Local residents preparing to make way for Harris Hikers.
At the stile on the west side of Ffrith Muntain.
Moel Famuau - the high point for some.
The way to Cilcain - for all of us i the end.
Leaving the lunch spot.
The continental way for walkers shielding from the Sun's rays, but today the"leader" doesn't have that excuse!
David's owl.
Time to say goodbye at least for today!
Distance: 8.4 miles - 10.0 miles. Climb: 1076' - 1500' (Depending on starting point and completing the extension to Moel Famau).
Time: 5 hours 24 vminutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.5 m.p.h.Group: Martyn, David S, Sue and Michel, Nigel and Mike.
The forecast for today didn't seem too bad, with light showers arriving after mid-day, unfortunately it turned out to be more persistent rain after lunch, but we were shelterted from the worst of it as we walked along the leete back to Loggerheads.
The walk didn't start too well as our chosen start point the layby at Cadolewas already full and only two cars could park off road opposite the Loggerheads Monument, leaving David S to head to the Loggerheads Country Park car park with its £5 parking fee if you stayed longer bthan 4 hours.
Despite all stating at diffedrent points, we all met up at the Loggerheads Country Park to start the walk together. The number 1 objective was now to make sure that the walk lasted more than 4 hours to ensure that DS got his money worth for the parking fee. At least that objective was achieved!
The younger members of the the group and DS set a fast pace for the first part of the walk and we were in danger of failing our first objective, but later events ensured that we didn't. In the past sections of this walk have been quite boggy, but today it was pretty good underfoot through out the walk.
Our first deviation from the planned route was to go around the south and west side of Ffrith Mountain and linking up with the Clwidian Way.
Mike and Nigel decided that they wanted to visit the top of Moel Famau while the rest of us followed the Clwydian Way towards Cilcain and planned to wait for the others near the Cilcain Reservoir 3.
It was hile we were having lunch, waiting for the others, that it started to rain, enough to make us put waterproof jackets on and I had to put my umbrella upto protect my binoculars, GPSs and cameras from the rain.
We had to wait wenty minutes or so for the Moel Famau duo to join us ans start their lunch, so the rest of us had a longer than usual lunch break.
DS persuaded us to miss out visiting Cilcain and once on theLeete, the red blob was infront leading the way. Once again he was the first to spot the naturespot of the day, last week the frog, this week a Tawny owl.
Birds seen or heard today included: Goldfinch, Common blackbird,Common peasant, Woodpigeon, Carrion crow, Common buzzard, Meadow pipit, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, European robin, House martin, Common chaffinch, Yellow hammer and Tawnty Owl.
We arrived back a the cars, having had an enjoyable walk despite the afternoon rain and ready for a celebration quaffing of real ale. We decided to head for th Red Lion t Penyfordd, but alas we found it didn't open until 16-00. Sue and Michel suggested the Royal Oak at Upper Kinnerton which turned out to be a good choice, and we all enjoyed Timothy Taylor's Landlord.
I was pretty impresed with the improvents made to this establishmet since my last visit in the seventies!
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