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When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-7 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2024:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage,, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Winston Feather.

Thursday, 24 February 2011

Around Puddington and Shotwick 24th February 2011

Approaching Shotwick for the first time.
Lunch in Dingle Wood.
Lunch in Dingle Wood.
Approaching the site of Shotwick Castle.
I wouldn't like to pass comment about any of these photos, but anyone in the group can make suggestions that they is appropriate!
Walk stats: Distance:10.9 miles. Climb:378'.
Time:4 hours 49 minutes. On th move walking average:2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average:2.3 m.p.h.
Group:Martyn, Roger, Gordon, Annie H., Phil, Tim and Carol, Sylvia and Dave J., Paul C., Mike D., Dave P., Tito and Chatherine.
What a perfect day for walking this turned out to be, bright and sunny all day, no wind and temperatures around 15 Celsius, quite barmy for this time of the year to say the least!
Despite walking through many farm fields this turned out to be a very enjoyable and varied walk. Even anticipated obstacles were easy to negotiate and a new bridge crossing the main Queensferry to Ellesmere Port road made our return journey easier. Although this detour extended the walk slightly, we manged to get back on track by the traffic likes near to The "infamous" Bungalow!
The most pleasant surprise was the lovely path that went through Dingle Wood to the site of Shotwick Castle. We even had lunch in Dingle Wood, taking advantage of fallen trees to provide seating as we ate and basked in the sunshine!
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Frog at the Bache, where Weetwood Cheshire Cat was the only real ale available.  We won't be using this hostelry again as I noticed the beer from the overspill tray being poured into a glass and used in the next pint to be pulled.  Thankfully my pint was the first pint pulled and didn't have anything from the drip tray added!
Birds seen or heard today included: Blue tit, Great tit, House sparrow, Black-billed magpie. Common buzzard, Common starling, Peregrine falcon, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Little egret, Mallard, Ring-necked parakeet, Collared dove, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, European robin, Greenfinch, Canada goose and Lapwing. we did see swans feeding on Shotwick fields towards the Industrial Estate, but they were too far away to determine whether they were Mute swans or Winter visitors.
An excellent low level Winter walk, although the wooded sections would be lovely in Spring with the flowers out and leaves on the trees.
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