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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 10 January 2015

A Blue Bell Inn Walk - Hillforts and Halkyn Common 10th january 2015

On the ramparts of Moel y Gaer.
Lunch time - a sheltered spot on the Kame.
A panorama from the Millennium Cairn on Moe Ffagnallt.
Walk stats: Distance: 8.5 miles. Climb: 2100' (wind assisted on the GPS) but 1100'  is more likely!
Time: 4 hours 14 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.0 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike, Celia and Roger.
 I woke up with outside temperatures above 10 Celsius, making me wonder should I be walking in shorts rather than my Paramo Winter gear. Thankfully I stayed with the Paramo as at times the cooling gale force winds made sure I was glad that I wasn't wearing shorts. 
 My extension took us along a muddy/waterlogged section of Wat's Dyke Way and on the fringe of a Pheasant Shoot, seeing one bird drop of the sky and land in the field just to our North, followed by a couple of Spaniels trying to locate it - they failed as far as we could tell!
 Approaching Grouse Farm we encountered a gate that challenged our ageing limbs - it was leaning towards, couldn't be opened and the footpath sign was broken and lying to one side. Having overcome that the rest of the walk was a piece of cake!
 After walking on the ramparts of Moel y Gaer, the wind picked up considerably, and heading along the road to Moel Y Crio and Moel Ffagnallt we doubted finding a suitable place for lunch. The Kame came to our rescue and we managed to find a sheltered spot, where we could enjoy Margaret's excellent (some said 3 gold star) mince pies.
 After lunch we battled against gale force wind  and whilst at the Millenium Cairn, we almost blown of our feet. The views were superb in all directions, as they had been earlier from Moel y Gaer.
  Much of the walk across Halkyn Common, was for the first time, wind assisted, but we weren't at this stage complaining!
 We arrived back at the Blue Bell Inn, knowing that this walk had taken more out of us than we would have expected and as we went in the welcome feeling of warmth just hit us. The drinks went down well, especially the "Rubber Chicken" cider!  This Welsh cider is made by Palmers Upland Cyder, Newport.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Common pheasant, Common blackbird, Blue tit, Wood nuthatch, Common buzzard, Woodpigeon. Jackdaw, Carrion crow, House sparrow and Peregrine falcon (probably a pair).
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