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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.

Sunday 30 April 2017

Holywell to Flint Castle and More 29th April 2017

The chimney on the East side of the battery Pool dam.
Battery Pool, a little short of water!
The track bed of the railway spur to Holywell.
Basinwerk Abbey at the Northern end of the Greenfield Valley.
The ceramic art work depicting the route from Holywell to Bardsey Island.
Looking across Greenfield Dock entrance towards the Wirral.
Buoy on the River Dee reflecting the strength of the incoming tide.
Dock on the West of Bettisfield - gateway to the Dee.
The Bagillt Beacon.
Turnstones at the bottom of the sea wall between Bagillt and Flint Castle.
Flint Castle with the tide getting close to its walls.
Flint Castle from the East.
Bluebells, East of Flint Town FC's ground.
Walk stats: Distance: 9.2 miles. Climb: 496'.
Time: 4 hours 39 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
This was a repeat of the walk done on the 13th of this month, but this time we did use public transport from Flint to the start of the walk in Holywell.
The weather was almost perfect for walking, pleasantly warm, a little sunshine and hardly any wind.
 As we descended through the Greenfield Valley Heritage site we paused at each location to take in the information provided and even explore the grounds of Basingwerk Abbey.
 The walk from Greenfield Dock back to Flint Castle is always good, but today we could watch the incoming tide as it surged towards Chester.
 Lunch was taken at the Bettisfield Colliery / Bagillt Beacon Site where we took advantage of the large stone  conveniently placed overlooking the coast.
 After lunch as we were walking along the top of the sea defences, Mike saw what appeared to be a log moving against the tide, but it then moved a dorsal fin appeared! it was in fact a Porpoise, but after diving, it resurfaced too far away to photograph. 
  As Flint Castle came in to view, we quite surprise to see the tidal water reaching the castle wall in places.
 we extended the walk a little by following the Coastal Path past the Lifeboat Station as far as Oakenholt Marsh before returning, hoping that we might see the Airbus 380 barge would appear, alas it didn't.
 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Blue tit, Great tit, Pied wagtail, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Mallard, Barn swallow, Little egret, Grey heron, Common whitethroat, European robin, Blackcap, Goldfinch, Skylark, Great cormorant, Black-billed magpie, Woodpigeon, Common chaffinch, Common starling, Carrion crow, Jackdaw. Herring gull, Lesser black-backed gull and Shelduck.
 Overall a very enjoyable walk, capped with the sighting of the Porpoise
 after walk drinks were enjoyed at the Bluebell in at Halkyn, where the Old Rosie cider went down well.
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