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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: 2-7 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.

Saturday, 26 May 2012

Saddle fell, Bleadale Water, Fair Snape Fell and Parlick 26th May 2012

Open country, North of Chipping, Curlew in view.
Bleadale Water.
Lunch at Langden Castle.
The path along the upper section of Fiendsdale.
At the highest cairn on Fair Snape Fell.
Walkm stats: Distance: 12.4 miles. Climb: 3750' (wind assisted on the GPS), in reality more like 2200'.
Time: 7 hours 31 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Dave J., Mike and Celia.
Wall to wall blue skies ans sunshine with temperatures in the high twenties, thankfully we had a cool easterly breeze with us on most of the walk.  It did however strengthen enough to blow my hat off as we approached Parlick.
Much of the walk was superb, and we even had close up views of two Brown hares on Saddle Fell. However the concessionary path into Bleadale Water was hard to find and we did much Heather hopping and both Mike and Celia had mishaps on this section!
However once we encountered a proper path on the East side of Bleadale Water, thinhs wer much better and we could enjoy the scenery.  the final approach to Langden Castle required two crossings of the river, not all of us escaped with dry feet!
We had lunch at Langden castle, where the we were surprised to see two Sand martins flying around.
The upper section of Fiendsdale Water was delightful too, and it was along this section that we heard Ring ouzel. 
The trek across the peat from Fiensdale Head to Fair Snape Fell had its difficult moments too!
We arrived back at the car, having had a long and demanding walk, an looking forward to some liquid refreshment.
Birds seen or heard today included: Barn swallow, Swift, Sand martin, Pied wagtail, Reed bunting, Meadow pipit, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Great spotted woodpecker, Eurasian curlew, Lapwing, Common pheasant, Grey partridge, Red-legged partridge, Red grouse, Kestel, Black-headed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, House sparrow and Common blackbird.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Tillotson Arms in Chipping, where  Hawkshead Bitter went down well.
On leaving the Tillotsons Arms the village seemed to filled with steam tractors, including Fred Dibnah's.

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