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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 28 January 2016

Rhuddlan to Rhyl and Back 28th January 2016

Rhuddland Castle from the footbridge over the Afon Clwyd.
One of the six swans seen on the East bank of the Afon Clwyd.
"Why does our"leader" keep on stopping to take pictures of birds?"
A Goosander on the Brickfield Pond.
The Marine Lake, Rhyl. Just one or two Grey herons on the island.
Mergansers on the Marine Lake, Rhyl.
New figures next to the Pont y Ddraig (dragon's Bridge).
What does the middle figure represent? Apparently it is Sir John Houghton a Nobel Prize winning Scientist  born in Dyserth and educatd at Rhyl Grammar Scool.
The figure on the right is Mike Peters a rock star with the band Alarm and hails from Rhyl.
The figure on the left is Don Spendlove who scored over 600 goals playing for Rhyl FC.
A few birds in flight above the Afon Clwyd.
Who's that setting the pace on the West bank path back to Rhuddlan?
Canada geese in the foreground with Godwits and Curlew in the air.
Walk stats: Distance: 8.5 miles. Climb: 651' on the GPS, but more likely about 150'.
Time: 4 hours 7 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Tim, Phil, Roger, Annie and Sue Pelissier.
We set off in glorious sunshine, but with a cool wind attacking us on our left side as we headed Northwards. It didn't trouble us much, but trying to keep  the camera steady when zooming wasn't easy.
 We saw impressive numbers of Lapwing take to the sky on several occasion both on the outward journey and on the return.
 We had our usual extension to the delightful Brickfields Pond Nature Reserve, where a local birder informed me that a pair of Kingfisher and a Water rail had been seen there recently - we didn't see or hear either!
 Lunch was taken by the Marine Lake at Rhyl, where we sheltered from the wind next to the Miniature Railway Starting point.
 After lunch we headed for Pont y Ddraig as Phil hadn't seen in it before. As we crossed it it was obvious that the tide was still rising. It was at this point that it started raining an most of the group added extra layers.
 Once on the west embankment of the Afon Clwyd, Phil decided that this wasn't the time to dawdle and set a cracking pace, hence the 2.6 m.p.h. overall average! Some of us still at to stop to look at some of the flocks roosting on the banks at high tide. There must have been close on a hundred Great cormorants at one point.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, European robin, House sparrow, Woodpigeon, Collard dove, Feral pigeon, Mute swan, Linnet, Mallard, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Great cormorant, Black-tailed godwit, Lapwing, Wigeon, Goosander, Tufted duck, Herring gull, Black-headed gull, Lesser black backed gull, Eurasian curlew, Canada goose, Greylag goose, Common starling, Grey heron, Oystercatcher, Red breasted merganser, Common coot, Moorhen and Redwing.
 We arrived back at the car just as it started to rain again, having walked the last mile or so in sunshine again.
 Once again we arrived back at the having had a good walk, but I for one felt more tired than I feel I should having done a walk under ten miles on the flat!
 On the return journey we were unable to get back on the A55 and ended up going through St. Asaph and Trefnant, but even with this detour we were a little to early for the Blue Bell Inn and it isn't cool to sit outside a hostelry waiting for it to open! Consequently our after walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Pentre Halkyn and as ever the Leese bitter was in fine fettle.

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