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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.

Wednesday, 29 November 2023

On the Edge of Delamere Forest, Pale Heights and Eddidbury Castle 29th November 203

On the Sandstone Trail.
"
"I think it's this way."
"This way looks OK."
Fran explains all!
"I think it's this way."
A Raven rests on the Pale Heights microwave mast.
A closer look at the Raven.
At Pale Heights - is it social distancing again!.
The Clwydian Hills from Pale Heights.
Just to remind Ed what he missed today!
Just beore leavig Pale Heights.
Starting on the Eddisbury Castle bypass.
The panorama looking north eastward from Eddisbury Castle.
This is the the less muddy of the paths!
Nearly back on the Sandstone Trall.
Walk Stats:
Distance: 5.4 miles. Climb: 643’.
Time: 2 hours 34 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Temperature: 0.0 Celsius at the start on the Sandstone Trail. 3.0 Celsius Pale Heights and the rest of the walk.
Beaufort Wind force: 0. Calm throughout the walk, no measurable wind at all!
Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Fran, Elaine and Nigel, Mike and David S (the leader)
The weather forecast today was pretty good, although expected to be cold at 3 Celsius maximum feeling like 1 Celsius.
The icy walk for his daily paper by the leader (around 07-00), resulted in the decision to move the start from The Yeld to Gresty’s Waste at Primrose Hill, Kelsall. Lots of others must have decided the same as the car park was pretty full, we only just arrived in time to get a parking spot.
The weather turned out to be good for walking and never felt as cold as the measured temperature. I am sure No wind and bright sunshine helped!
DS decided that he wanted to investigate a couple of paths that he had seen on the OS map but had never previously used. I don’t think anyone else in the group had either. It’s always a bonus to explore such paths as it gives us more options when we walk in this area again.
We arrived at Pale Heights in glorious sunshine and lingered there awhile taking in the 360 degree panorama and most of us had warm refreshing drinks s well.
We had walked at a reasonable pace, so DS decided that we had enough time to take in the Eddisbury Castle option and still get back to the Morris Dance in time for 13-00, the time the table had been booked.
Birds seen or heard today included: European robin Wood nuthatch, Common starling, Jackdaw, Raven Rook, Goldfinch, Common blackbird and Carrion crow.
Overall an enjoyable walk, ending with boots that weren’t very muddy and only took ten minutes to clean after standing a while in water.
A bonus for me is that it will be my last Delamere Forest walk for 2023!
We arrived at the Morris Dancer in perfect timing, ten minutes before we were due. Everyone enjoyed their meals, despite the vegetables being cooler than we would have liked. It was good to see that several real ales under 4% were on offer, several being sampled and enjoyed.

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