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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 11 December 2019

Marbury Country Park and Pick Mere 11th December 2019

Male Goosander on Budworth Mere in Marbury Country Park.
A few Great cormorants on posts in Budworth Mere in Marbury Country Park.
Roger escaping frpom the boggy section of the wa\lk.
St.Mary's and All Saints Church, Great Budworth.
Lapwing in fields North west of Marston.
Happy to be out and about!
Mute swans on Great Budworth Mere.
Tufted duck (male) on Great Budworth Mere.
A pair of roosting Mallard near the mere edge Marbury Country Park.
Walk stats: 7.4 miles. Climb: 446'.
Time: 3 hours 54 minutes.  On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Roger and David S.
It felt quite cool as we set off  from Marbury Country Park, so Winter gear was appropriate.
A first view of the mere gave us good sighting of at least four male Goosanders as well as many Coots and a couple of Great crested grebes.
 Our first challenge of the day, perhaps not for us, but certainly for our boots, came as we followed the path on the East side of the Mere heading for Great Budworth.
 Arriving at our usual lunch spot by Pick Mere easy we decided to continue, hoping to find a suitable spot not too far away. We did a a bench on Church Street, Higher Wincham near the Primary School. Consequently we were entertained by the happy sound of playing children. This joyful noise didn't stop, even when it started to rain.
 The gentle rain continued for about an hour as we progressed along the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath. It was good to see that he access to the towpath at Wincham had now been made official, with a kissing gate and steps down to the canal.
 The hazardous building at the Lion Salt Works had also been demolished and we were able to continue along the towpath.
  Arriving at the footbridge to over the canal to Black Wood, it was a agreed that we would follow the path through the wood o the Mere and back to the start,
 Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Common blackbird, Common coot, Tufted duck, Great cormorant, Tufted duck, Common coot, Great crested grebe, Goosander, Mallard, Fieldfare, Redwing, Wood nuthatch, House sparrow, Mute swan, Black headed gull and Mistle thrush,
 A shorter than usual, but still enjoyable, well for most of the walk an capped with celebration drinks at the Morris Dancer at Kelsall (Timothy Taylor's Landlord and the Hawkshead's Porter getting the thumbs up!
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