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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: 2-7 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, 12 November 2022

Chirk, Chirk Castle, Offa's Dyke and Two Canal Tunnels 12th November 2022

The King George VI Oak (1937) in Chirk.
The start of our wak along the towpath.
Trevor Rocks peping through.
Chirk Castle from the road (Offa's Dyke Path) near Tyn-y-groes.
Chirk Castle from the south west.
A magnificent tree in Autumnal colours.
Fungi on the tree trunk that I was sitting on at lunch.
The Afon Ceiriog from the Battle of Crogon Bridge,
Lots of work going on the higher path through Pentre Wood folowing sections of the riverside path being washed away!
Crossing the main line to Shrewsbury.
Waiting to cross the aquaduct to the second tunnel of the day.
Walk stats: Distance: 10.2 miles. Climb:1100'.
Time: 4 hours 54 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h. Overall walk aerage: 2.0 m.ph.
Temperature: Max - 18.2 Celsius. Minimum - 14.2 Celsius (around this for most of the walk),
Beaufort Wind Force:  0 - 2.  At most it reached no more than a light breeze,
We arrived at the main car park at Chirk at about 09-40, disappoited to find that the PC block wasn't yet opean. (it was when we got back to the car atabout 14-45).
This was a walk that we have done several times before, so as a change we decided to complete it in the anticlockwise direction, and in addition allowing Ed to adapt the route occasionally!  Was this a good idea, or would I regret it!
autumnal colur were evearywhere, no more so as when we started along the towpath heading westward towards Llangollen.
When we had our first views of Chirk Casle, we had the option of following the offa;s Dyke Path and the taking a a NT path leading to Chirk Castle.
As usual, we took advantge of well placed felled tree trunks as our lunch spot.
The mornng was wax a stile free walk.
After lunch the path we wanted to use had a notice saying that it was closed until 1st April. Good to note for future planning of walks in this area.
After crossing the Crogan Bridge, Ed was in his element as I gave him to lead the wa\y , sometmes on paths not of my choosing!
thankfully all went wel, and we arrived back on the Shropashire Union ? Llangollen spur heading back to Chirk.
I also had the opportinuity to uase muy head torch as we went through the3 final and lngest tunnel of the day.
Birds seen or heard today icluded: Mallard, Moorhen, Balck headed gull, Woodpigepn, Black billed magpie, Carrion crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Common blackbird, House sparrow,Pied wagtail, Long tailed tit, Great tit and Common buzzard.
Overall a great walk, clebrate with a pint of Titanic Brewery's Plum Porter at the Pant-yr-Ochain, Gresford.


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