Llantysilio Green and More in Search of Snowdrops 2nd February 2022

Snowdrops in the grounds of St.Tysilio, Llantyslio Green.

Snowdrops in the grounds of St.Tysilio, Llantyslio Green.

The Horseshoe Falls.

A little more than just the Horseshoe Falls.

Magilcal reeds in the Llangollen Canal.

It looks like they are lost - again!

An artistic photo by Wendy.

A clear view f Dinas Bran,

Berwyn Halt and Chainbridge from the Clwydian Way near our lunch spot.

Valle Crucis Abbey from our lunch spot.

Those with the best seats at our lunch spot.

The four ........ at our lunch spot.

Who is going to get the bonus point on this stage?

Llantysilio Hall - one for DS.

Walk stats: Distance: 8.0 miles. Climb: 1290'.

Time; 4 hours 24 minutes. On the moe walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.

Temperature: Max 14.2 Celsius. 13.7 Celsius at lunch. 11.7 Celsius towards the end of the walk.

Beaufort Wind Force: 0 - 3. Calm until about 14-00 when it gusted to a gentle breeze!

Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Ed, David s, Wendy,Nigel and Mike.

This poved to be a good day fo walking, paricularly before lunch, when it could have been a "shorts day"! at least I didn't put my Paramo jacket on all day!

The search for Snowdrops wasn't disappointing, they weren't fully open, but it was a pretty good display ss you would expect with it being "Snowdrop Service this atSunday at St. Tysilio's Church, llantysicolio Green. 

This is probably one of the best circular walks starting from the Llantysilio Green NT car park as it s has so much variety and great views over the Dee Valley, Dinas Bran, the Eglwyseg Escarpments, The Berwyns and the Llantysilio Mountains,

Lunch was taken at he perfect lunch spot on the Clwydian Way with seating for all eight of us and good views towards Valle Crucis Abbey and Velvet Hill.

After lunch we had our steepest climb of the day, climbing the minor road upto the Horseshoe Pass Road, but as we contored around Pen-y-bryn towards Llidiart Annie, wewere rewarded with good views with vita s towarsds Llangollen in the valley below.

However a this point there was a ampness in the air and the Berwyns were already shrouded in mist - not enough to warrant putting on waterproofs, although some did!

Birds seen or heard today included: european robin, Mallard, Common blackbird, Common buzzard, Blue tit, Wood nuthatch, Great tit, Jackdaw, Raven and Commo pheasant.

A good walk enjoyed by all, and celebrated by most at the Sun at Trevor, with a pint of Ostara Bitter brewed by the Big Hand Brewery at nearby Wrexham

 

Eglwyseg Escarpments and Trevor Rock 22nd June 2017

Treking through the bracken above Trevor rocks.

Our first view of Dinas Bran from the path above Tevor Rocks.

Smiling in the rain, well at least some are!

Not Brexit again!

Thistles by demand.

Lokingn back towards the Eglwyseg Escarpments.

The start of the walk on the top of th Eglwyseg Escarpments.

Exploring a new path across the top of the escarpments.

The Egwyseg Escarpments from a new vantage point.

Last look at the limestone cliffs  with clouds starting gather.

Walk stats: Distance: 9.3 miles. Climb:1694'.

Time; 5 hours 29 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Phil, Mal, Wendy, Celia, Paul, Tim and Carol.

We set off on the walk with very light rain, but enough to warrant waterproofs, although a few did stop a little later to put on their jackets. 

 Views for most of the morning were minimal and left much to the imagination, but at least the Skylarks were still singing.

 It was good to have Tim and Carol join us for the first time since relocating to the midlands. It was a pity that the weather wasn't behaving itself, although it was still more pleasant walking today than it would have been had we been walking in the heat of yesterday (.30 Celsius).

 Paul, Tim and Carol had other commitments later in the day and decided to make their own way back just before lunch.

 The rest of us continued on route and around mid-day the rain stopped and the clouds lifted and we started to get the kind of views we have come to expect on this walk.

 We stopped for lunch on our usual spot overlooking the Eglwyseg Valley, using suitable perches in the  limestone outcrops adjacent to the path. The Sun even came out briefly as we had lunch.

 After lunch we set off on our usual rout across the top of the escarpments, but decided to explore one of the higher paths to avoid one of the more awkward gully paths. This proved a good choice ands probably one we will use again in the future.

