Dates and Walks January 2009

Updated 22nd January 2009. We did the wrong walk on the 22nd so the walk for the 22nd has now been changed to the walk for the 29th!

Happy New Year to everyone.

Thursday 1st January 2009.
Penycloddiau.

Distance:5-7 miles;Climb:1500'.
Start: Llangwyfan Forestry CarPark. Grid ref: SJ139668.
Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.
A walk taken from Dave Berry's book " Walks in the Clwydian Hills". This is a walk that we have done many times before. We will probably extend the walk to include Moel y Parc, hence increasing the walk by about 2 miles or so.
After walk drinks will probably be at the Britannia Inn at Pentre Halkyn.

Light bites and more!

Dave and Sylvia Jenkins have kindly invited all of the walking group to join them for light bites and more after the New Year's Day walk starting from about 5 p.m. (Must like exciteable puppies!)

Friday 2nd January 2009.
Wine and Nibbles.

Margaret and Roger Smith have kindly invited all the walking group and their partners to their home for some festive cheer from 4-00 p.m. onwards.

Saturday 3rd January 2009.

Llyn Elsi and Sarn Helan.

Distance: 9 miles;Climb:100'.

Start: Betws-y-coed main car park opposite the station. Grid ref:SH795565.

Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m.

This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Betws-y-coed and the Conwy Valley" The main walk visits Llyn Elsi and with a little added extra we could complete a circuit of the lake. The second walk descend from the high point along Sarn Helen, the Roman road from Caerhun in the Conwy Valley to Carmarthen. The final section back to Betws-y-coed is along the riverside path, always a treat and good for spotting our feathered friends too.

Thursday 8th January 2009.

Cwm Conwy, Moel y Gaer and Around the Gwynsaney Estate.

Distance:12 miles; Climb:1500'.

Start: Rhosesmor. Parking area next to the children's play area. Grid ref:SJ214684.

Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.

This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Holywell and Halkyn Mountain". They are both walks that we have done before several times, but perhaps not together. The Cwm Conwy walk is one of my favourite walks in this area and with the prospect of visiting the Britannia Inn at Pentre Halkyn after the walk, what more could you ask for?

Saturday 10th January 2009

Baslow Edge, Curber Edge and Birchen Edge.

Distance: 11 miles; Climb:1500'.

Start. baslow car park. Grid ref: SK258721.

Leave Chester 8-00 a.m.

This walk combines one walk from Mark Richard's book"White Peak Walks - Northern Dales" and a walk from the "Pathfinder Guide - Peak District". The walks are described as providing exhilarating walking with glorious views.

Thursday 15th January 2009.

Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Eryrys and Moel y Gyw.

Distance:10 miles; Climb:1800'.

Start:Pistyll Gwyn Quarry car park. 1 mile north of Llanarmon-yn-Ial. Gridn ref:SJ189574.

Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.

This walk uses two walks taken from Carl Roger's book "Walking in the Clwydian Hills". We have completed both walks before, but have never tried to link them together before. The Eryrys walk is described as exploring the lesser-known limestone hills separated from the main Clwydian ridge by the Alyn Valley. Views throughout the walk are superb! The second walk involves the ascent of Moel Gyw which also has superb views of the Clwydian Hills to both the north and the south.

Saturday 17th January 2009.

Llyn Parc and the Miners Trail.

Start: Betws-y-coed main car park opposite the station. Grid ref:SH795565.

Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m.

This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Betws-y-coed and the Conwy Valley". One walk explores the attractrive mature mixed woodland of the Gwydyr Forest Park and visits the upland lake of Llyn Parc. The second wlk allows us to explore the remains of the once thriving lead mining industry that at one time dominated these upland slopes above Betws-y-coed.

Thursday 29th January 2009.

The Ysceifiog, Lixwm and Nannerch Round.

Start: Ysceifiog. Roadside parking next to the play area. Grid ref: SJ152715.

Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.

Deprived of our usual parking spot in Lixwm, starting from Ysceifiog allows us to once more to combine these two fine walks around Richard's patch. Both walks are taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Holywell and Halkyn Mountain". They are described as walks exloring the attractive undulating couintryside between the Wheeler Valley and Lixwm.

Saturday 24th January 2009.

Around Chatworth Park

Distance:9 miles. Climb:1500'.

Start:Carlton Lees car park close to Chatsworth Park. Grid ref: SK258686.

Leave Chester 8-00 a.m.

This walk combines two walks from Mark Richard's walks from his "White Peak Walks - Northern Dales" This is a walk that we did a few years ago, and on that occasion we were reunited with a former member of the Modern Language department from Upton High who happened to be staying in a holiday cottage nearby.

This walk is mainly in the area behind Chatsworth and effectively compliments the walk that we did from Bakewell last year.

Thursday 22nd January 2009.

Maes-Mynan and Pwll-Gwyn Woods, Bryn Golau and Ysceifiog Lake.

Start: Ysceifiog. Roadside parking next to the play area. Grid ref: SJ152715.
Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.

This walk combines another two walks from Dave Berry's book "More Walks On The Clwydian Hills". Again it is quite some time since we did these walks. Hopefully it won't be as wet this time and perhaps we will feel like going round Pwll-Gwyn Woods for the first time. Being on Richard's local patch, we shouldn't get lost!

Saturday 31st January 2009.

Traeth Lefan, The Spinnies and the Foothills West Of Aber.

Start: Beach car park just after the Spinnies Nature Reserve. Grid ref:SH615724.

Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m.

This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks on the North Wales Coast". This walk is becoming a regular feature at this time of the year. Don't forget to bring a pair of binoculars with you, this is a good time for bird watching both at the Spinnies nature Reserve and along the coast especially if the tide is in. Perhaps we will get snow as we did a few years back.