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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.

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Holwell, Greenfield and the Coastal Path to Flint Castle 19th December 2018

Flint Castle - this will be the end of the walk today, but this is the view as left to catch the bus to Holywell.
Part of the old railway track from Holwell through the Greenfield Valley.
The largest reservoir in the Greenfield Valley.
Tufted duck on the largest reservoir in the Greenfield Valley.
That single female is a little outnumbered (10 to 1) or is she just a luck lady?
Basingwerk Abbey.
Greenfield Dock entrance on the left and the Dee Estuary beyond.
The Millenium Beacon on the Betissifield Mibne Site - our lunch spot..
A Little egret on the water edge as w eheadd towards Flint Castle.
A happy lady escapimg from a noisy gull!
A Common redshank in Flint Dock.
A Eurasian curlew escaping from Flint Dock.
Our final approach towards Flint Castle,
The inside of Flint Castle.
Final views of Flint Castle from the entrance by the moat.
Distance: 7.9 miles. Climb: 262'.
Time: 3 hours 50 minutes. 
On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.0 m.p.h.
Group Martyn and Celia.
The forecast for today was pretty good with rain only a possibility in late afternoon.
 I fact all morning we walked in glorious sunshine, making if feel much higher that the feel like temperature of 4 Celsius.
 The decent along the old railway track from Holywell to the Basingwerk Abbey is always a pleasant stroll ad indeed today w s no different.  However we did notice that a considerable amount of pruning had been carried out opening up both sides of the path. We later learned from A Clwyd Ranger that they had been given a grant to do so.
  Arriving at the coast, the views across the estuary were superb, the River Dee looking a majestic blue colour.
 Lunch was taken at the Bettisfield Milne site, where we sat on stone a d enjoyed views across the estuary.
 After lunch it was a pleasant stroll along the dykes to Flint Dock and onto Flint Castle and where we had left the car.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Goldfinch, European robin, Black billed magpie, Common magpie, Common blackbird, Blue tit, Great tit, Little grebe, Mallard, Grey heron, Tufted duck, Moorhen Black headed gull, Herring gull, Great black backed gull, Woodpigeon, Lapwing, Little egret  Eurasian curlew, Common starling, Common kestrel and Common redshank.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed when we got home - a glass of Merlot for me after cleaning my boots!
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