An "Amaizeing" Whitchurch Round 4th July 2018

A good start to the walk, t the Jubilee Park Car Park off Sherryhill Road, Whitchurch.

The Llangollen Canal at Danson's Bridge.

There maybe crops in the fields, but at least the farmer has made the path clear.

The "Tilley brothers" after crossing Danson's Bridge.

The notice that didn't want to see - "path closed - no alternative available".

"At last I've escaped!"

On the path (WW7" from the sand quarry to Bubney Moor bridge over Red Brook.

Another bridge to "no-where"?

Spark's Bridge over the Llangollen Canal near Blackoe Cottages and our lunch spot by the canal.

A crop - one of the of  brassicaceae family, but which one?

"We're just making sure you won't come back into our field."

Now we know exactly where we are - St. Alkmund's Church, Whitchurch.

Walk stats: Distance: 8.9 miles. Climb: 431'.

Time: 4 hours 49 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. (2.8 m.p.h. on my newest GPS). Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Roger, Mike and Wendy.

 We arrived at the Jubilee Park long stay car park without any problems, and set off expecting the rest of the walk to go without a hitch - little did we know then what lay ahead!

 Route finding at times wasn't easy, but we managed pretty well, even through fields with crops, and even maize fields had ways cut though them or we could go round the edge of the field. Our problem started when a notice inform us that the path ahead had been permanently closed because of an unsafe footbridge, and there as no alternative route available.

 Undeterred, we decided to create our own, and take a different route around the problem. The best solution would have been to retrace our route back to Danson's Bridge and follow the towpath to Spark's Bridge and rejoin the route there.  That would be too easy, so we ended up in maize fields  for a much longer time than was desirable and in woods with biting insects that if we had been sensible, we would have avoided! Nettle stings were to play their part too on this memorable walk.

 Arriving at Spark's Bridge, we were more than ready for a lunch break and made the best of it, even if there was not decent place on which to sit. Stile steps, high wall and just on the grass was all that was on offer. Our only thing of interest as we had lunch was the frequent passage of narrow boats along the Llangollen Canal sailing Southward away from Whitchurch.

 As we had already completed over five miles, we decided to complete the rest of the described route would increase the walk to well over 12 miles, not a nice option as the temperature w rapidly rising to the mid-twenties. Although it would mean long stretches on minor roads, it was the best way to go. The route too us through the centre of Whitchurch, but at the time we did so, we weren't that bothered to take any interested in historical buildings as we passed them.

 We arrived back at the car, glad that s we could release our feet from their imprisonment in walking boots and for some a change of shirt also felt good.

  Birds seen or heard today included Common chaffinch, House sparrow, Common pheasant, Grey heron, Carrion crow, Common buzzard, Black-headed gull, Lapwing, Greenfinch, Common blackbird, Woodpigeon, House martin, Black-billd magpie and Common swift.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Edgerton Arms at Broxton, where Conwy Brewery's Clogwyn Gold went down well.

 The walk may be repeated in the future, but if it is all the bad bits experienced today will be missed out, by following the Sandstone Trail to the canal and taking the towpath South directly to Spark's Bridge.