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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, 11 July 2015

A Llanddulas Adventure 11th July 2015

Looking across the Afon Dulas Valley towards Rhyd-y-foel.
Two friendly goats 
or
"That one got away!"
Is this the way we should go?
or should we go this way?
A Pyrimidal orchid?
A Pyrimidal orchid?
Lady's bedstraw?
"I looked a lot better before I had a wool cut!"
I think it is a Badger face Welsh Mountain Sheep.
Just in case you hadn't noticed, someone else has joined the Tilley Brigade.
Yellow horned poppy?
Walk stats: Distance: 8.5 miles. Climb: 1117'.
Time: 5 hours 5 minutes. On the move 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Celia and Mike.
The forecast for today was good, and thankfully we didn't get any rain until it started spitting as we approached Halkyn in the car.
 We had good spells of sunshine, so Mike was happy knowing that his ears were well protected by his new head gear!
 Our route was from Llanddulas was essentially South along the Afon Dulas Valley, and everything went well until we arrived at Cefn Fran and evidence of paths disappeared, even in the farm yard we had to by guided by the farmer's wife and that was partly blocked. Once in the fields, any attempt to cross field boundaries was almost impossible - no stile and a barbed wire fence and broken barrier and sheeting blocked the way where the path should have crossed. We eventually went further round the field to a gate, and then had difficulty finding the stile on the opposite side that led to the road. we eventually found it and it took Mike nearly half an hour with secateurs to cut the vegetation away so that we could cross the stile. We should have crossed the road to head North on another field path, but that stile was also very overgrown, so we ended up taking minor roads all the way to Llysfaen, failing to locate yet another stile/path on the way.
 We were able to enjoy lunch in the bus shelter at Llysfaen, where at least we had somewhere to sit. I think the bus driver was disappointed that when we didn't get on his bus!
 after lunch we left Llysfaen on the North Wales Path, a delightful path, first along the top of a limestone outcrop and later along a wood path below Craig y Forwyn.
 We arrived back at the car, having knowing that we had been challenged in more ways than one! It was noticeable today that everyone we met spoke and were very pleasant.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Herring gull, Carrion crow, Raven, Jackdaw, Winter wren, Barn swallow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Grey heron, Black-billed magpie, Common blackbird, Common buzzard and House sparrow.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell in Halkyn, where the Two Trees Perry went down well.
 On arriving home, I realised that next week I'll be hopping - I left one of my boots in the car park at Llanddulas! Went back on Sunday after church, found the boot still there, but someone had kindly turned the boot on it side with the opening against one of the rocks!

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