Walks and Dates March 2018

Updated 7th March 2018.

Saturday 3rd March 2018

Wem  Walks - By the Bridges to Soulton Hall.
Postponed - heavy snow forecast for Shropshire on Thursday and Friday, so I anticipate road conditions getting to Wem would be difficult.

Distance: 8 miles. Climb: 130'.
Start: Wem Centre Car park. SJ524289.
Leave Chester 8-30 a.m.
This is another of a series of walks from Wem and is the first time that we have walked in this area of Shropshire.
The walk starts by heading North and includes par of the Shropshire Way, eventually arriving at Edstaston. The walk description suggests that it is worthwhile visiting the Norman church of St Mary the Virgin. After visiting the church heads east and then South through farmland and involves crossing many stiles. Soulton Hall is reached, a majestic 17th century manor house.
 The last part of the walk, heading West back to Wem is largely on quiet country lanes.

Wednesday 7th March 2018.

Barber Hill, Vivod Estate and the Horseshoe Falls.

Distance:10 miles.

Climb: 2000'
Start: Llantysilio Green car park. Grid ref: SJ198433

Leave Chester 9-00 a.m.
This walk combines two walks taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks Around Llangollen and the Dee Valley".  This can be a glorious walk, if the weather is good.
 We usually start this walk in the centre of Llangollen, but I thought this would be a good place to start. It's probably a little late, but with a bit of look the Snowdrops in Llantysilio Green churchyard will still be in flower.

Saturday 10th March 2018.

The Sandstone Trail - Beeston and Peckforton.
Postponed, bad weather forecast and no takers!

Distance: 10 miles. Climb: 1000'.
Start: Pay and display car park at Beeston Castle. Grid ref: SJ540591. The Pay and Display machine only starts at 10-00.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.
The first time that we did this walk, it was the fourth in our walks along the Sandstone trail. It involves Walk 6 and Walk 7 from Carl Rogers' book "Circular Walks on the Sandstone Trail".
This is another good section of the trail and has a good variety of terrains to enjoy. I thought it was time to give another airing! Usually a mid-week walk, I thought it would be worthwhile to do it on a Saturday for a change

Wednesday14th March 2018.

Penycloddiau and Moel Arthur. 
Postponed - this walk will be replaced by the walk originally planned for the 28th February.
See below for details on the Limestone, Lead and More walk. 

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 1500'.
Start: Llangwyfan Forestry car park: SJ138668
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This walk combines two walks taken from Dave Berry's book "Walks in the Clwydian Hills".  This area of the Clwydians has so much to offer, and Moel Arthur and Penycloddiau are particularly good.  On a good day the views from both hill forts is superb.

Limestone, Lead and More.


Distance: 9  miles; Climb:1000'.

Start: Common Land opposite the Blue Bell Inn, Halkyn. Grid ref: SJ209702. 

Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.

We haven't started a walk from this location for quite some time. I thought that it was about time we did so to do so again. This walk has been adapted from several walks that we have done in this area. It includes many paths that we will be familiar to most of us, but also allows us to explore some new ones. Initially the walk heads North and crosses Halkyn Mountain and on towards Pen yr Henblas Quarry. As the path along the West side of Pen-y-Pwll Quarry has now been closed, we will explore a minor road and some new paths past Pwll-melyn that should get us back on Halkyn Mountain South of the closed path. We will also explore some new paths around Moel Ffagnallt and minor roads to the South of Moel-y-crio. After going round Moel y Gaer we head North back to the start.

 It is not intended to visit the toposcope on Moel Ffagnallt or Moel y Gaer, we may do so if the group wish to add a little further climb to the walk.


 After walk drinks will be at the Britannia Inn. New carpets in some areas of the Brit, so clean footwear requested!

Saturday 17th March 2018.

Moel y Garneddd.

Postponed due to a forecast giving high winds and a feel like temperature of - 7 Celsius. This coupled with me not feeling 100% made the decision not to walk easy.
This walk will now replace the walk originally planned for the 31st March 2018

Distance: 7-8 miles.

Climb: 1200'.

Start: Fronfeuno Snowdonia National Park Lakeside Car park Grid ref: SH917351.

Leave Chester 08-30 a.m.

This walk is taken from Dave Berry's booklet "Walks Around Y Bala and Penllyn". The walk explores the undulating countryside West of Bala. The route follows a a bridleway up to moorland, eventually crossing Moel y Garneddd at a height f 1170'. We can expect to see superb views as we cross the open moorland. The return route goes through attractive woodland. This is a walk for experienced walkers only and should not be attempted in poor visibility. Careful navigation is required.

Wednesday 21st March 2018.

Hawarden and its Environs.

8-9 miles. Climb: 680'.
Start: Tinkersdale Public Car Park, Hawarden. Grid ref: SJ316657.
Leave Chester 09-00 a.m.
This is a figure of eight walk starting in the centre of Hawarden. The last time we started a walk from this car park, was on the maiden flight of the A380 when it buzzed us as it flew low over Hawarden Airport. The first part of the walk expliores the area South of the village, and includes part of Hawarden Park. This walk is taken from the booklet "Rural Walks in Flintshire". At some stage on the walk we may wish to explore the castle grounds, possibly before we set off extension part of the walk. The extension part of the walk explores the countryside North west of the village along country lanes and field paths. Although I know this area quite well, having gone to school in Hawarden and played football for two teams based in the village, we will be exploring places that I haven't been to before.

Saturday 24th March 2018.

Wem to Clive and Grinshill.

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 700'.
Start: Wem centre car park. Grid ref: SJ514289.
Leave Chester 08-30.
This walk is taken from a series of Wem Walks and explores the area to the South of Wem. It follows the Shropshire Way as far as Clive and Grinshill. The walk will include exploring the Corbett Wood and Quarry Trail before climbing to the summit of Grinshill Hill at 192'! The described route is linear and use the bus to return to Wem, but we will make a circular route by following field paths and minor roads. This will be only the second time that the group has walked in this area of Shropshire. It is always good to explore new area.

Wednesday 28th March 2018.

Moel Famau, Moel Dywyll and Moel Llys-y-coed.

Distance: 7-8 miles. Climb: 1800'.
Start: Car park area West of Cilcain. Grid ref: SJ170652.
To get to the parking area, at the crossroads in Cilcain turn right (Westward), past the White Horse, Church and Village hall, at the end of a few houses on the right turn, left and the parking area is a few hundred yards further on on the right. 
This walk includes three hills along Offa's Dyke Footpath - Moel Famau, Moel Dywyll and Moel Llys-y-coed. The latter hill is not one of my favourite hills in the Clwydian range and I can't remember when it last appeared on one of our walks. It is the ascent from North to South that I dislike so much, the fact that we will be descending from South to North shouldn't be quite so bad!
 On a good clear day we should get excellent views in all directions.

 Saturday 31st March 2018.

Caer, Gai, Cwm Dyfrydwy with an extension over Garth Fawr.
Postponed.
This walk has now been replaced by a Little Orme.

Distance: 9.1 miles. Climb: 1100'.
Start: Roadside parking in Llanuwchllyn on B4403. Park opposite the PC and chapel. Grid ref: SH875302.
This walk combines two walks from Dave Berry's booklet "Walks Around Y Bala and Penllyn". One walk is described as a fascinating walk featuring a Roman fort and historic houses and the other explores both sides of the Dyfrdwy Valley. The optional extension explores the countryside South of Llanuwchllyn, climbing to open moorland around Garth Fawr at a height of 1079'. It returns along the Western side of the Afon Twrch (Cwm Cynllwyd).