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.

Wednesday 16 May 2018

A Bluebell Wood Walk from Whitford 16th May 2018

On track passed Pentre-ffynnnon Farm.
Bluebell in Ffriddoedd wood.
Not the shape of tree that you usually find in a wood (Coed y Garreg).
Bluebells in Coed y Garreg.
Bluebells in Glol wood.
Our lunch spot in Llyn-Helyg Wood.
Cowslips near Cynlas.
A view of Crown Wood that we may never see again!
Ramsons were in flower too.
An orchid in flower on the track from Lloc.
Walk stats: distance: 9.4 miles. Climb: 592'.
Time: 5 hours 32 minutes. On the move walking average; 2.2 m.p.h (2.6 m.p.h. on my newest GPS). Overall walk average:1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Roger, Ed, Fran, Mike and David S.
Just after setting off it started to rain and we all ended up putting our waterproofs on, but within half an hour they could be returned to our rucksacks. Overall it was a pleasant day for walking, hardly any wind and certainly not the cold one we were expecting from the North east.
 Bluebells were the main objective for the day, and we weren't disappointed. The extra week and the rain overnight had brought them on well, and the Bluebells on the West side of Coed y Garreg and the East side of Glol were superb. In Coed y Garreg we could smell them too.
 Lunch was taken in Llyn-Helyg Wood, where we made use of a fallen tree trunk, but alas we didn't have a view to speak of.
 After lunch the circuit of Llyn-Helyg Wood, proved a little more challenging than we have experienced in the past as drainage ditches had been put in across the track we were using. In future I think this circuit will be missed out.
 Our main challenge of the day came after taking the path from Ffriddion Farm towards Crown Wood. We had great difficulty crossing a stream and then finding the path through the wood along the path on the West of Rhydwen Farm. Even getting out of the field onto the track from Ffordd Las was only possible after Mike had cleared a way over the stile with a pair of secateurs.
 Everything was plain sailing from now on as we headed through Coed Pen-y-Gelli to Lloc and back to Whitford.
 We arrived back at the cars with tired legs, but having had a good walk with lots of Bluebells and other Spring flowers to appreciate as well.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Barn swallow, Mallard, Shelduck, Mute swan, Tufted duck, House sparrow, Common buzzard, European robin, Canada goose, Common blackbird, Common pheasant, Common chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Carrion crow, Raven and Rook.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn, even though the Lees Bitter wasn't quite up to its usual excellent standard.

No comments: