Around The Great Orme in Search of Seals 20th December 2023

Weather doesn't lok too good oer there!

Looking down on the gunsite from arine Drive.

The Limestone pavements onthe Great Orme.

Erratics on the Great Orme plateau.

Last of the Summer Wines visit the Great Orme!

Grey deals in Pigeon Cove.

Grey seals in Pigeon Cove.

Grey seals in Pigeon Cove.

"I'm hungry,  need to go ishing!

Fulmars already occupyimg the bes nesting leges on the Great Orme.

The Queen Victoria Monuemt at the entrance to Happy Valley.

One of many goats foraging in Happy Valley.

 Goats foraging in Happy Valley.

Still doesn't look on Conwy Montain and the Carneddau.

"I can see the car, but wher is Conwy Mountin?

Choppy seas in the Conwy Estuary.

Walk Stats:
Distance: 7.6 miles. Climb: 1426’ - 1698’ (Wind assisted GPS values), but in reality around 900’.
Time: 4 hours 8 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.
Temperature: 12.6Celsius at the start. 10.5 Celsius on the Great Orme Plateau.
Beaufort Wind Force: Mainly 5, a Fresh breeze (max 22.4 m.p.h.)
The weather forecast today was supposed to be mainly cloudy, very windy with good chances of rain. In the main it was right, but at times it was like walking in cloud rather than rain.
We took the easy option today, following Marine Drive as far as the Rest and Be Thankful Cafe before taking the road up to the Great Orme Plateau.
We weren’t disappointed in our search for Grey seals, we saw about 90 beached in Pigeon Cove.
We had lunch in Happy Valley, now enjoyed by many feral goats foraging on the vegetation in the gardens below us.
Birds seen or heard today included: Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Common blackbird, Herring gull, Black billed magpie, Meadow pipit, Mistle thrush, Great cormorant and Woodpigeon.
We headed into the worst of the weather on the western end of the Invalids Terrace as we approached Marine Drive.
Overall an enjoyable walk, celebrated with liquid refreshments at the Albion in Conwy. Thanks to Nigel driving, three of us were able to have more than one drink. 

We even had a look at the lodge accommodation at Bodelwyddan Castle where Ed was enjoying a few days break!

Graig Fawr, Coed yr Esgob from Barkby Beach 13th December 2023

Not what we were expecting to sea at Barkby beach.

Sea horses at Barkby Beach,

On the North Wales Path (old railway track from Preatatyn to Dyserth)

he Great Orme from  North Wales Path (old railway track from Preatatyn to Dyserth).

At the tig point on Gair Fawr.

Shadows!

Not sure about this vessel, but  probably linked to the Wind Farm.

What a lovely notice.

OS information. Translate i you can.

On the Offa's Dyke Path, now cleared of scrub on the slopes below.

Our lunch spot, but everyone ran off before I could take ba photo!

An easy to understand notice.

"Why are we waiting?"

Christ Curch, Prestatyn.

Walk Stats:

Distance: 8.3 miles. Climb: 853’.

Time: 4 hours 40 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h.

Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h. 

Temperature: 10.6. Celsius at lunch.

Beaufort Wind Force. Max – 4 moderate on Graig Fawr,

The weather forecast today was pretty good, but in reality turned out to be better, sunny intervals turned out to be just one – all day!

Overlooking the Barkby Beach at just the right time, enable us to enjoy the waves crashing on the shore, much bigger than I can remember.

We were well sheltered from the wind, including our lunch spot on the Offa’s Dyke Path.

Two surprises on the walk today included the fencing around Graig Fawr and the scrub clearance along Offa’s Dyke Path as we headed from Red Roofs towards Prestatyn,

Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Winter wren, Common starling, Jackdaw, Carrion crow. House sparrow, Goldfinch, Common blackbird, Black headed gull, Great cormorant, Herring gull, Oystercatcher,, Goldfinch, Common buzzard, Eurasian jay and black billed magpie.

Overall an enjoyable walk, ending with boots rather muddier than we would have lied!

After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Crown Inn at Trelawynd, where Timothy Taylor’s Landlord went down well.

Not quite as big as we saw at the start of the walk!

Traeth Lafan, Abergyngregyn, Crymlyn and The spinnes 18th November 2023

 

Looking down on Abergwyngregyn.

On the lower level path.

This is the right way to go around Glyn.

At lest now it is clearly waymarked!

On the path above Glyn.

Our clearest view of Penrhyn Castle as we approched Taly-bont.

Lichen on the roads and pasvements - much better than seeing chewig gum!

