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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.

Saturday, 23 June 2012

Talacre to Prestatyn 23rd June 2012

The lighthouse at Talacre.
The final stretch of the beach to Prestatyn.
Looking back towards Talacre.
Walk stats: Distance: 8.6 mile. Climb: 100' at a guess!
Time: 3 hours 58 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.7 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Roger.
The walk didn't start well, Roger found that he had left his walking boots at home and decided to walk in ordinary shoes and fifteen minutes into the walk as we approached the lighthouse, Martyn thought that he could feel spots of rain on the back of his legs, but found that it was his drink leaking from the bottom of his rucksack (the tubing on his platypus had pulled loose!).
It was a glorious day for walking on the beach and for most of the morning we had it to ourselves, except for the odd dog walker at the start.  However we did have to battle against a pretty strong wing that produced a sand storm. Thankfully the sand grains never got more than a foot off the ground, so it was only our legs that got battered.
Birds were difficult to hear as the noise of the wind drowned most of the sound. We did however hear quite a lot of Skylarks singing in the dune and above the marshy areas.  Undoubtedly the birds of the day were the Little terns at Gronant, where we must have seen over 100 flying above their protected nesting site.
Birds seen or heard today included: Skylark, Meadow pipit, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Black-headed gull, Carrion crow, Little tern, Common tern, Mute swan, Mallard, Greenfinch, Sedge warbler, Common whitethroat, Sedge warbler, Reed bunting, House sparrow, House martin, Barn swallow, Common swift, Common starling, Kestrel, Oystercatcher and Black-billed magpie.
Lunch was taken in the shelter of the sand dunes near Presthaven holiday camp. As ate lunch we had good views of the incoming tide, pushing the gulls and the Common terns onto the beach in front of us.
After lunch we took the inland path that eventually goes through "The Warren" and the nature reserve back to Talacre.  Unfortunately it meant that we had to go through the middle of the holiday camp before we reached "The Warren".  Roger wasn't sure that he really wanted to going through the camp, but it allowed us to see how busy the whole site was and that lots of family were enjoying themselves. Not everyone has to go great distances to have a good holiday, this corner of Wales has lots to offer  too!
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn, where the Lees bitter was still on form. Drinks over by 14-00 hours, Roger managed to get the OK to return early!
A good walk, mainly in sunshine, and the only rain was in the car park at the Brit!

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