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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 April 2014

Valle Crucis and Coed Hyrddyn 24th April 2014

One of the views as we climbed Coed Hyrddyn.
Dinas Bran from Coed Hyrddyn.
Valle Crucis Abbey from Coed Hyrddyn.
The Eglwyseg Cross.
Stopped to admire the view or making a point that it's time we stopped for lunch!
Bluebells as we descended the slopes towards Llantysilio.
Walk stats: Distance: 5.5 miles. Climb: 1172 ' (Originally written as 5.5 m.p.h).
Time: 3 hours 57 minutes. On the move walking average: 1.9 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.4 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, David S., Phil, Paul, Sue and Dave P.
This turned out to be a superb day for walking. It started off well, when we found the toilet block at Llantysilio Green was open for the Summer, apparently this was the first day that they had been opened after refurbishing.
 On this occasion we decided to climb over the ridge of Coed Hyrddyn as we planned to visit the Eglwyseg Cross, rather than go round the lower path. This gave us superb views in all directions.
 In the end we had superb views from both sides of the valley, continually demanded that you stopped just to take in the vista.
 Lunch was taken on the slopes North of Llidiart Annie, giving us superb views towards the the Eglwyseg Escarpments and Dinas Bran. We must have lingered a little longer than than usual for lunch, as it was Phil and David that that stood up first and packed their rucksacks!
 Spring flowers were out in force, including a fair number of Bluebells. Other flowers included: Lesser stitchwort, Red campion, Dandelion, Herb robert, Speedwell, Primrose and Common violet.
 Willow warblers seemed to be singing well all the way round the walk, definitely the most that I have  seen/heard on a walk this year.
Birds seen or heard today included: Common buzzard, Black-billed magpie, Woodpigeon, Great tit, Wood nuthatch, Barn swallow, Dunnock, Winter wren, Chaffinch, Rook, Raven, Chiffchaff, European robin and Willow warbler.
 Quite a few Bumble bees were seen as well as butterflies. The butterflies included: Orange tips, Peacock and Small tortoiseshell.
 Much to David and my surprise, everyone else decided that they didn't fancy the second part of the walk if it involved any uphill, so we ended the walk early and ended up sitting outside the Abbey Grange Hotel enjoying a pint of Llangollen beer brewed on site.
 A short but very enjoyable walk.
Thanks Mike for the comment, at least someone lets me know when I write nonsense!

1 comment:

Mike said...

No wonder it was a short walk Martyn. Even I can't climb at 5.5 m.p.h !