gwersyllt, Caergwrle and Leeswood. On weekdays it runs roughly hourly and takes about 45 to 50 minutes. There is also a Saturday timetable, but no Sunday service is listed, so check Traveline Cymru before you set off. Mold Bus Station is in the town centre, a short walk from the High Street.
By train. Mold has no railway station. The nearest is Buckley, about four miles away, so the bus is the simpler option. Our buses and trains guide has more on getting around from Wrexham.
Things to do
The street market
There has been a street market in Mold since medieval times, and it is still one of the biggest in North Wales. Flintshire Council says it runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays all year, with over 70 stalls from the High Street through to Daniel Owen Square, and its market leaflet gives hours of 9am to 3.30pm. Saturday is usually the busier day. An indoor market in the Daniel Owen Precinct opens Monday to Saturday, and a farmers' market is held at St Mary's Church Hall on King Street on the first and third Saturday of the month. Times change, so check before you go.
Theatr Clwyd
Wales' largest producing theatre sits on the hill about a mile from the town centre. It first opened in 1976 and reopened in summer 2025 after a £50 million redevelopment that renovated both theatres and the cinema. The main house is the Anthony Hopkins Theatre, alongside the Emlyn Williams Theatre and the Clwyd Room. There is a ground-floor café and shop, a first-floor restaurant and terrace led by chef Bryn Williams, and play areas for children, so it is worth a visit even without a ticket. There is an open-air car park on site; check the theatre's website for what is on.
St Mary's Church
The Grade I listed parish church at the top of the High Street was begun around 1490 and finished around 1550. Its first patron was Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, and you can still spot Stanley family heraldry in the stonework. The west tower was rebuilt in the 1770s and George Gilbert Scott restored the church in the 1850s. The landscape painter Richard Wilson is buried in the churchyard, with a memorial window inside.
Bailey Hill
Just behind the church is the mound of Mold Castle, a Norman motte and bailey probably raised around 1072 by Robert de Montalt. Little masonry survives, but the site has been a town park since 1920 and was restored in recent years, with accessible routes, woodland, natural play areas, a Gorsedd circle and good views over the town. The Bailey Hill Centre on Denbigh Road (CH7 1BL) is run by Mold Town Council. The visitor centre is accessible, though the steep park itself is not fully so.
Daniel Owen
Mold's most famous son is Daniel Owen (1836 to 1895), often described as the leading Welsh-language novelist of the 19th century. He worked as a tailor in the town and wrote Rhys Lewis, Enoc Huws and Gwen Tomos, among others. A bronze statue of him by Sir William Goscombe John, the sculptor's first public statue, stands in the library precinct off Earl Road, and the main square and shopping precinct carry his name.
Moel Famau and the Clwydian Range
The hills on Mold's western horizon make an easy add-on. Coed Moel Famau, run by Natural Resources Wales, is about five miles south-west of town off the A494 towards Ruthin, past the entrance to Loggerheads Country Park. From the car park, the Jubilee Tower Circular is a moderate 3.6 miles taking about two and a half hours, climbing to the ruined tower built in 1810 for George III's golden jubilee. At 554 metres, Moel Famau is the highest point in the Clwydian Range. Parking listed in October 2026 is £2.50 for up to three hours and £6 for the day, card or contactless only, and there are toilets on site. Check before you go.
Mold Food and Drink Festival
Held every September since 2006, the festival brings stalls, street food, Welsh produce, cookery demonstrations and live music to the town centre. The 2026 festival ran on 19 and 20 September, so look out for 2027 dates on the festival website.
Food and drink
Market days are the best time for picking up local produce, and the High Street and the streets around Daniel Owen Square have a good mix of cafés, pubs and takeaways. For something more special, the restaurant at Theatr Clwyd is open to non-theatregoers as well as for pre-show dining. Opening times vary, so check ahead if you are planning around a particular place.
Make a day of it
A good plan is the market and St Mary's in the morning, Bailey Hill and lunch in town, then either a walk up Moel Famau or an evening show at Theatr Clwyd. For more ideas across the county, the Welcome to Flintshire guide covers Mold's neighbours, castles and coast. Back in Wrexham, Tŷ Pawb makes a good contrast with its own market hall and food court.
Where this information comes from
Checked against Flintshire Council, Natural Resources Wales, Visit Wales, Cadw, bus timetable listings, local news reports and Wikipedia in October 2026. Opening times, timetables and prices change, so check before you go.
- Flintshire Council: Mold Market
- Flintshire Council: Mold Markets leaflet (PDF)
- bustimes.org: Service 27 Wrexham to Mold
- Wrexham.com: Theatr Clwyd reopens after £50m redevelopment
- Visit Wales: Theatr Clwyd
- Wikipedia: St Mary's Church, Mold
- Cadw: Bailey Hill, Mold
- Wikipedia: Mold Castle
- Wikipedia: Daniel Owen
- British Listed Buildings: Statue of Daniel Owen
- Natural Resources Wales: Coed Moel Famau
- Mold Food and Drink Festival
Mold: questions answered
How far is Mold from Wrexham?
About 12 miles by road on the A541, usually around 25 minutes by car. Arriva bus 27 takes about 45 to 50 minutes from Wrexham Bus Station.
What days is Mold market?
The street market runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays all year, with over 70 stalls from the High Street to Daniel Owen Square. The indoor market opens Monday to Saturday. Check before you go.
Can you get from Wrexham to Mold by bus?
Yes. Arriva service 27 runs from Wrexham Bus Station to Mold Bus Station via Gwersyllt, Caergwrle and Leeswood, roughly hourly on weekdays with a Saturday service. No Sunday service is listed, so check Traveline Cymru first.
Is there a train station in Mold?
No. The nearest station is Buckley, about four miles away, so the bus from Wrexham is usually easier.
How far is Moel Famau from Mold?
The Coed Moel Famau car park is about five miles south-west of Mold off the A494 towards Ruthin. The Jubilee Tower Circular walk from there is 3.6 miles and takes about two and a half hours.