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: 2-7 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 2024:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage,, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Winston Feather.

Saturday 15 May 2021

Gwydir Forest with Ed's Route Adjustments 15th May 2021

Llanrwst from the forest track heading towards Betws-y-coed.
Moel Siabod crowned with cloud.
The view from our lunch spot.
The Song thrush that serenaded us at lunch time.
Llyn Glangors.
Ed on the delightful woodland path on the way towards Llanrhychwyn.
One of the waterfalls seen today, but one that isn't named on the OS map.
Many fallen trees but at least they aren't blocking the flow of the stream.
Not a Bluebell walk, but that were still good to see and smell.
Ramsons, another flower giving off its characteristic garlic odour.
Distance: 9.5 miles. Climb: 1400'.
Time: 5 hours 3 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Beaufort Wind Force: 0 -1. Calm to light air.
Temperature: 12 - 15 Celsius, although it felt warmer towards the end of the walk.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
We both arrived at the car park in Llanrwst, having not received texts from each other calling off the walk after looking at the latests MET office and BBC weathe forecasts.
Although it was still raining slightly, we decided to walk anyway and put on full waterproofs. that was a mistake, by lunch time I was wet more from the "boil in the bag" syndrome than from the rain. The better option would have been to forget about waterproofs and just use an umbrella during the occasional shower, which I did do for most of the after lunch part of the walk. Towards the end of the walk we did get a very heavy ten minute shower, followed by sunshine and hail together.
Normally on this walk, we would get good views of some of the high peaks of Snowdonia but even Moel siabod was topped in cloud today and we diidn't see any of the others.
Our best views were of the various lakes / reservors that we passed, but they were near views!
Lunch was taken by a small reservoir/ lake on the way to Llyn Glangors. A seat by the lake was must appreciated as we were seranaded by a variety of birds, particularly a Song thrush that sang throughout our lunch from the top of a nearby tree.
Birds seen or heard today includd: Common blackbird, Goosander, Mallard, Herring gull, House sparrow, Pied wagtail, Great tit, Barn swallow, Woodpigeon, Blackcap, Common chaffinch, Greenfinch, Eurasian jay, Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler and Song thrush.
We arrived back at the cars with the Sun blazing down, having had a really good walk and glad that we had not acted on the full of rain weather forecasts and thankful that most of the rain showers on the forecast missed us!
The worst rain I experienced was on my way home, when the rain between Llanddulas and Abergele when the rain was so heavy that the windscreen wipers couldn't cope and most of the cars, including me dropped there speed to below 40 m.p.h.
Thankfully by the time I got to Halkyn, it was sunshine again and I could collect my takeaway of Lees Bitter from the Blue Bell Inn.

No comments: