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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, 11 October 2014

Aled Isaf, Cefn Du, Moel Bengam and More 11th October 2014

Panorama looking across Llyn Aled with Snowdonia on the right.
Taken from the slopes of Cefn Du.
Looking towards the "haunted house" from Cefn Du.
Panorama looking towards Snowdonia from the top of Cefn Du.
Over the top at last, civilisation ahead.
Aled Isaf from our lunch spot.
The Ceunant Valley. North West of Aled Isaf.
Llyn Aled dam and the start point in sight.
Walk stats: Distance: 8.8 miles. Climb: 654'.
Time: 5 hours 17 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
 Exploring the paths across Cefn Du and Moel Bengam was a route that I have wanted to do for many years and today was the day we finally accomplished the challenge!
 The weather today was just about perfect for this adventure across this at times pathless area of the Denbigh Moors. We had sun most of the day, with it clouding over for a short period, but thankfully no rain.
 The path must have been used well in the past, with sections being sunken and quite boggy and where it disappeared we did have a little heather hopping and bracken bashing to get to where we wanted to be.
 All moorland successfully negotiated we arrived at Aled Isaf, our lunch spot, still with dry feet and quite pleased that we had manged to follow more or less the path on the map, but we could appreciate why Dave Berry hadn't included this lop in any of his walks!
 The water in Aled Isaf was as low as I have ever seen it, whereas Llyn Aled seemed to be at normal levels.
 After lunch we decided to do a short loop around Nant-y-Merddyn-uchaf and Ceunant, an interesting route, but very boggy and the approach to the farm wasn't easy, especially as we had to negotiate sections of path overgrown with gorse.
 The final part of the walk was a mile and a half trek along the road from Aled Isaf back to Llyn Aled. This was a pleasant stroll in the warm sunshine, and having successfully avoided the sheep droppings on the road, arrived back at the car with clean boots.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Meadow pipit, Carrion crow, Common snipe, Goldfinch. Lesser black-backed gull, Great black-backed gull, Raven, Pied wagtail, Wheatear, Peregrine falcon and proabably a Red kite and 2 Golden plover.
 Mike joined the realms of "Harris Hikers Lamb Busters", successfuly releasing a lamb that had got stuck in a wire fence - not much gratitude, buit at least she ran off shaking her head with one bleat of freedom.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Pentre Halkyn, where the Lees Bitter went down well and the welcome was as warm as ever - the fire was on too!
 Their Christmas Menu looked good too. 

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