About Me

My photo
When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-7 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2024:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage,, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Winston Feather.

Thursday, 24 January 2008

Redesmere, Marton, Siddington and Capesthorne 24th January 2008

Shutlingsloe and Croker Hill.

After lunch at Marton Church.

The inside of Marton Church.

Walk stats: Distance: 12.5 miles; Climb: 1139'.
Time: 5 hours 06 minutes; Walking average: 2.8 m.p,h,; Overall walk average: 2.4 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Richard, Annie H., Sylvia and Dave J.
This was a walk completed almost entirely in sunshine. What a blessing after so much rain. However the temperature was only about 5 or 6 Celsius, and felt even cooler in the wind. This was quite a varied walk and the little extension to Marton provided us with the little gem of St. Paul's and St. James church, apparently the oldest half timbered church in Europe still in use. This was also the lunch spot, taking advantage of the two benches in the church grounds.
The walk provided many good views of distant Cheshire high spots, including Alderley Edge, Shutlingsloe and the communications mast on Croker Hill.
This walk seemed to be alive with birds on the many lakes past, the hedgerows, in gardens, in the fields and in the wooded areas.
Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Great crested grebe, Canada goose, Greylag goose, Black-headed gull, Coot, Little grebe, Tufted duck, Grey heron, Goosander, Great spotted woodpecker, Blue tit, Great tit, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Jay, House sparrow, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, Robin, Wren, Mute swan, Redwing, Fieldfare, Starling, Goldfinch, Woodpidgeon, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Buzzard and Red-crested pochard.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Lord Eldon in Knutsford where the beer of choice today was Hambleton's Stallion bitter.

No comments: