John Summers Clock Tower Building Visit 10th October 2026

Plenty of visitors arriving.

Wilsons Journey time-line.

The start of the main staircase in the entrance hall.

This was a Coastal Cargo Vessel built for John Summers.

One of the period pictures on display. 

This one seems to be of the Shropshire Union Canal by Cow Lane Bridge.

One of exhibits about the steel works.

Some artifacts from the steelworkers.

Inside the board room.

An impressive desk for the secretary!

Any idea where this is?

This one is a bit easier!

The second floor staircase stained glass window

A different view of the clock from the outside veranda / patio.

Hawarden Bridge from the veranda / patio.

This way to the Community Garden.

The extent of Wilsons empire!

One view of the garden.

Looks like this was a crown green bowling square.

This picture depicts tthe swimming pool and fountain when in use.

The swimming pool now - not very inviting!

This is allthat is left of the fountain - no longer with tumbling water.

Grounds originally to be used by the staff at the Steelworks.

Statues of the three wise monkeys (see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil) at the entrance to the Community Gardens.

I remember visiting this dining area when I visited the steelworks on a school visit in the late sixties.

Hawarden Bridge - river still rising.

Last port of call before heading home.

Distance: 3 miles. Climb: 100' at a guess, there was an awful lot of steps in the clock tower!
Not really a a planned walk, but I noticed that Wilsons Auctions were having an open day to show off the John Summers Clock Tower building after they had restored it.

They were ding guided tours, if you pre-booked, I didn't, so I just wandered through each room and around the garden afterwards.

I started with breakfast at the Central Hotel in Shotton before strolling across Hawarden Bridge at 11-15  (the tide was pretty high and still rising!) to enter the building at the main entrance from the riverside path.

It was much busier than I expected, so taking photos wasn't easy, if you wanted take them without any people being in the picture.

The restoration is impressive, and it was well worth a change of plans and take the opportunity to see inside the building whilst it was being offered.

I returned to the Central Hotel, to sample another two beers in the Wetherspoon Beer Festival before heading home on the bus.

Audlem and the Shropshire Union Canal 7th October 2026

St. James Church, Audlem.

Going around one of the arable fields, happy to see that the maize had already been harvested.

A view looking westward towards Frodsham Hill ?

The small River Weaver.

DS beating one of the challenging stiles.

Another field to cross.

The cows part way to let us through!

Yet another field to cross, but thankfully no cows!

Strolling along the towpath after lunch.

On the Shropshire Union Canal towpath, heading for Audlem.

The entrance to the large Marina near Audlem.

Canada geese on the bank at the entrance to the Marina.

This Moorhen didn't want to be photographed!

A juvenile Moorhen prepares to jump!

Basking in the Sun at Audlem Lock 15, watching a narrow boat slowly come into view in the lock.

Resting at Audlem Lock 15

Enjoying the Sun.

Mallards on the Shropshire Union Canal near Audlem.

Grey heron on the bank of the Shropshire Union Canal opposite the Shroppie Fly, Audlem.

Distance: 6.3 miles. Climb: 253’.
Time: 4 hours 4 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h.
Overall walking average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 123.4 -16.2 Celsius, but it did reach 22 Celsius in a sheltered spot in direct Sun.
Beaufort Wind Force: 1-2. Mainly a Light air, but occasionally increasing to a Light breeze.
Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Nigel, Fran, Mike and David S.
Although the rain was on the forecast, it never materialised and we had another good day for walking. It was largely sunny with a coolish breeze at times, so we all had our jackets on for most of the walk.
Although Mike and I had done the walk twice before, once in 2013 and more recently again in 2016, neither of us could remember much of the route!
Much of the walk was across farm fields, and as you would expect there were a great number of stiles to challenge our aging knees, in fact 12, although we did manage go around a four of the.
Not a walk for distant views, although we did at one point debate whether the hills on the skyline were Frodsham Hill or Bickerton Hill?
Most of the fields we went round were arable, although a couple of fields did have cattle grazing.
It was hard finding a suitable place to sit for lunch, but we later took advantage of some steps leading from the Shropshire Union Canal towpath up to a road near Cool Lane Bridge.
After lunch, it was a pleasant stroll in bright, warm sunshine along the towpath back to Audlem.

A slower than usual overall walking average, large due to the fact that we watched a narrow boat go through Audlem Lock 15 (our excuse to sit and bask in the sun for a while).
Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, European robin, Carrion crow, Woodpigeon, Grey heron, Canada goose, Greylag goose, Great cormorant, Moorhen, Mallard, Lesser blackback gull and Black headed gull.
Overall, a very enjoyable walk, all the more so as David S was able to join us once more on a walk. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before he joins us again.

Delamere Forest, Blakemere Moss and Eddisbury Castle 3rd October 2026

The beauty of sunrays coming through the trees.

Checking the way.

It's this way.

It's this way too.

First views of Blakemere Moss.

Greylag geese on Blakemere Moss.

Lapwing on the tree stumps in Blakemere Moss.

Another view of Blakemere Moss.

More geese on Blakemere Moss.

A different view of Blakemere Moss from the eastern side.

Last views of the tree stumps in Blakemere Moss.

Looking back at our lunch spot behind the middle tree.

At Pale Heights.

Moel Famau from Pale Heights.

Looking towards the Eddidbury Castle ramparts.

At the entrance to Eddisbury Castle.

Is that the line of Eddisbury Castle?

I think this is the path through King's Chair woodland.

This definitely looks like the path.

Enjoying a pint of Brightside IPA on the terrace at the Morris Dancer in Kelsall.

Enjoying the Sun at the Morris Dancer in Kelsall.

Distance: 7.8 miles. Climb: 735’.
Time: 4 hours 4 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h.
Overall walking average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: 16.2 Celsius at the start, rising to 21.8 Celsius after lunch in the Sun.
Beaufort Wind Force: 1-2. Mainly a Light air, but occasionally increasing to a Light beeze.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
A delayed start as I was having my flu jab at 09-02 in Chester. However things went well, I had my flew jab early and a friend offered me a lift home, so I was back home by 09-10!
This was another great day for walking, pleasantly warm, dry with very little wind.
Once again, the water level on Blakemere Moss was pretty low, but this seemed to suit the Greylag geese Lapwings and gulls.
There is something magical about walking through woods when the Sun’s rays break through the canopy, giving a mosaic of light and shade. Today was one of those days.
Lunch was taken next to the Visitor Centre, where we took advantage of one of the many picnic tables, and enjoying lunch, basking in the warm sunshine.
After lunch, we had the steady climb to Pale Heights. In hindsight, we should have climbed to Pale Heights before lunch and avoided that climb straight after lunch.
It always amazes me to see so many people of all ages are around the Visitor Centre as well as seeing young people walking through the forest.
Pale Heights was popular as well, making it hard to get that photo standing next to the main Cheshire standing stone. The views from Plale Heights were good in all directions, allowing us to get that statutory phot of Moel Famau!
Arriving at Eddisbury Castle, it’s always a little underwhelming to see how little of the original castle still remains.
Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, Woodpigeon, European robin, House sparrow, Carrion crow, Black billed magpie, Blue tit, Greylag goose, Lapwing, Black headed gull and Common buzzard.
Overall, a very enjoyable varied walk, not something I say about walks in Delamere Forest.
After walk drinks were enjoyed on the terrace at the Morris Dance in Kelsall. Mike enjoyed an IPA by the Brightside, while enjoyed my usual pot of tea.