Esclusham Mountain and Around Minera Mountain 2nd September 2023

Minera Lead Mines (Visitor Centre on the right).

St. Mary's Church, Minera (viewed from the railway track leading to Minera Quarry).

A row of lime kilns, east of Minera Limestone Qarry.

Not a lot of water in the stream emerging from Minera Limestone Quarry.

Minera Limestone Quarry (northern section).

Minera Limestone Quarry (southern section) see from the Nature Reserve.

Minera Quarry Nature Reserve Notice Board.

Another part of the Minera Quarry Nature Reserve.

Looking northwards towards Minera Quarry.

At the trig point on Esclusham Mountain.

Esclusham Mountain decked in flowering heather (Ling).

The view from our lunch spot at the Minera Mountain Lime kiln.

The remains of the Minera Mountain Lime kiln with its choice of perching stones.

Part of the boggy pah we had to follow.

"Are you sure this is the way?"

Happy to have escaped not just the bull but everything since Fron-deg!

Ed enjoying the view from the viewpoint

Hold your breath here it comes!

The view across the valley from the viewpoint.

Was the extension of the walk to visit the viewpoint worth really wortyh the effort?

Walk Stats:
Distance: 7.8 miles. Climb: 991’. (7.1 miles. 694’)
Time: 4 hours 53 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. (2.1 m.p.h,)
Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h. (1.6 m.p.h.)
Temperature: At 19.2 – 22.5 Celsius
Beaufort Wind force: 0 – 2. Mainly Calm /light air, but briefly reached a 4.5 m.p.h. light breeze.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
The forecast for today was pretty good, hence switching to the Minera Mountain walk from the Minera Lead Mine Visitor Centre.
It was somewhat overcast to start with and distant views were very hazy, but at least it made it more a pleasant temperature as we climbed through the quarries to Esclusham Mountain.
After visiting the Esclusham Mountain trig point, we followed the track south westward until me met the usual track leading to Fron-deg.
Lunch was taken at the remains of an old lime kiln where there were plenty of suitable stones on which to sit.
So far this had been a really enjoyable walk, giving us some different views of the Minera Limestone Quarry.
After lunch greater challenges were going to test us. We knew about the boggy track down to Fron-deg, but getting from Fron-deg to New Brighton on what on the OS Map looked like a good route, was anything but!
Waterlogged tracks, paths through waist high bracken (most not on the OS Map, but going in the direction we wanted to go), awkward stiles and even a large bull on one of the paths (thankfully it watched pass by and then wandered off in the opposite direction).
We arrived back the cars, thankful that our challenges were over for the day, particularly as the temperature felt as though it was in the mid-twenties, not pleasant to be walking in for any length of time.
It was only 14-45, so we decided to take off our boots and sweaty shirts before visiting the Minera Lead Mine Visitor Centre. Although it was open when we passed it on the way to the cars, by the time got to the door at 14-55 it had closed (35 minutes earlier than on the notice board!)
Birds seen or heard today included: Black billed magpie, House martin, Black billed magpie, House sparrow, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Woodpigeon, Red grouse, Stonechat, Meadow pipit and Common buzzard.
Another return route to cross off and the challenge to find a better route from Esclusham Mountain back to the Minera Lead Mine Visitor Centre Car Park still remains.