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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 29 March 2014

Jumbles Country Park and More 29th March 2014

Crossing the railway bridge by Turton Towers or "Where did you get that hat!"
At the trig point on Cheetham Close.
Looking across Turton and Entwistle Reservoir from our lunch spot.
It must be getting warm - one layer removed!
Looking down Wayoh Reservoir.
Walk stats: Distance: 10.3 miles. Climb: 1181'.
Time: 4 hours 52 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.1 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike, Celia and Elaine G.
This was another superb day for walking, pleasantly warm and thankfully any wind was much warmer that we had been experiencing earlier in the week. However most of the group still preferred to well clad with several layers and gloves to boot!
 However this was by far the best weather we had ever experienced on Cheetham Close, and to make it even better Skylarks seemed to singing everywhere.  I don't think I've seen so many and heard so many Skylarks in the same area before.  The moorland  that includes Cheetham Close can be quite bleak, but today we saw three other walkers, one of which did this route every week. He described it like smoking, he couldn't give it up!
 Turton and Entwistle Reservoir was also the fullest that I have seen and even the Heron sculpture was standing in water!  This was the location for lunch, where we were able to take advantage of two bench seats, bask in the sunshine at the same time  as we ate our food. It was so pleasant that I forgot the time and we ended having more than half an hour for lunch instead of the usual 20 minutes This does not set a precedent for future walks!
 Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Canada goose, Wood nuthatch, Common blackbird, European robin, Green woodpecker, Skylark, Carrion crow, Meadow pipit, Black-headed gull, Tufted duck, Common coot, Moorhen, Goosander, Winter wren, Eurasian curlew, Blue tit, Great tit and Grey wagtail (seen by Elaine and Celia).
 The nicest surprise of the day, was to find one of the Bolton outpost in the car park waiting for us!
 Overall a superb walk on day almost perfect for walking and the BBC got their forecast spot on!
After walk drinks were enjoyed by some at the Chesterfields. The best brew on offer was Weetwood's Cheshire Cat, not one that would entice me to have a takeaway!

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