Walks and Dates February 2017

Updated 22nd February 2017.

Thursday 2nd February 2017.

Leasowe Lighthouse to New Brighton.


Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 200'.



Start: North Wirral Coastal Park car park. Grid ref: SJ257915.



To get to this car park, instead of turning left towards the lighthouse, as the A551 turns right onto Leasowe Road, go straight on (past PC block on right and cafe/snack hut on left). This car park has a good tarmac surface.



Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.



This is a walk along the beach to Perch Rock Fort, assuming that the water on the incoming tide is low enough. It should be, High tide is at about 14-30, 9.2 m, 30'. This is quite a large tide, so we will need to keep an eye on the incoming tide , and escape from the beach if we have to.  From Perch Fort Rock, we will continue onto Vale Royal Park (where we in the past we have had lunch) and onto Wallasey Gardens. Hopefully the weather will be a little less windy than last year!



Hopefully there will be plenty of birds to see as the tide comes in, so bring binoculars with if you have any.
Saturday 4th February 2017.

The Little Orme and Rhos on Sea.






Distance: 8-9 miles. Climb: 700'.




Start: Roadside parking next to Paddling Pool and PC on Coast Road at Craig y Don, East side of Llandudno.




Leave Chester at 08-45 a.m.







 Grey seals in Porth  Dyniewaid on 31st January 2017.
This has become a regular walk at any time of the year, but it will be the first time that we have done it February. The views from the top of the Little Orme are always superb, but the main reason for doing the walk so early in the year is to see if there are any Seals around Porth Dyniewaid. As you can see there were plenty of Seals on the beach in the cove in the middle of last month. I counted around fifty, including a good number of pups so good numbers should still be there when we do his walk.




Bring binoculars with you if you have them.

Harris Hiker Annual Meal 2017

Our annual walkers meal together will be on

Thursday 9th February 2017.

At the Glasfryn, Mold.

I have been to the Glasfryn and have booked our annual meal there.

In order to make the bill that we get at the end of the meal simpler to understand please don't put your drinks on the main tab.

At present they haven't requested that we pr-order the meals, but they may get back to me if they do.

Anyone that has been linked with the walking group is welcome to join us for the walk and the meal, or just for the meal.

I have e-mailed everyone that I think may be interested in joining us for the walk and / or the meal, using the e-mails that I currently have. If you didn't get an e-mail, please let me know.

Details of the walk are found below.

Glasfryn and Gwysaney. 
Please arrange your own transport.

Distance: 5.1 miles. Climb: 360'.

Start: Glasfryn, Mold. Grid ref: SJ23986516 (Approximate Post Code CH7 6LR)

Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.

I envisage completing the walk by about 13-00, ready for starting the meal at about 13-15.

The walk is the one that the Glafryn advertise and complete copies can be obtained on iFootpath,com.

The walk is described as involving challenging terrain, but I think that is a little exaggerating.

We have done most of this walk in the past when we did a few walks published in the 1955 Liverpool Daily Post. If I remember correctly the sections through the woodlands can be boggy, but wouldn't describe it as being challenging.

The walk is decribed as taking you high into the surrounding hills. passing through the beautiful Gwysaney Estate before descending to the village of Soughton. It is a really rewarding walk taking you through classic Welsh hillsides and valleys.

Saturday 11th February 2017.

The Llugwy and Lledre Valley. 

Distance: 8-9 miles; Climb: 1000'.

Start: Railway station car park in the centre of Betws-y Coed. Grid ref: SH795565. 

Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m. (It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes from Saltney)

This is another walk taken from Dave Berry's new book "Walks Around Betws-y-Coed and the Conwy Valley". This walk links the beautiful wooded Llugwy and Lledre Valleys. It takes in Sarn Helen, the former Roman Road, and reaches over 800' before descending in to the Lledre Valley. It involves a steep climb to Llyn Elsi or at least that is what Dave Berry says!

Thursday 16th February 2017.

Wat's Dyke, Brynford, St., Bueno's Well and St., Winifride's Well and More.

Distance: 8-10 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Halkyn Street Car Park, Holywell. Grid ref: SJ18957548.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This is another figure of eight walk made by combining two walks and maybe three walks from Ron Williams and Elfed Jones's booklet "10 walks Around Holywell".
One walk explores the countryside between Holywell and Brynford. The other walks around the Greenfield Valley, will hopefully lead us to find the location of St., Bueno's Well again.

Saturday 18th February 2017.

The Edge to Nether Alderley and the Edge and Hough.

Distance: 9-10 miles; Climb: Not a lot (less than 1000' at a guess).

Start: National Trust car Park close to the Wizard Restaurant, Alderley Edge. This is a Pay and Display car park - Free to National Trust Members. Grid ref: SJ860773.

Leave Chester at 8-30 a.m. and meet at the car park.

This walk combines two walks from Graham Beech's book " East Cheshire Walks". He describes it as being moderate. The walk will again probably give us views of the communications tower on Croker Hill/Sutton Common. We may also get the opportunity to visit Nether Alderley Mill (National Trust- so bring your N.T cards with you if you are members.)

Thursday 23rd February 2017.

Another Pontricket Walk.
Postponed due to the expected arrival of Storm Doris bringing heavy rain and gale force winds.

Distance: 8 miles. Climb: 1462'.
Start: Pontricket, Layby, Grid ref: SJ186343.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
This walk combines Pontricket Walks A and F.  It starts on a path on one side of the Ceiriog between Pontricket and Treceiriog and returns along the other side of the river. The walk then heads for open moorland and on to a drovers road, Sarn Sws (The Kissing Way).
The descent from the drovers road is on the South side of the River Teirw and eventually joins the riverside path at Pont Meibion. The return section is described as being via two tumbling valleys.

Saturday 25th February 2017.

Mynydd Garthmyn and the Fairy Glen.

Distance: 10 miles. Climb: 1600'.

Start: Main car park at Betws-y-coed. Grid ref: SH795565.

Leave Chester at 08-30 a.m.

This version is taken from Carl Rogers' book "Walking in the Conwy Valley" and only varies a little from the walk that we usually do. Both walks are described as being varied walks with stunning views, especially to the West.