Dates and Walks April 2010.

Updated on 26th April 2010.

Thursday 1st April 2010.
Valley, Moor and Estuary and Pen y Ball and Pantasaph.

Distance:12 miles; Climb:1903'.
Start:Greenfield Valley Car Park on the A548. Grid ref:SJ197775.
Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m.
This walk combines two walks taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Holywell and Halkyn Mountain". The walk starts by going through the Greenfield Heritage Valley before we climb the "wonderful" Pen y Ball and onto Pantasaph, and finally crosses a section of Holywell Mountain and returns along the Dee Estuary. Possible sightings of Wheatears on the section, a few early arrivals were spotted there last week.

Saturday 3rd April 2010.
Llyn Maes y Clawdd and Earl's Wood and Mynnydd Mynyllod.

Distance:9-12 miles; Climb:2000+' (if we complete all of the second walk).
Start: Riverside parking in Llandderfel village. Grid ref: SH982371.
Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m.
This walk involves two walks taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Y Bala and Penllyn". The first walk is new to us and completes the walks in the book that start from Llandderfel. He describes this walk as a delightful walk in the beautiful Upper Dee Valley, featuring two attractive lakes. The second walk is described as exploring delightful hidden upland pastures. Last time we extended this walk to explore the moorland area a little more, but this time we will keep strictly to the route description and may even use the alternative shorter route.

Thursday 8th April 2010.

Pontcysyllte, Croes yr Esgob and Trevor Hall Woods.

Distance:11 miles; Climb:1800'.
Start: Trevor Basin Car park. Grid ref:SJ272423.
Leave Chester 9-00 a.m.
If I remember correctly the last time that we did these two walks, it was the first time that Gordon had joined the group. The walks are taken from Dave berry's book "Walking Around Llangollen and the Dee Valley.
The first walk starts by crossing the the aqueduct (alternative is to by-pass it by using the road from the car park up to the village of Frocysyllte). The walk then climbs through the quarried limestone hills above Froncysyllte, eventually giving good views across the Dee Valley towards Trevor Rocks. The second walk takes us through the lower wooded Northern slopes of the Dee Valley below Trevor Hall, before returning along the Llangollen Canal towpath.

Saturday 10th April 2010.

Solomon's Tower, The Goyt and Corber Hill.

Distance:12 miles; Climb:2250'.
Start:Poole's Cavern Car Park, Buxton. Grid ref:SK0499726.
Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m.
Last year when we attempted these walks, it was somewhat misty, particularly at the start of the walk and climbing Solomon's Tower left everything to the imagination, but all agreed it would be worth a second visit. Hopefully we will get good views on our second visit. The walks are taken from Mark Richard's book "White Peak Walks - Northern Dales". A surprisingly good walk considering that three walks are linked along the streets of Buxton.

Thursday 15th April 2010.

Bryn Alyn, Limestone and Lead.

Distance:12 miles; Climb:2000+' at a guess.
Start: Roadside parking by telephone box in Maeshafn. Grid ref:SJ202610.
Leave Chester 9-00 a.m.
This walk combines another two walks from Dave Berry's book "More Walks In the Clwydian Hills". We have done both walks several times before, but I don't think we have done them together before. One walk goes through impressive limestone scenery before linking with the second walk at Eryrys. The second walk continues to explore attractive limestone country between Eryrys and Graianrhyd.

Saturday 17th April 2010.

Chelmorton and Deepdale and Chee Dale and Blackwell.

Distance:9-10 miles; Climb:1000'.
Start:Wye Dale Car Park (Pay and Display I think); Grid ref:SK104724.
Leave Chester at 8-0 a.m.
This walk combines two walks from Mark Richard's book "White Peak Walks - Northern Dales".
He describes one walk as a walk in a miniature Grand Canyon claimed from the railway age for the express delight of walkers. The second walk he describes as walk to savour, indeed a ramble to amble! What an encouraging description, hopefully we will get to the start this time!

Thursday 22nd April 2010.

Lady Bagot's Drive with St. Christopher's Blessing.

Distance:11-12 miles; Climb:500+' at the most!
Start: Ruthin riverside car park (Pay and Display). Grid ref:SJ121582.
Leave Chester 9-00 a.m.
These are two walks that we have done several times before. The walks are taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks in the Vale of Clwyd". One walk is described as a ramble up the Clywedog Gorge and the second walk as a delightful walk featuring attractive sections of the Afon Clywedog and Afon Clwyd. In the past we have found sections to be on the wet side!

Saturday 24th April 2010.

Another Walk Around the Great Orme.

Distance: 9-10 miles; Climb:1300' at the most.

Start: Roadside parking at Llandudno West Shore (close to the play area). Grid ref:SJ772818.

Leave Chester at 8-00a.m.

The route is intended to follow the toll road as far as the Happy Valley, climb through the Happy valley as far as the summit of the Great Orme, following an anticlockwise route around the limestone plateau before droping down the zig-zag path back to the West Shore.

Sea birds like Fulmar and Kittewake should be neesting on the cliffs, so don't forget to bring your binoculars with you. We might see terns and Guillemots too.

The Ward Stones.

This walk will now be put on the May or June walking lists.

Distance:12 miles; Climb: "2000' at the most.
Start:the Jubilee Car Park on the Trough of Bowland Road. Grid ref:SD542573.
Leave Chester 8-00 a.m.
I know that this is a little further than we usually go of late, but it is quite some time since we last did this walk. Hopefully we will visit three peaks, Clougha Pike (1355'), Ward Stone (1836') and the Grey Mare and Foel (1837'). Much of the walk is along access paths across the moors owned by the Duke of Westminster. It is a Grouse moor, but hopefully we may still see birds of prey like the Hen harrier which has in the past been persecuted by gamekeepers. As far as I can remember it is a very enjoyable walk, although sections can be boggy (Derek V lost a glove when he slipped and his hand became submerged in the peat bog) and there is a 2-3 mile uphill walk along the tarmac at the end of the day (something that Celia often reminds me of even now!).

Thursday 29th April 2010.

Around the Old Horseshoe Pass, the Eglywseg Rocks and Glen.

Distance:10.3 miles; Climb:2205'.
Start:Car park opposite the Ponderosa Cafe on the Horseshoe Pass. Grid ref:SJ193481.
Leave Chester 9-00 a.m.
This walk combines two walks from Dave Bery's book "Walking Around Llangollen and the Dee Valley". These are two delightful walks, especially when the weather is good. An easy start heading down hill, a superb middle section with a challenging climb up the old Horseshoe Pass road at the end!