The Little Orme and Rhos-on-Sea 17th January 2024

The Little Orme ahead.

The Little Orme is getting closer.

Everyone likes adonkey!

A Red billed chough foraging.

A redwing in the same field as the red billed choughs.

The Carneddau from the Little Orme Head summit.

The Carneddau from the Little Orme Head summit.

At the trig point on the Little Orme Head.

The the Lake District Hills?

Heading around Creigiau Rhiwledyn.

Green energy in the making.

Over 80 Grey seals in Angel Bay.

A close up of Grey seals in Angel Bay.

I think therse seals realise the tide is comimg in!

This is looks like a Grey seal having fun!

Careful look at these birds show that there is at least one Shag.

St. Trillo's Church, Rhos-onSea.

Inside St. Trillo's Church, Rhos-onSea.

Our lunch spot near St. Trillo's Church, Rhos-onSea.

Rhos Point.

Turnstone and Common redshank on the rocks in Penrhyn Bay.

Walk Stats:

Distance: 8.2 miles. Climb: 820’

Time: 4 hours 31 minutes.

Temperature: 3.1 – 8.5 Celsius.

Beaufort Wind Force: 2/3 just a Light to Gentle breeze on Little Orme Head and as we went around Creigiau Rhiwledyn.

Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Ed, Fran and Mike.

The weather forecast for today was pretty good, although a feel like temperature of -2 Celsius thankfully never materialised.

We had glorious sunshine throughout the walk unless we were in the shade of buildings and cliffs/hillsides.

The clear skies today made the snow covered Carneddau Mountains look fantastic, although we did get better views as we descended Rhuallt Hill.

Birds seen or heard today included: Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Common blackbird, Black billed magpie, Blue tit, European robin, Common redshank, Herring gull, Great cormorant, Redwing, Red billed chough, Eurasian curlew, Oystercatcher, Rook, Fulmar, Turnstone, House sparrow, Common starling, Great cormorant and Shag (Bird of the day)..

We had next to St. Trillo’s Church at Rhos, where west took advantage of several benches overlooking the sea towards Colwyn Bay.

As ever the highlight of this walk was the Grey seals in Port Dyniewaid (Angel Bay).

The last part of the walk down the road back to the cars was in the full glare of the Sun and we all appreciated the warmth with the temperature reaching a high for the day of 8.5 Celsius.

Overall a very enjoyable day, almost the perfect temperature for walking – I only needed to use one handkerchief!

Ed set off for his covid jab, while the rest of us headed to the Glasfryn for liquid refreshment.

On this occasion I can only vouch for the tea!

Craig-y-don and Around The Great Orme 12th July 2023

The Great Orme from our start point at Craig-y-don.

One of the new wind shelters - old design, but just as good.

The Little Orme in the backgound.

A different design, but with added art work.

A Herring gull taking a rest by the beach.

Llandudno shore and pier.

The first of the Llandudno goats seen today.

The steady climb along Marine Drive.

Black guillemots on the sea.

A Red billed chough on the slopes below Marine Drive.

The lighthouse still isn't in sight!

You can't mistake Great cormorants when they hold out their wings to dry.

Another goat on the edge.

The Lighthouse guest house - looks like they have visitors today.

A distant view the lighthouse at Penmon and of Puffin Island from Marine Drive.

Distant views of the Carneddau.

The Great Orme gun site from Marine Drive.

More Red billed choughs on the West side of the Orme.

A Red bille chough trying hid behind some goats.

The view from my lunch spot.

A Herring gull paitiently waits - hoping to snatch a bit of Ed's lunch!

Our lunch spot in the bus shelter on Llandudno West Shore.

A statue showing some of the characters from Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland.

We were tempted to go to the theatre, but alas we were both driving.

A wooden sculpture of Fusiler Shenkin outside Venue Cymru.

