Cwm Dulas, Cefn yr Ogof, Gopa Wood and More 28th August 2014

Looking across the bay towards the Little Orme. (The Waverley anchored just off shore).

Not my best photo of a Dipper, but at least you can tell it is Dipper.

At the trig point on Cefn yr Ogof.

Panorama from the trig point on Cefn yr Ogof.

The Waverley from our lunch spot on the Northern slopes of Cefn yr Ogof.

Fuzzy clouds - just for Tim.

Gopa Wood - a warning sign for the path that we had just used!

Thankfully we all survived!

The Airbus A380 boat on the way to France. Seen as we arrived back at the Abergele car park.

Walk stats: Distance: 9.7 miles. Climb: 1417'. 

Time: 5 hours 34 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average:  1.8 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Tim and Phil.

Setting off in sunshine  we were all anticipating a shower or two before lunch at least, but thankfully both the BBC and Accuweather didn't get it quite right and the worse we got was it clouding over a couple of times. In fact for most of the day we were in bright sunshine and as we finished the walk, it was almost too warm for comfortable walking, especially if the wind dropped.

 The walk today will be hard to beat in terms of its variety and the superb views we had, especially from Cefn yr Ogof.

 It was another walk when two ships came sailing by, first the Waverley (the only sea going paddle steamer) and then the Airbus A380 wing carrier heading for France.

 All this and it being a "Dipper" day too. (The first time that we have seen Dippers on a walk in 2014)

 The final part of the walk involved exploring the Eastern side of Gopa Wood, including  section of path that took close to what I usually describe as "keep back territory" with appropriate warning signs at each end.

 We arrived back at the car all agreeing what a great walk it had been and wondering why the weather forecasters had got it so wrong for this locality.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Pied wagtail, Oystercatcher, Great cormorant, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, Common gull, Black-headed gull, Woodpigeon, Barn swallow, Turnstone, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Raven, House sparrow, Goldfinch, Mallard, Black-headed gull, Moorhen, Great tit, Common buzzard and Dipper.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell in Halkyn. Facer's Light Blue Bell went down well as did one brew from the Offbeat Brewery from Crewe.

Waun-Y-Llyn, Hope Mountain and Wood Pitt 21st August 2014

Moel Famau from the Southern slopes leading to Waun-y-Llyn.

Walking alongside Waun-y-Llyn.

At the toposcope in Waun-y-Llyn Country Park

Panorama from the Waun-y-Llyn toposcope - looking South.

The church in Llannefydd.

Walk stats: Distance: 7.0 miles. Climb: 1108'.

Time: 4 hours 15 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h. (We must be taking longer for lunch these days!)

Group: Martyn, Tim, David S, Phil and Paul.

Another walk that was a little shorter than usual, but that was my fault as I had forgotten to take in to account that there wa a good amount of the two walks that overlapped.

 The weather today was almost perfect for walking, not too hot and and not too cold, and the only rain we had was during lunch and just after lunch, but neither amounted to much. 

 The views from the toposcope in Waun-y-Llyn Country Park were good in all directions.

 Having seen a couple of walkers next to the trig point on Hope Mountain, I think we will attempt to visit it next time we do this walk.

 Birds seen or heard today were few and far between, but included: Common blackbird, Barn swallow, Carrion crow, Raven, winter wren, Black-billed magpie and Common buzzard.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Railway Inn at Pontybodkin, where the Llangollen bitter at £2-00 a pint went down very well!

Walks and Dates August 2014

News from the Pelissiers.
Michel's Mum died overnight last Thursday / Friday, only a few days after arriving in France.
Thankfully that he was there in time to be with her.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pelissier family at this sad time.
Saturday Walks

I have decided not to plan any Saturday walks this month.
Planned Saturday walks will resume in September.
The walk this week is on Wednesday, not Thursday as I am going to a funeral on the Thursday.

Wednesday 6th August 2014.

Pen-y-Ball, Pantasaph and the Gorsedd Round.

If you decide to come on this walk and want to contact me on Tuesday, it would be better to send me a text or ring me before 08-45 or after 18-00.

Distance:10-11 miles. Climb:1000’.

Start: Roadside parking at Lloc. Turn left by the public house if approaching from Holywell on the A5026 on right if approaching on the A5026 from its nearest junction with the A55. Grid ref:SJ145765.

This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book " Walks Around Holywell and Halkyn Mountain". we have done both walks many times before, but never together. One walk explore the area between Holywell and Pantasaph, including the grounds of the friary. The other walk explores the attractive undulating countryside North of Gorsedd and Carmel.

Thursday 14th August 2014.
Moel Famau - Twice!

Distance: 9 miles. Climb: 1800'.
Start: Moel Famau Forest Car park (pay on entry. £1 last time we used this car park), just East of the PC block.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This walk combines to routes from Dave Berry's Books, one from "Walks in the Clwydian Hills" and one from "Walks in the Clwydian Hills - New Edition." This is a walk that we did in January last year and enjoyed it so much. It has been on the list already this year, but the weather wasn't kind and we only did part of the walk. Hopefully it will be better in August than it was in March!

Thursday 21st August 2014.

Hope Mountain, Waun-y-llyn and Wood Pit.

