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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: 2-10 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 2020:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage, Wendy Peers, Celia de Mengle, Wendy and Ian Peers, Roger Smith, Paul Collinson, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Celia de Mengle, Sue Pearson.

Thursday 16 February 2012

The Sandstone Trail - Beeston and Peckforton 16th February 2012

Beeston Castlw from the path heading for Peckforton Castle.
Still on course, but is everyone sure?
You wouldn't think an elephant and castle statue wouild cause so much chaos!
No way. Yes we're heading back to Beeston.
One of the best views of Beeston Castle seen today.
Fran and Tito doing a runner!
Walk stats: Distance: 10.1 miles. Climb: 608'.
Time: 5 hours 20 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Roger, Phil, Annie H., Mike, Paul, Sylvia and Dave, Fran and Tito, Sue and Dave P.
This turned out to be a really good day weatherwise for walking and except for the last few fields, conditions underfoot were surprisingly mud-free!
This walk eventually provided us with views of Beeston Castle from every angle (all 360 degrees), and those from the South gave some stunning views.
Overall this provided a very pleasant amble through the Cheshire countryside, and the section before lunch was delightful in every sense of the word.
Lunch was taken on the Trail near to the road that went round Peckforton Hill, not the best lunch spot that we have ever come across, but no-one complained!
After lunch was mainly through fields, one of which had a very large black bull as a resident! Thankfully he was lying down surrounded by his lady friends and didn't even turn his head as we went through the field!
This was a superb 10 mile amble, well worth doing again!
Birds seen or heard today included: Skylark, Yellowhammer, Common buzzard, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, House sparrow, European robin, Blue tit, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Collard dove, Common starling and Winter wren.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Yew Tree at Bunbury, a superb bar area with a real fire. Stone House and Merlin Brews went down well.

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