Walks and Dates January 2012

Bill Robert - funeral.

 Bill's funeral will be
on
Tuesday 31st January 2012
at
Blacon Crematorium
at
14-30.


(Bill passed away  16th January 2012.)


Saturday 7th January 2012.

Congratulations to the Smith family on the marriage
of 
Rhodri and Dot.

Sunday 1st January 2012

Thurstaston Common, Stapledon Wood, Caldy and More.

Distance:8-10 miles. Climb:750.
Start: Thurstaston Visitor Centre Car Park. Grid ref:SJ239835.
Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.
This is a repeat of the walk that we did on 1st January 2010 and combines two walks from Raymond Roberts' booklet "Wirral Walks - the West Wirral Six". This is a relatively easy walk with good views along the way, especially from Thurstaston Hill. We hope to walk back from Caldy to Thursaston along the beach, so bring binoculars with you.

Thursday 5th January 2012.

Moel Fenlli, Cwm Blaenant, Moel Llanfair and Coed Plas Y Nant.

Walk abandoned due to gale force winds at Bwlch Penbarras.

Distance: 12 miles. Climb: 2000' at a guess!
Start: Bwlch Penbarras Car park (Pay and Display). Grid ref: SJ161605.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This walk combines two walks from Deave Berry's book "Walks on the Clwydian Hills". One walk visits the  Moel Fennlli hillfort and athe secluded Cwm Blaenant and the other walk follows Offa's Dyke along  high level track around Moel Gwy and Moel Llanfaer before returning via Coed Plas-y-Nant.  Good views along most sections of the Offa's Dyke path.

Saturday 7th January 2012.

Another Walk On Conwy Mountain.

Walk postponed.

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb:1800' at a guess!
Start: Long stay car park on the B5106 at Conwy. Pay and Display. Grid ref:SH781773.
Leave Chester 08-00 a.m.
This walk is taken from Carl Rogers's book "Walking in the Conwy Valley".  Much of the routes as far as Conwy is the same as we have done on the last two occasions,. It goes through the harbour, follows riverside before passing the school and then climbing to Conwy Mountain along he North Wales path.  The return route goes South  towards Henryd. It is similar to a route we used many years ago, but appears to misses out much of the road walking. we shall see!

Thursday 12th January 2012.

The Sandstone Trail. Frodsham to Manley Green.

Distance:12 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Frodsham car park (turn left by the Helter Skelter on B512. Grid ref: SJ518778.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This is the first of a series of walks along the Sandstone Trail, which if we complete them all will mean that all 34 miles of the trail will be covered in seven walks.
This walks use two routes described in Carl Rogers's book "Circular Walks Along the Sandstone Trail".
This is probably one of the best sections of the Sandstone Trail, especially the section across Frodsham Hill. Perhaps we can include the Woodhouse Hill hillfort this time.  Much of the Sandstone Trail route is the same as the route taken last year, but the return route is different.

Saturday 14th January 2012.

A Traeth Levan Round.

10 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Llanfaiefechan Promenade/ Beach Car park. Grid ref: SH678754.
Leave Chester 08-00 a.m.
This walk is based on Dave Berry's book Walks on the North Wales Coast", although we will choose our own route to get to the Spinnies Nature Reserve.  Doing a there and back along the beach will be better than using our usual route through the farm yard!  As usual this walk will involve quite a bit of birdwatching, assuming that the weather isn't too cold!  Bring your binoculars with you if you have them.

Thursday 19th January 2012.

Fron Hen and Bryn Alyn.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb: 1800'.
Start: Layby on the A494 Mold to Ruthin Road, about 1/2 mile South of Llanferres. Grid ref: SJ187597.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This walk uses two walks from Dave Berry's book More Walks in the Clwydian Hill".  We have combined these walks on several occasions before and the section over Bryn Aly is always good. It will also give us another opportunity to test our route finding skills through Nercwys Forest!

Saturday 21st January 2012.

Rowen, Llanbedre-y-cennin and Caerhun.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb:1500'.
Start: roadside parking opposite the post office in Rowen. Grid ref: SH761719.
Leave Chester 08-00 a.m.
This walk combines one walk from Carl Rogers's book "Walkng in the Conwy valley with one walk from Dave Berry's book " Walks Around Betws-y-coed and the Conwy Valley". One walk is described as a walk exploring the attractive undulating countryside between two attractive villages with a possible extension to the top of Moel y Gaer.  The other walk is described as an easy walk, visiting a Medieval church and a the site of a Roman fort. Both Llanbedr-y-cennin and Caerhun are known locations for Hawfinch.  Will be luck this time! Bring binoculars, just in case.

Thursday 26th January 2012.

The Sandstone Trail. Manley Green and Primrose Hill.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb:1000' at a guess.
Start: Gresty's  Waste car park on the A54. SJ540686.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.

This is the second walk in our Sandstone Trail series.
This walks use two routes described in Carl Rogers's book "Circular Walks Along the Sandstone Trail", although we will only use half of one of the described routes. This is another good section of the trail, with possible a short extensions to visit the viewpoint on Pale Heights.

Saturday 28th January 2011.

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!