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Coed Talon Car Park by the old chapel. Grid ref: SJ268588. To get to the car park, approach Coed Talon from Pontybodkin on the A5104. At the Railway Inn, just past the speed camera) turn left along Tir y Ffron lane, signposted "Country Park". The small car park is on the right.
This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's book " Walks Around Ruabon Mountain, The Clywedog Valley and Hope Mountain". He describes the walks as exploring the attractive countryside between Coed Talon, Llanfynydd, Herob and Ffrith.

Thursday 28th August 2014.

Cwm Dulas, Cefn yr Ogof and Gop Wood.

Distance:10 miles; Climb:1300'.
Start location. Abergele, Pensarn Beach car park by PC. Grid ref:SH942786.
Leave Chester 9-00 a.m.
The bulk of the walk is taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks on the North Wales Coast", with an extension to include the small hill Cefn yr Ogof. Always a good walk with several opportunities to have extensive views. Once again we may decide to explore Gop Wood a little more or even be tempted to paddle in the sea at the end of the walk.

Moel Famau Twice 14th August 2014

The first of several new wood sculptures around the woods.

Our first approach towards the summit.

At the Jubilee tower on Moel Famau, first time round.

At the entrance to the new steps up the Jubilee tower.

The Clwydian Hills looking North.

The second route up Moel Famau, seen from Ffrith Mountain.

On the Jubilee Tower, second time round.

On Jubilee tower, Moel Famau, second time round.

Walk stats: Distance: 6.8 miles. Climb: 1991'.

Time: 5 hours 34 minutes. On the move walking average: 1.8 mp.h. Overall walk average: 1.2 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Phil, Sue and Dave P.

Weatherwise we weren't sure if we would get any rain, and we set of from the car park, optimistically hoping we wouldn't get any! Alas the Beeb were right and just after an hour, we had to take shelter for about half an hour in the woods to miss most of the downpour. Even in the woods we needed our waterproofs on! Thankfully that was the worst of the weather, although we were in cloud as we arrived at the summit first time round. 

The route up Moel Famau was the "Purple Route", though our description of the route described it as the "Red Route"!

 As we left the summit we started to get good views in all directions and we debated which of the Snowdonia peaks we could see.

 We decided to vary the route slightly from the original route planned, so ended up having lunch sitting on a stone wall just before crossing Ffrith Mountain. By now we were in sunshine, but there was also a cool breeze, making a few of the group reluctant to remove waterproofs.

 The second approach up Moel Famau was new to all of us, and started with a very steep start through the woods and then along a track that wound its way through high vegetation on each side that restricted any views. Once above the tree line the path was better and the views opened up.

 The second time on the Jubilee Tower was much better, and we didn't have the place to ourselves as we had the first time round.

 Overall a good walk, with the bonu of seeing the Clwydian Hills decked in Purple Heather.

 Birds seen or heard today were few and far between, but included: Woodpigeon, Black-billed magpie, Carrion crow, Meadow pipit, Barn swallow and Common buzzard.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the "We Three Loggerheads Inn", where Hafod's "Hopper" went down well.

Pen-y-Ball, Pantasaph and the Gorsedd Round 6th August 2014

Our lunch spot, two old pews at Pantasaph Friary.

Our first view across the Dee Estuary towards Hilbre Island.

Heading towards the Pen-y-Ball trig point on a new path. 

Panorama looking North from the Pen-y-Ball trig point.

Panorama looking South from the Pen-y-Ball trig point.

"Come on, which one of you knows you are?"

Walk stats: Distance: 9.1 miles. Climb: 1048'.

Time: 5 hours 6 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h

Group: Martyn, Roger, David S and Phil.

At the start of the week, the weather forecast for today was horrendous, thunder and lightening storms and heavy rain at best!  Thankfully the rain had passed through early, and the worst we got was a few spots of rain mid-morning that made some of us don waterproof jackets. I fact the wettest we got was when the path had overhanging wet vegetation that brushed us as we went through.

 Overall this was quite a varied route, allowing to take a few deviations from the described route to try out one or two new paths.

 On the Gorsedd Round the the West of Tre Eden Owain and the path around Coed Mertyn to Mertyn Downing are paths that we will probably use again.

 The path, part of the Pilgrims Way, leading to the friary at Pantasaph was blocked by garden refuse that made it difficult to get past. (Must remember not to use it next time we are on this walk!)

 Lunch was taken in the grounds of the Pantasaph Friary, where we were very grateful to take advantage of two old pews in the car park adjacent to the cemetery.

 After passing the Grange, heading towards Holywell we noticed two new stiles and decided to take this path as it seemed to head for the trig point on Pen-y-Ball. 

 It did eventually reach the trig point, but perhaps not as directly as we thought. At the trig point we then picked up the route described, only to find that one of the stiles we wanted to cross had been blocked off, making us retrace our steps a little back into the next field, and then heading South up the next field to pick up the route as described at the stile West of the one that had been blocked off.

 We had no problems for the rest of the walk.

 Today was a walk where every dog we encountered was friendly, as were their owners, not something that is always true!

 Birds seen or heard today included: Collared dove, Woodpigeon, Common blackbird, European robin, Winter wren, Mistle thrush, Barn swallow, House martin, Black-billed magpie, Jackdaw, Raven and Common buzzard.

  After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn, Pentre Halkyn, where the Lees bitter was tasted particularly good.