About Me

My photo
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.

Sunday 8 May 2016

A Bluebell Wood Walk Around Parbold 7th May 2016

The church spire on Parbold Hill ahead.
The first of the banks of Bluebells, but the best is yet to come.
Some of the abundant Ransoms in flower seen today.
Cows and calves resting in the Sun.
The memorial at the site of the ancient Douglas  Chapel South close to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal East of Parbold.
A browm hare on the run.
A Lapwing taking issue with a Brown hare.
The Leed-Liverpool Canal, from Bridge 40 looking towards Appley Bridge.
One of the better banks of Bluebells.
Lambs enjoying time together in the Sun.
Bluebells in Fairy Glen as we entered at its Southern end.
Bluebells at the old windmill on Harrock Hill
Our final view from Hunter's Hill Quarry Nature Reserve, not the clearest that you will ever see!
Walk stats: Distance: 10.8 miles. Climb: 957'.
Time: 6 hours 23 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
This was good day for walking, perhaps a little too warm at times when the pleasant cooling breeze ceased. Definitely a shorts day and one that I regret not bringing my platypus out of hibernation.
 Bluebells in some places were magnificent, much better than those we had seen last Thursday around Lloc. We saw many more Spring flowers too and the Ransoms seemed to be at their best. Conditions were such that we could even smell the Bluebells as we walked through Fairy Glen.
 We explore one or two more paths and one took us through a delightful collection of properties associated with the Ancient Douglas Chapel that ceased use in the eighteen century.
 Perhaps the highlight of the day was watching a Brown hare running in a field and at one time being harassed by a Lapwing.
 A leisurely lunch was taken by the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at  Appley Bridge, it was so pleasant sitting their, disturbed only by the occasion passing narrow boat and cyclists on the tow path.
 As ever the final climb up Bannister Lane back to Hunter's Hill Quarry NR seemed steeper than it really is, but we arrived back at the car glad that we could take the weight off our feet and that the forecast thunder storm had not materialised.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Common blackbird, Lapwing, Eurasian curlew, Wood nuthatch, Common pheasant, Greenfinch, Blackcap, Common whitethroat, Blue tit, Song thrush, House sparrow, Long-tailed tit, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion crow and Great tit.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Netherton Hall, Frodsham. A very generously sizes pot of tea made sue that my thirst was truly quenched before a fresh barrel of Lees Bitter was put on tap and could be sampled. A pint worth waiting for, and much better than the Manchester Pale Ale that Mike had at the start.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)