Walks and Dates December 2011

Just in case anyone in the walking group has not yet heard, Sue Pearson's mother died on the evening of Friday 2nd December 2011.
I know Sue, Dave, Sarah, Elen and the rest of the family are in our thoughts and prayers  at this time.

The funeral will take place on Monday 19th December 2011 at 12-00 at Upton Church of the Holy Ascension on Church Lane

Congratulations to Emma and Dan on the birth of their son, Henry Alexander on 20th November 2011, and to Paul and Yvonne on becoming grandparents for the fifth time.

Congratulations to Beth and Jake on the birth of their daughter, Isabella Catherine on Tuesday 22nd November 2011 and to Fran and Tito on becoming grandparents again.

Friday 30th December 2011.
Roger and Margaret Smith kindly invite members of the walking group to their
"at home"
from 3-00pm to 7.00 pm.




Thursday 1st December 2011.

Penycloddiau and Moel Arthur.

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 1500'.
Start: Llangwyfan Forestry car park: SJ138668.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This walk combines two walks taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks in the Clwydian Hills".  This area of the Clwydians has so much to offer, and Moel arthur and Penycloddiau is particularly good.  On a good day the views from both hill forts is superb.

Saturday 3rd December 2011.

Y Bala and Beyond Llanfor.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb:1600'.
Start: Pont y Bala car park. Grid ref: SH929362.
Leave Chester at 08-00 a.m.past we have parked next to the football field.)
This walk uses two walks from Dave Berry's book"Walks Around Y Bala and Penlylyn". The main walk explores the varied countryside North of Bala, including the wild remote upland around Moel Emoel. The second walk allows us to explore Bala itself and discover some of its history.

Thursday 8th December 2011.

Around Rhuddlan and the Clwyd Estuary.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb: 450'.
Start: Marine Lake Car park off Westbourne Avenue at the West end of Rhyl.
Leave Chester at 09-00a.m.
A low level walk that we always do at this time of the year. Hopefully this time we will be able to use paths on both sides of the river!  A good time of the year to see some of a Winter visiting ducks and geese, so bring your binoculars with you if you have them.  as last year we will probably make a detour to go round the Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve. We usually do this walk in anti-clock-wise direction, but this time we will as described in the route description, but this time we will attempt the riverside part of the walk in the opposite direction.  A chance for us to use our map reading skills without being distracted by any descriptions!

Saturday 10th December 2011.

Talacre to Prestatyn and the Point of Ayr.

Distance: 10 miles.Climb: 100'.
Start: Talacre beach car park (Next to the Smugglers Inn) Grid ref:SJ124848.
Leave Chester 08-30 a.m.
This is a walk that we often do on a Thursday as well.  The first part of the walk is along the beach, tide permitting, and return through the golf course and sand dunes.
This is a good time of the year to see Wintering ducks and possibly  Snow buntings on the shore, so bring binoculars if you can.
The short walk to former site of the bird hide at the Point of Ayr will be completed, legs and weather permitting!

Thursday 15th December 2011.

Limestone, Lead, Halkyn Mountain and Our Christmas Meal at the Britannia Inn.

Distance: 6 miles. Climb:600'.
Start: Britannia Inn, Halkyn, car park. Grid ref: SJ211711.
Leave Chester 09-00, hopefully for a 09-30 walk start.
A short walk over very familiar territory, so that we are back at the Britannia Inn just before 13-00 p.m.
Little needs to be said about this walk as most of us have done it before.  There may be a little improvisation on the return route once we have reached the trig point on Halkyn Mountain.

Saturday 17th December 2011.
Postponed  until January 2012.

All Around Ilam.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb:500' at a guess!
Start: Blore Pastures car park. Grid ref: SK135498.
Leave Chester 08-00 a.m.
Two walks are taken from Mark Richards' book "White Peak Walks - Southern Dales". These were the first two walks that I did after recovering from my knee ligament squash accident more than 10 years ago.  One walk is described as revealing a beautiful and seldom seen aspect of the Manifold valley with its traverse of Musden Low and return within the sinuous wooded valley of Musden.  The second walk explores the country park around Ilam Hall and Ilam village itself. The extension to the walk is somewhat contrived and explores both sides of the Manifold between Ilam and Thorpe. Just to be awkward, we will probably do the extension first!

Thursday 22nd December 2011.

A West Kirby Round.

Distance: 7-8 miles. Climb: 264'.
Start: Alongside the Marine Lake at West Kirby as near to the sailing club (the one with real yachts in the compound) as you can get. Grid ref: SJ21468600.
Leave Chester 09-00a.m.
This walk is based on a walk by Raymond Roberts from his booklet "Wirral Six". However we will extendit to include the Gilroy Nature Reserve before heading up Grange Hill.  If we want to extend the walk we can continue along the shore as far as Hoylake, tide permitting! Another good walk for birdwatching, so bring your binoculars with you.

Saturday 24th December 2011.

Talacre to Prestatyn and the Point of Ayr.

Distance: 10 miles.Climb: 100'.

Start: Talacre beach car park (Next to the Smugglers Inn) Grid ref:SJ124848.

Leave Chester 08-30 a.m.

This is a walk that we often do on a Thursday as well. The first part of the walk is along the beach, tide permitting, and return through the golf course and sand dunes.

This is a good time of the year to see Wintering ducks and possibly Snow buntings on the shore, so bring binoculars if you can.

The short walk to former site of the bird hide at the Point of Ayr will be completed, legs and weather permitting!

Happy Christmas Everyone.

Thursday 29th December 2011.
Moel Fammau From Loggerheads Memorial.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb: 1600'.

Start: Parking area on the A494 opposite the "We Three Loggerheads" Memorial Stone. On the left just after passing the shop at Cadole. Grid ref: SJ20246265.

Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.

This walk starts by heading above the limestone quarries before dropping down to the leat. Eventually reaching a road that heads towards Cilcain. Our route takes a short cut along  a path above fishing ponds before taking monor road past the waterworks at Cilcain. Just after the upper resrvoir our route swings South, skirting around Moel Dywyll before rising to the summit of Moel Arthur.   Our return route uses paths running South of ffrith Mountain and Rhyd yr Eilun, before passing through the Loggerheads Country Park car park and Visitor Centre and the last climb up the road to the car park.

A walk using OS maps only!

Friday 30th December.

Roger and Margaret Smith's at home.
From 15-00 to 19-00.

Saturday 31st December.

No Walk