Walks and Dates December 2012

Saturday 1st December 2012

Butterton Moor, Onecote and Grindon.

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 1000'.Car park in Grindon. Grid ref: SK985545.
Leave Chester at 08-00 a.m.
The walk is based on a walk from Mark Richards's book "White Peak Walks - Southern Dales". He describes it an easy going excursion on Staffordshire moorland  with great  a panorama on breasting Butterton Moor. The extension from Grindon is via Hoo Brook and returns via Grindon Moor gate.
Walk change.

Thursday 6th December 2012.

Bersham, Erddig and King's Mill. 

Distance: Up to 10 miles. Climb:500'.
Start: Felin Puleston Car Pak. Grid ref:SJ325492.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This walk is a low level walk, exploring the Clywedog valley around Bersham and  Erddig. I thought that this would be a better option than the Minera walk as the weather forecast isn't good. If you ae a member of the National Trust please bring your membership card.

Thursday 6th December 2012.

This walk has been postponed - Around Minera Mountain.

Distance: 9-11 miles. Climb:1000'.
Start: Minera Lead Mine Centre: Grid ref: SJ276509.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This walk is taken from Dave Berrry's book "Walks Around Ruabon Mountain, the Clywedog Vallay and Hope Mountain". The walk includes an extension to the Exclusham Mountain and mines. The main walk explores the open moorland East of Worlds End and can be quite demanding.  I rather suspect that it will be pretty wet underfoot as well.  The walk is described as a walk of great variety, for experienced walkers!

Saturday 8th November 2012.

Garreg Fawr and Coedydd Aber.

Distance: 10 miles. Climb: 1800 -2000'.
Leave Chester at 08-00 a.m.
Start: Forestry Commission car park (pay and display)at Bont Newydd. Grid ref: SH62720.
This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks On the North Wales Coast" , well all of one walk and part of another!
The Garreg Fawr walk explores the foothills of the Carneddau between Llanfairfechan and Abergwyngeryn, giving us contrasting views of coast and mountains. The second walk visits Aber Falls using paths on each side of the valley. All the recent rain could make the falls spectacularly at their best.

Thursday 13th December 2012.

Holywell, Bagillt and Flint.

Distance: 10 miles. Climb:1000' at a guess.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This walk uses three walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Chester and the River Dee."  This is essentially a linear walk, so we will have to arrange enough cars to have cars at both Flint and Holywell or use the bus to take us from Flint to Holywell. (Leaves Flint McDonald's on Holywell Road, at 10-14) .

Saturday 15th December 2012.

Mam Tor, Blue John Mine and Winnats Pass.

Postponed until a later date.
Distance: 9 - 10 miles. Climb: 1900'.
Leave Chester at 08-00 a.m.
These walks are taken from Mark Richards' Book "White Peak Walks - Northern Dales."  It is quite some time since we walked in this area. The views from Mam Tor are superb, and have been described as some of the best in the Peak District.  The other walk passes through Cave dale and goes close to Pevril Castle.

Thursday 20th December 2012.

Brown Knowl and the Sandstone Trail.

Distance: About 6 miles. Climb: About 1000'.

Start: Sherrington Lane, Brown Knowl. Grid ref : SJ496536. Roadside parking. Park near Fieldway, but remember large farm vehicles use this road, so choose your parking place carefully.
Both Phil and myself have to be at Christleton in the early evening, so we have decided to have a shortened walk, starting at Phil's home. The walk will take us Bickerton Hill and the Sandstone Trail.

Saturday 22nd December 2012.

To be announced later, if there is any demand.

Thursday 27th December 2012.

To be announced later, if there is any demand.
Saturday 29th December 2012.
To be announced later, if there is any demand.

Holywell to Flint Castle via the Coastal Path 13th December 2012

The start of the walk, but only as far as the bus stop in Flint.

Hoar frost, evident along most of the walk.

At the start of the path leading to the Greenfield valley past Battery Pool.

Battery Pool from its dam.

At Basingwerk Abbey- after PC's history lesson.

Bettisfield Dock with the A380 barge heading to Mostyn Dock.

Back at Flint Castle.

Walk stats: Distance: 9.5 miles. Climb: 430'.

Time: 4 hours 40 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h Overall walk average: 2.1 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Annie H., Sue and Michel, Carol H., Paul and Celia.

This was an unusual walk for the group in that we parked the cars at the end of the walk and caught a bus to the start, a £3-40 trip from Flint to Holywell - thankfully I had a Welsh bus pass!

The walk started in glorious sunshine, very cold with plenty of hour frost decorating the trees hedges and grassland area. 

The gentle descent from Holywell through the Greenfield Valley was delightful, finishing with a history lesson as we went around Basingwerk Abbey ruins.

The main part of the walk was along the new Wales Coastal path from Greenfield Dock to Flint Castle, a route that was really superb.  The tide was at its highest and consequently lots of waders were seen quite close up. The bonus was seeing the A380 barge sailing down the river on its way to Mostyn Docks and onto France.