This is what we hoped to see at The Spinnies, 

On the feeders at The Spinnies.

Little egret and Grey heron at The Spinnies.

A Little egret looking for prey.

Little egrets from the Kingfisher Hie at The Spinnies.

Entertainment on the sea!

"I'm gad we chose te lower level path".

Oystercatchers and Greylag geese i the fiels east of The Spinnies.

A lonley Wigeon on the sea.

The infornation board a the start and finish of our walk today!

Walk Stats:

Distance: 8.6 miles. Climb: 768’.

Time: 4 hours 20 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h.

Overll walk average: 2.0 m.p.h.

Temperature: 15.1 Celsius at the start. 13.9 Celsius at he highest point of the walk and 15.7 Celsius at In The Kingfisher Hide at The Spinnies.

Beaufort Wind force: 4-5. Ranging from a Moderate Breeze to a Fresh Breeze in the less sheltered places, along the North Wales coastal Path.

Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.

The weather forecast today gave a 10% chance of rain and 20+ m.p.h. winds, that was what we got. Never enough really enough to wet us , but enough to make us hope it would get better”. It did, just for the last mile or so along the Coastal Path to the car.

Lunch today was taken at The Spinnies, first at the main hide where we stayed for about lf an hour in the hope that we would see the Kingfisher. Too long for Ed to wait for lunch, so any crackling noise on the video is down to “Walkers Crisps”!

Birds seen or heard today included: Mute swan, Eurasian curlew, blue tit, Coal tit, Great tit, Black billed magpie, Little egret, Mallard, Grey heron, Little grebe Mallard, Moorhen, Great crested grebe, Oystercatcher, Teal, Widgeon, Pied wagtail, Common chaffinch, Winter wren, House sparrow, Common blackbird, Coal tit, Great tit Wood nuthatch and Meadow pipit. Overall it was a very enjoyable walk where we took advantage of the weather conditions despite distant views never being at their best! After walk drinks were enjoyed at the The Albion In Conwy, where the Conwy Brewery’s Telford Porter was excellent and Purple Moose's Snowdonia Ale went down well tto!

Abergele and Moelfre Isaf 11th November 2023

The Great Orme from Pensarn Beach.

The wind turbines were just about turning.

Ed seemed surprised to see this bear sculpture in Ty Mawr Park.

The stream must have realy been high for this tree trunk to get stranded in this position.

I don't mind friendly ponies this size!

Moel Famau and the Clwydians from Tower Hill.

The tower beng guarded by sheep.

A cat sunbathing on top of the bales of silage.

Ed at the perching stone o Moefre Isaf.

The view south from our lunch spot.

Moel Famau and the Clwydians from Moelfre Isaf.

There are quite a lot of Wind Turbines off the coast at Abergele.

Not the star of Abergele, just the cloud of Abergele.

Walk Stats:
Distance: 9.5 miles. Climb: 1460’.
Time: 5 hours 26 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Temperature: 11.2 Celsius at the start and 14.1 Celsius at lunch at the trig point on Moelfre Isaf.
Beaufort Wind force: 0-2. Mainly Calm, occasionally Light Air and briefly reach a 3.1 m.p.h. Light breeze as we reached the trig point on Moefre Isaf.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
The weather forecast was good, although they did suggest it would have a feel like temperature of 8 Celsius. In fact it never felt that cold and I was left wondering why I had opted for my Winter Paramo gear. Sunglasses and t-shirt soon became the order of the day.
Our only problem was the fact that we always seemed to be walking into the Sun and neither of us had bothered to bring our sunhats.
Distant views were rather hazy, but we could make out Moel Famau and the Clwydians, the Clocaenog Wind Farm Moel Siabod and Eryri and the Great Orme.
It was so pleasant on the top of Moefre Isaf that we lingered there for over half an hour before setting off after lunch.
After lunch I had one difficult stile to negotiate, but after ten minutes I eventually managed to get over it and then we had the waterlogged field to cross.
Arriving back at Ty Mawr Park we decided to walk around the ponds before heading for our cars.
We were still back at the cars by 15-30 and even arrived home in time to clean my boots outside before the light failed.
Birds seen or heard today included: Carrion crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Herring gull, Oystercatcher, Black headed gull, Meadow pipit, Winter wren, Mute swan, Mallard, Common coot, Black billed magpie, Eurasian Jay, Wood nuthatch, long tailed tit, Woodpigeon and European robin.
Overall it was an enjoyable walk, completed in glorious sunshine.