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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.

Wednesday 14 March 2018

A Different Limestone, Lead and More 14th March 2018

The Othr-y-foel lime kiln, South of Moel y Gaer Hill fort.
Moel Fammau, just in cloud.
Lunch time, West of Pant-y-pwll quarry.
Moel-y-gaer Hill Fort South of Pant-y-pwll quarry.
On a path that we didn't expect to be on, trying to get back on track!
Lime klns on the West side of Bryn Mawr Quarry - nearly back on track.
A new name for the Bryn Mawr Quarry.
At the trig point on Halkyn Mountain.
Heading for the twin masts at Catch.
Nearly there - well not really!
Walk stats: Distance: 10.7 miles. Climb: 2048' wind assisted on the GPS but in reality nearer to 1000'.
Time: 5 hours 29 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. (New GPS gave on the move walking average  + 2.7 m.p.h.) Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Roger, Ed, Celia, Fran and Mike.
Arriving at the start it didn't take us long to realise that the feel like temperature was going to be just above zero and we set off with hats, gloves worn by everyone. Thankfully it did didn't rain, and on much of the walk we were shielded from the cold wind.
 Views today weren't that clear, with low cloud lying over Moel Famau and the Clwydian Hills.
 In the morning route finding was OK and we arrived at our lunch spot just after mid-day, finding a suitable bank on which to sit on the West side of Pant-y-pwll quarry.
 Our route finding/map reading skills went down hill after lunch and we strayed of course and ended up on the North west side of the Bryn Mawr Quarry that resulted in the walk being extended by nearly 2 miles.
 As we approached the lime kilns near the Bryn-mawr quarry, we met a guy looking for his drone that the strong wind had blown it off course and out of his control. unfortunately we couldn't help him - our eyes hadn't been lifted to the skies for some time as we quickened our pace to get back on track.
 As we climbed to the trig point on Halkyn Mountain, better views came into view, particularly across the Dee estuary.
  We arrived back at the car, feeling pretty tired, but in a way pleased that we had completed a walk of nearly eleven miles for the first time in 2018. An enjoyable walk for some, dull by others, but tolerated as being good exercise out in the fresh air and at least it didn't rain!
 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Carrion crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Common buzzard, Blue tit, Dunnock, Great tit, Meadow pipit, Sparrowhawk, Black-billed magpie, Redwing and Fieldfare. 
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the recently well refurbished Britannia Inn at Halkyn, where the Lees bitter was back to its usual best and went some way to reviving most of the weary ramblers present.

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