This coastal path all the way back to Flint was delightful, well worth repeating at any time of the year, and especially around high tide as today.

At the end of the walk we went around the ruins of Flint Castle for another history lesson.

We walked past the cars for a short extension along the coastal path towards Flint Marshes / Oakenholt Marshes. This proved to be somewhat bracing as we headed into the Easterly wind.

Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, European robin, Winter wren, Pied wagtail, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Common starling, Great cormorant, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Mallard, Common teal, Eurasian curlew, Common redshank, Oystercatcher, Tufted duck, Little egret, House sparrow, Black-b illed magpie, Moorhen, Common coot, Mute swan, Grey heron, Black-headed gull, Great black-backed gull, Herring gull and Fieldfare.

After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn, where some of us sat by the fire in turns so that we could warm up!

Overall a superb walk, a good walk on which to finish our walks in 2012.

Around Garreg Fawr And Aber Falls 8th December 2012

The Afon Aber from Bont Newydd.

The first view of the sea.

Looking towards Ynys Mon.

Garreg Fawr ahead.

"A penny for them, Mike!

Celia at lunch.

A distant view of Aber Falls.

A close up view of Aber falls.

Walk stats: Distance: 8.8 miles. Climb: 1913'.
Time : 5 hours 21 minutes. On the move walking average : 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average :1.6 m.p.h.
Group : Martyn, Mike and Celia.
We started the walk in glorious sunshine, with blue skies and the Menai Straits looking blue. The views South towards the Cardeddau had snow on the tops, but thankfully we weren't going that high.
As we approached higher ground near Garreg Fawr, we felt the cold North west wind forced us to shelter behind a wall for lunch.
Just before lunch we met a young man with his 15 month old daughter taking her first steps on the Carneddau.
The final part of the walk was a there and back visit to see Aber Falls, always impresive at tthis time of the year. However by this time, the very fine rain had set in and wedidn't know whether it was spray from the fallsor the rain that was wetting our glasses!
By the time that we arrived at the car, we were glad to change into dry clothes and head for the Britannia.
Birds seen or heard today included : European robin, Pied wagtail, Common buzzard, Carrion crow, Raven, Black-billed magpie Chaffinch, and Meadow pipit.
As usual, we received a warm welcome at the Brit and the Lees bitter was at its best.

Bersham, Felin Puleston and King's Mill 6th December 2012u

The "rat run" near Felin Puleston, on the way to Bersham Visitor Centre.

The Visitor Centre at Bersham - closed at this time of the year, as well as the car park.

The Clywedog - devastation along its banks in Erddig Country Park.

The Clywedog on Erddig Country Park.

 Walk stats: Distance : 7.8 miles. Climb : 532'.
Group : Martyn, Phil, Celia and Annie H.Yet another good day for walking, a little on the cool side, but no rain and very little wind.
We started off on the walk on a "rat run", a path on the edge of an industrial building that had several rat baited boxes in place. Things did get better as we left industry behind and approached Bersham and returned along the Clywedog river bank. Once on the section towards Erddig, we encountered lots of dog walkers, but thankfully all were friendly. Lunch was taken just West of King's Mill, using a bench that took the natural bent shape of the tree from which it was cut. Thankfully the ground was a little frozen, and made what otherwise would have been very muddy, a little easier to negotiate.
Birds sen or heard today included:European robin, Common blackbird, Winter wren, Grey heron, Common buzzard, Mute swan, Black-heased gul, House sparrow, Pied wagtail, Woodpigeon and Fieldfare.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Pant yr Ochain, where the Snowdonia Ale was in good nick usual.
Overall a good walk, one that could be even better when Bluebells and other Spring flowers are in bloom.

Grindon, Butterton and Onecote 1st December 2012

The Cathedral of the Peak - Grindon church.

Butterton Village from the South.

On the edge of Grindon Moor on the way to Onecote.

Onecote church.

The Hams Valley.

Butterton village - nearly back at the car - light fading again!

 Walk stats: Distance: 11.3 miles. Climb:1390'.
Time: 6 hours 45 minutes. On the move walking average : 2.1 m.p.h. Overall average :1.7 m.p.h.
Group : Martyn and Mike.
Overall a glorious day for walking, a little on the cool side at times, but sunny most of the time. Quite a varied walk with plenty of good views despite the fact that we only reached a height of  just over 1000'.
Thankfully the ground was still pretty well frozen, or we would have had more difficulty crossing the muddy  fields on the way to Butterton for the first time.
Lunch was taken at Onecote, where we were able to take advantage of a bench in the village.As we sat in the sun, we decided that it would be wrong to send a text to Celia,reminder that  she had made the wrong decision to go back to bed and no come walking!
Once again we managed to extend the walk and ended up walking down the road as the light faded and my head torch came into use once again!
Birds seen or heard today included : Common blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Common starling, Chaffinch, European robin, Rook, Jackdaw and Carrion crow..
After walk drinks were enjoyed as always at the Wilkes Head in Leek. The Hartington Bitter,  the best bitter in the world, lived up to its reputation.