Walks and Dates January 2017

Wishing Everyone 
a 
Happy New Year 
with 
many memorable walks
Monday 2nd January 2017

A West Kirby Round.

Distance: 5.4 miles. Climb: 250'.
Start. South Parade, West Kirby. Grid ref: SJ214860. Park near the Life Boat Station and old Baths, towards the Southern end of the Marine Lake.
Leave Chester 09-30 a.m.
I know that we usually have a short walk on New Years Day, but this year this is a Sunday and some of the group have more important commitments on that day! After discussion with many of the group it was decided that the better day for the walk would be the Monday.
 High tide at Hilbre is at 13-20, so trip to Hilbre isn't really an option, so I thought walking along the beach to Red Rocks as the tide came in would be the best choice.
 We will start the walk by going around the Marine Lake before heading across the sands to Red Rocks. The route will take us through the Royal Liverpool Golf Course and along the edge of Hoylake Municipal Golf Course before heading uphill to the War Memorial on Grange Hill. The planned route then heads down hill to the main road (A540). After crossing the road we turn right towards West Kirby centre and eventually picking up the Wirral Way through Ashton Park. After going round the lakes in Ashton Park we exit the park on the West side and follow the roads through the houses down to South Parade and back to the car.
 The walk can be shortened by half a mile if we miss out Grange Hill.
 Despite rumours to the contrary, fortified fruit cake will be available, but it hasn't had time to mature as long as usual as it was only baked on the 10th December 2016.

Harris Hikers Annual Walkers Meal together will be on

Thursday 9th February 2017.

At the Glasfryn, Mold.

See February's Walks and Dates Post for further details.

Thursday 5th January 2017.

Rhosesmor, Sychdyn and Northop.

Distance: 9.0 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Parking area next to playground, Rhosesmor. Grid ref: SJ214681.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This walk includes the "Northop - Sychdyn" walk from the booklet "Rural Walks in Flintshire". The "Northop - Sychdyn" walk starts from Northop and is only five miles. The car park in Northop is very small, and when I went on a reccy it was full. Starting at Rhosesmor overcomes that problem and extends the walk by four miles.
The "Northop - Sychdyn" walk is described as including a traveller's resting place, grand houses, parkland and woodland. It is also described as a moderate walk with many stiles and some boggy places.
The "Northop - Sychdyn" walk is a new walk for us.
 The link-up paths from Rhosesmor include many of the paths that we have used on Gwystaney walks from the same parking area.

Saturday 7th January 2017.

Prestbury, Whitely Green and the Mottram Cross.

Distance: 10.0 miles. Climb: 500'.
Start: Sprigfields Car Park, Prestbury. Grid ref: SJ902773.
Leave Chester at 08-30 a.m.
The walk starts by completing the Whitely Green part of the walk that we failed to complete the last time we walked from Prestbury.
This is a varied walk, including gentle hills with good views of real hills to the East.
The second part of the walk will explore part of the Mottram Bridge walk that we did in November 2016. This will include walking through the grounds of Mottram Hall, visiting the Mottram Cross on the way to Legh Hall, but we will avoid the very muddy section South of Woodside farm.

Thursday 12th January 2017.

Wepre Park, Aston Hill and Northop Hall.

Distance: 9.5 miles. Climb: 860'.
Start: Wepre Park, South of Wepre Drive, Connah's Quay. Grid ref: SJ295684.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This walk includes the four mile "Wepre" walk from the booklet "Rural Walks in Flintshire", but has been extended to explore the area around Northop Hall. The Wepre walk is described as a moderate walk and includes a wooded river valley and a ruined castle.
 The extension heads for Ewloe Green via Aston Hill on the way to Northop Hall. After exploring the countryside North of Northop Hall, it eventually rejoins the dismantled railway track shown on the original route that will leads us back to Wepre.
This is the first time that this walk has appeared on Harris Hikers.

