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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, 3 October 2013

Holywell Common, racecourse and More 3rd October 2013

"I'm the engineer not you!
Horse's Leap.
David at Pen-y-Ball Monument.
Anyone would think it was raining!
At the Pen-y-Ball Trig Point.
Walk stats: Distance: 10.3 miles. Climb: 752'.
Time: 5 hours 18 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.0 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Annie H., Sue and Michel, David S., Celia and Tim.
The weather forecast today was a little iffy to say the least, but in reality the only rain we really had was as we approached the Pen-y-Ball Monument for the second time, so as we approached Brynford, we decided the shortest route back to the car was  along the road. At least the rain was warm!
  The walk up to this point had been a pleasant stroll through verdant countryside, with longish grass ever cleaning our boots! The temperature was on the warm side and times  quite humid, so every opportunity to leave the waterproofs in the the rucksack was very welcome.
 The stiles today started off well, but the standard rapidly declined after lunch, but thankfully they were all negotiated without mishap.
  It is always interesting to follow the line of the old racecourse and imagine being a jockey racing round the circuit, but alas the remains of the old "grandstand" gets less and less each year.
 Lunch was taken at the Pen-y-Ball monument on Pen-y-Ball, where everyone said they enjoyed Martyn's mystery cake and Michel was the first to identify that the mystery ingredient was honey. So perhaps in future I'll have to start bringing the occasion "Nectar cake" as well as the usual fruit cake!
 Birds seen or heard today included: Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Chiffchaff, Blue tit, Common buzzard, Woodpigeon, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Common blackbird, Mistle thrush and Goldfinch.
  After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn, where the Lees bitter went down well and we all thought about taking in turns to stand with our backs to the fire and gently steam!

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