 We arrived back at the car, having had a superb walk, despite the initial poor weather, but in reality this walk rarely disappoints.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Skylark, Stonechat, Wheatear, Meadow pipit, Carrion crow, Raven, Common buzzard, jackdaw, Common kestrel and Common blackbird.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Pant-yr-Ochain, Gresford, where some of us enjoyed a pint one of of our favourite tipples - Purple Moose's "Snowdonia Ale".

Around Vivod, Llantyilio Church and the Llangollen Canal 23rd October 2014

Our first view of the River Dee with Barber Hill above the bridge.

Panorama looking towards the Llantysilio Hills from the road descending towards Vivod.

Autumnal colous starting to show.

Panorama from the Vivod road, looking towards Bryn-newydd farm complex.

The chain bridge - work just about to start.

A new view of the Horseshoe Falls with Moel Morphydd the peak on the skyline to the right.

Too warm for everyone!

Walk stats: Distance: 8.3 miles. Climb: 1189'.

Time: 4 hours 25 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Roger, Annie, David S., Celia, Sue and Dave P.

This was another day when the Beeb got the forecast right, it was bright and sunny all the time, and only occasionaly did we experience any breeze to cool us.

 Much of the walk was on minor roads, but no-one seemed to mind and for most of the time the views were superb, particularly as they opened up and we could see the Llantysilo Hills and the Eglwyseg Escarpments.

 The early part of the walk as we headed up to the Glyn Ceriog road was a steady climb that to some of the group seemed never ending!

 Lunch was taken at Llantysilio Green, where we could take advantage of the picnic tables provided and for all of us use the facilities that had been recently upgraded to become more eco-friendly. We later found that they had also put in some new picnic tables that were more accessible to wheel chair users (not that any of the group that sort of access today. As well that workmen were in the process of putting in two new paths that will mean that walkers can approach Llantysilio church without the need to go on the road. It also gave us a new view of the Horseshoe Falls, a better one than the one normally seen from the road. We were also asked to answer a questionnaire by one of the men involved with this new work. One question asked "What could be done to make your experience in this area better", was rather difficult to answer everything about the walk today was just about perfect!

 Even the stroll back along the canal towpath was made easier by the path having been improved to a standard suitable for wheelchairs. It would seem that at least one authority are doing their best to make visitors seem welcome.

 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Common starling, Common pheasant, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Common buzzard, Black-billed magpie, Grey wagtail (spotted by Sue) and Mallard.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Ponsonby Arms, where Timothy Taylor's "Boltmaker" went down well. Ulverston's "Flying Elephants wasn't bad either. Alas David S couldn't drink all of his giant filter coffee and Celia couldn't find the blue bag of salt in her packet of crisps (thankfully a salt cellar was provided to remedy the problem!)

 Overall a delightful walk.

 I think this car park will be the one we use for all of our future walks staring in Llangollen, unless Llantysilio Green is more appropriate.

Nant-y-Pandy and Moel Fferna 4th July 2013

One of the waterfalls in Nant-y-Pandy.

"Guess what I'm doing?"

At the cairn on Moel Fferna.

The view just beginning to open up.

It's much brighter and not so windy down here.

A walk that covered 8.71 miles horizontally but had over 2000 feet of climb making it nearer to 10 miles. It lasted 4 hours 55 minutes including a lunch break. Walking were Celia, David, Phil, Tim and Wendy.

Near the start of the walk we left the busy A5 behind and walked up the beautiful Nant Y Pandy valley past the long abandoned slate works with the sound of soft flowing water in our ears. We soon left this and climbed up to a road above the valley on the NW side. At the end of the road we climbed up onto more exposed open access land where the wind was between 15 – 28 mph compared with only 8-15 mph on the road. We left the described route at point 3 and followed a “track” to the SW.  The track shown clearly on the OS map had not been used for many years and the going was heavy. For the grouse this was clearly a good thing, since it meant people had not been able to reach the many broken down shooting butts. We made our way via patches of cleared moorland and a rather boggy pathway to the ridge which kept drifting in and out of the mist. Following the ridge we reached the welcome shelter of the cairn at the summit of Moel Fferna (630 m or 2066 feet) where we enjoyed our lunch sheltering from the winds that gusted up to 35 mph. After lunch, with clear skies and extensive views, we followed a wide path down to join the original route at point 4 before having a gentle stroll along the hillside above the Dee valley back to the start.

A lovely day for walking.

Meteorological data supplied by David’s Meteorological Services PLC.

Photos and report thanks to Phil.