Walk stats: 8.5 miles. Climb: 1230’. Time: 3 hours 46 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.7 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.2 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17.7 Celsius at the start. 16.7 Celsius at lunch. Maximum temperature – 19.7 Celsius mid-morning in a sheltered spot on Marine Drive
Beaufort Wind Force: 2 – 3. Mainly a Light to Gentle breeze, but at one point near the "Rest and Be Thankful Cafe", it reached a Moderate breeze of 17.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Ed,
The weather forecast was pretty accurate today, although as we arrived it was raining heavier than we were expecting. Thankfully after about ten minutes waiting in the car, the rain stopped.
We set off with waterproof jackets on, but it wasn’t long before they were assigned to our rucksacks.
Along Marine Drive we had lots of stops looking at the sea birds and goats.
Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Black headed gull, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Oystercatcher, Great cormorant, Stonechat, Meadow pipit, Fulmar, Great black backed gull and Red billed chough.
Our only problem today was finding a sheltered spot for lunch, but most of them around the West Shore were already occupied. Thankfully the bus shelter in the middle of the island provided the seats we desired. We had originally planned to return to Craig-y-don via the Invalid Terrace, but ended up returning along the road past The Palladium and through the main street in the centre of Llandudno.

 

Gronant Sand Dunes and More 21st May 2022

Flag iris on the banks of Prestatyn Gutter.

Orchid in Gronant Sand Dunes Nature Reserve.

Marsh Orchid in Gronant Sand Dunes Nature Reserve.

Skylark inGronant Sand Dunes Nature Reserve.

One of the Little terns at Grontant Little tern colony.

Little terns at Grontant Little tern colony.

Little terns at Grontant Little tern colony.

Skylarks singing in Little terns at Grontant Sand Dunes Nature Reserve.

Skylarks singing in Little terns at Grontant Sand Dunes Nature Reserve.

Looking towards the Point of Ayr Lighthouse from the Little tern Hide.

Looking towards Prestatyn from the Gronant Sand Dunes.

It's always good to see and hear the sound of the sea - here at Barkby Beach, Prestatyn.

A Dandelion getting ready to send its offspring out to colonise the neighbourhood.

Poppies on the roadside on the way to Prestatyn Golf Course.

Common mallow on Shore Road, Gronant.

Walk stats:

Distance: 4.8 miles. Climb: 230'.

Time: 2 hours 48 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.

Beaufort Wind Force: 1 - 3. Mainly a light breeze, but rising to a gentle breeze as I approached Prestatyn ann returned through the golf course.

Max temperature: 20.2 Celsius.

Group: Martyn.

With no other Saturday walkers around, I was tempted to enjoy exploring once again the environs of Halkyn Mountain. but the chance to visit the Little tern colony at Gronant won out.

It was a good decision, and even better when I found there was a small hide overlooked the colony that you could visit. 

I arrived quite early, so I had the hide to myself. Lots of Little terns about, some returning with their catch, but trying to spot them once they had landed on the pebble beach wasn't easy.  I was informed that there were currently over 300 Little terns around, although I didn't see that many.

Skylarks seemed to everywhere, in the sky singing and on the ground, especilly near the path the the observation hide.

There seemed plenty of Common swifts around as well, the first that I have seen this year.

It was good to see the orchids showing, not easy to see if they were Southern or Northern March orchids.

Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Common blackbird, Chiffchaff, Cetti warbler, Sedge warbler, Reed bunting, Common coot, Mute swan.Mallard, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Great cormorant, Stonechat, Herring gull, Carrion crow, Common whitethroat, Jackdaw, Rook, Lesser black back gull, Oystercatcher, Barn swallow, House martin, Common swift and Little tern.

The Sun only came out as I arrived back at the car, so the temperature throught my walk was very pleasant and I didn't have to resort to getting my sunhat out of my pocket and I still had plenty of liquid left in my "hydration puch".

Nevertheless seeing and / or hearing so many birds and seeing so many flowers required a celebration pint of Lees Bitter at the Blue Bell Inn at Halkyn.