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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.

Friday 20 October 2017

Cwm Dulas, Cefn yr Ogof and Gopa Wood 19th Ocober 2017

Looking West from Abergele towards Llandulas.
Who's the poser then?
Common redshank and Turnstone on the rocks as high tide approaches.
Looking across towards Llandulas Quarry from the path leading to Cefn yr Ogof.
Panorama  from the path leading to Cefn yr Ogof.
At the trig point on Cefn yr Ogof.
Crossing the "new" stile North of Cefn yr Ogof.
Craig y Forwyn from the village of Rhyd-y-foel.
On the path below Pen-y-coeddyn-mawr.
Is that where you should be?
Is this the latest walking fashion - an umbrella?
Walk stats: Distance: 9.2 miles. Climb: 1129'.
Time: 5 hours 0 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, David S, Celia, Mike and Ed.
Overall this turned out be a good day for walking, mainly dry, not much Sun and very little wind. It was only in the last hour that we had any rain at all and that wasn't enough for me to put on waterproofs on, although Ed did ue his umbrella for short period.
 As we set off from Abergele, the sea was well in, but few birds could be seen except for Great cormorants and Herring gulls. Careful looking out to see a few Common scoter could be seen. As we approached Llandulas every groyne post seemed to be occupied by a Great cormorant, there must have been over fifty in all.
 Heading inland our route took us to the trig point on Cefn yr Ogof, a superb viewpoint looking West. It was pleasing to see that since our last visit,  a stile had been constructed over the broken stone wall and a new fence erected alongside of the wall.
 Lunch was taken on the slopes of Cefn yr Ogof, overlooking the Dulas valley.
 We had good views from the path that contoured on the West side of  Pen-y-coeddyn-mawr. Up to this point we hadn't had any hint of rain, but as we approached Gopa Wood we started to feel a bit of the wet stuff on any skin that was exposed, so we decide that on this occasion we wouldn't do any further exploring of the wood, but head straight back to the start.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Herring gull, Oystercatcher, Great cormorant, Pied wagtail, Goldfinch, House sparrow, Turnstone, Common redshank, European robin, Mallard, Woodpigeon, Eurasian jay, Collard dove and Common buzzard.
 Overall a good walk, making the best of the day weatherwise and thankful that the heavy rain only came when we were in the car on the way home.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell Inn at Halkyn where Flintshire Bitter and Black Bart Cider went well. I was even home early enough to do a "Tim Dwyer" - head to Chester and sample a curry at Wetherspoons as Thursday is their Curry day.

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