Saturday 14th January 2017.

Clip-y-Orsedd and theThe Druid Circle. 

Distance: 9 miles. Climb:2400'.

Leave Chester 8-30 a.m.

Start: Car park behind the bank in Llanfairfechan. Turn right of Village Road. Grid ref:SH682747.

This walk uses two walks from Dave Berry's book "Walks on the North Wales Coast." These two walks combine to make one of my favourite walks in this area as they explore the hills behind  Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr. We will visit the impressive Druids' Stone Circle, but on this occasion we will miss out Foel Lus.  On a good day we should get good views, especially towards the coast and Tal y Fan. We will only extend the walk as far as the Druids Circle.

Thursday 19th January 2017.

Rhuddlan L.N.R ., the Rhuddlan to Rhyl Riverside Walk with extensions to the Brickworks Pool N.R. and the Forydd.

Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb: 200'.

Start: Park at the Rhuddlan L.N.R. car park. Grid ref: SJ020776. 

The car park is on the Western side of Rhuddlan. To get to the car park, from the A55, turn right on to the A525 (St. Asaph Road towards Rhyl and Rhuddlan), at the next roundabout take the 3rd exit onto Station Road (to Rhuddlan centre / Castle). The car park is on the right, opposite a new hotel. If you get to the bridge over the river you've gone too far!

This walk is an annual favourite, at least for those that like to birdwatch as well. It is a good time of the year as there are lots of Winter visitors that frequent coastal areas and river estuaries. Bring binoculars with you.  Last time we had lunch by the Marine Lake, near the Foryd.  We have also had lunch on the beach at the Foryd. Although we didn't see Snow buntings on the Foryd last year, with a bit of luck we may see them this year. 

High tide at the Foryd is at 15-30, 8.1 m / 26.5'.


Saturday 21st January 2017. 

Postponed - Billy no-mates again


Tegg's Nose and Macclesfield Forest.

Distance: 9 miles. Climb: 1000'.

Start: Tegg's Nose Country Park Car park. Pay and Display. Grid ref: SJ950732.

Leave Chester at 08-30 a.m.

This walk is taken from the "Pathfinders Guide to Cheshire". It is described as a varied walk with good views from Tegg's Nose. We will visit Tegg's Nose first, rather than at the end of the walk. The walk is also described as an undulating walk exploring the countryside on the edge of the Peak District. This is a walk that we have come to like and regularly appears on the list at this time of the year. Wintering birds sometime visit the many reservoirs we walk around, so it is useful to bring binoculars just in case.


Thursday 26th January 2017. 

Another Ceiriog Trail Walk from Pontricket.
Distance 8.5 miles. Climb: 1700'.

Start Pontricket Lay-by on B4500 through the Ceiriog Valley, about 2 miles South of Glyn Ceiriog.

Leave Chester at 09-00 a,m.

This walk includes much of the walk that we did last time we walked from Ponticket, but this time we will take a route North of Pen y Gwely then follow the Ceiriog Trail around Pen-y-gwely Reservoir.

 We will also follow the Siambre-gerrig valley and in so doing miss out the unpleasant track with its concrete encased drainage pipes that we have used in the past.


Saturday 28th January 2017.

A Coastal walk from Llanfairfechan to Aber Ogwen and the Spinnies L.N.R. 

Postponed - forecast all day!


Distance: 10-11 miles. Climb: 200'.

Start: Llanfairfechan Promenade / Coastal car Park. Grid ref: SH679754.

Leave Chester at 08-30 a.m.

This is essentially a linear there and back walk, but if the tide allows we will walk along the beach on the return route from the Aber Ogwen pic-nic site (lunch spot the last time we did the walk). There should be plenty of birds to see on the coast, and we will probably visit at least one of the four bird hides on the route. Bring binoculars with you if you have them.  High tide at about 11-0 a.m., quite a big one at 30.3 ' / 9.2 m.