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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 28 May 2017

Holyhead Breakwater and South Stacks Country Parks 27th May 2017

Exhibits at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park.
Looking South east across Porth Namarch towards Holyhead Breakwater Country Park.
Heading towards South Stack along the Coastal Path.
Two of the local residents.
At the explosive stores and time for a rest.
One of several female Stonechats seen today.
One of many orchids seen along the Coastal Path. 
Heath spotted orchid.
Our first view of South Stack.
South Stack from Ellin's Tower.
Guillemots at South Stacks.
A few more Guillemots on the cliffs at South Stack.
The view from our lunch spot.
Glad not to be on Holyhead Mountain now.
Coastal flowers yet to be identified.
Celia identified it as a rare plant called Field Fleawort.
Dramatic coastal scenery in the South Stacks Cliffs Nature Reserve.
Walk stats: Distance: 11.1 miles. Climb: 1737' (wind assisted GPS reading).
Time: 6 hours 27 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike, Celia and Ed.
After the last two days of hot and humid weather, we were looking forward to a much cooler coastal walk, hopefully avoiding the rain forecast to arrive after 16-00. Alas the forecasters got it right and the rain arrived and accompanied us for the last hour or so. Thankfully it wasn't cold and I didn't even bother to put my waterproofs on - others did!
 On this occasion we decided to complete the walk in an anticlockwise direction along the Coastal path to South Stacks and return via the inland paths.
 This turned out to be a good choice as Holyhead Mountain disappeared in mist just after 14-00 and wouldn't have been very pleasant to cross.
 As ever at this time of the year the coastal sections had abundant flowers on display, with the Heath spotted orchids being particularly splendid.
 Birds seen or heard included: Jackdaw, Rook, carrion crow, Stonechat, Red-billed chough, Pied wagtail, Canada goose, Oystecatcher, Tern (Common or Arctic), Mallard, Herring gull, Meadow pipit, Black-billed magpie, Skylark and Common blackbird.
 After finding our way from Penrhosfeilw to Twr, we tried to find the path that went via Castell, but once more failed to find it. We have tried to find this path from both sides now and failed on each occasion. It would appear that we have no choice, but to stick to the road between Twr and Gorlan.
 We arrived back at the car having had and excellent walk, amazed at the number of flowers that we had seen and the number of foreign tourists around South Stacks.
 After dropping Ed off at Abergele, we headed to the Bluebell Inn at Halkyn for celebration drinks and a cider takeaway.
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