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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, 28 April 2016

A Clwydian Round from Pentrecelyn 28th April 2016

Bluebells in the hedgerow just after setting off from Pentrecelyn.
More spring flowers - this time Stitchwort.
Wood anenome.
A Dog violet.
Rattle.
On Offa's Dyke, a delightful section, but win weather to match!
Who's that hiding behind the tree at our lunch spot?
Ramsons in flower in flower too.
Looking towards the Clwydian Hills from the Welsh Presbytirian Chapel at Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.
Bluebells in the wood East of Graigfechan (Coed Henblas)
The final climb of the day on the path through Coed Henblas.
Walk stats: 10.1 miles. Climb: 1564'.
Time: 5 hours 17 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Celia, Sue and Michel and Phil.
With forecast predicting showers all day or rain mid-afternoon, we knew that at some point we would need our waterproofs.
 The climb up the road from Pentrecelyn although quite steep, it was helped by many stops to admire the variety of Spring flowers ignoring the fact that the feel like temperature was only a few degrees above freezing. In fact the section along Offa's Dyke Footpath was bitterly cold and waterproofs were needed more for warmth than for keeping us dry.
 Distant views were somewhat limited as the rain clouds were pretty low most of the day.
 Lunch was taken in a sheltered spot on the East side of Coed Plas-y-nant, and thankfully at this point it wasn't raining either.
 After reaching the Graigfechan road, we decided to cut the walk slightly and followed the road as far as Coed Henblas. Although this walk wasn't meant to be a Bluebell Wood Walk, Coed Henblas proved to have many Bluebells in flower as well as a good number of other Spring flowers.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, House sparrow, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Woodpigeon, Common chaffinch, Great tit, Common buzzard and Song thrush.
 The worst of the rain was kept to last, especially at the car as we took our boots off. I wasn't wet as I arrived at the car, but by the time I managed to get in the car I was soaked, especially my shorts!
 We decided that the best place to enjoy our after walk drinks would be the Glasfryn, where we knew that a roaring fire would be and if we could get near to it we would be able to dry out a little, Brews from the Big End Brewery and Salopian Brewery were enjoyed as we dried out.

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