Dates and Walks December 2019

Wednesday 4th December 2019.

Moel Famau via Coed Clwyd, Moel Ffrith and possibly Moel Dywyll.

Distance: 8 -10 miles. Climb: 1500'.
Start: Bwlch Penbarra car park (Pay nd display £1-50) Grid ref: SJ161605.
Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.

Saturday 7th December 2019.

Please contact me if you want me to arrange a walk for this day, although I have to be home by 15-00.

Wednesday 11th December 2019.

The Trent and Mersey Canal, Great Budworth and More.

Start: Marbury Country Park car Park (Pay and Display £2-50 last time). Grid ref: SJ652763.

Distance: 7-10 miles. Climb: 1000'.

Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m.

The main 7 mile walk is taken from the "Pathfinders Guide to Cheshire". This is described as a varied walk with plenty of historic interest, including the Anderton Boat Lift.. The extra mileage will be made by exploring the Anderton Nature Park, Marshall's Wood, Carey Park, Ashton's Flash and Neumann's Flash.  Bring binoculars with you if you can.

Saturday 14th December 2019.
Please contact me if you want me to arrange a walk for this day.

Wednesday 18th December 2019.

Prestatyn, Talacre and The Point of Ayr.

Distance: 10 miles.(Less if we don't do the Point of Ayr loop). Climb: 200'.

Start at Prestatyn Barkby Beach.. I suggest that you park at Beach Hotel car park, (£2-00) On our visit in January 2019 , this is the same as the pay and display car park!) on the large parking area by the PC,  Grid ref: SJ068839

Leave Chester at 09-00 a.m. You will need to go into the hotel to purchase a car park ticket.

This is a walk that is always on the list at this time of the year, as it is always a good time to see Winter visitors, so bring binoculars with you. 

High tide is at about 15-13, and is about 27.6', so we go along the beach / sand dunes first  on the way to Talacre and the Point of Air. We will take lunch using one of the picnic tables along the path leading to the Point Of Air. We will decide on the day whether to extend the walk as far as the RSPB observation point. 

Our return route will be through The Warren Nature Reserve, the Caravan Park and finally through Prestatyn Golf Course, 

Saturday 21st December 2019.

A Walk Around the Great Orme.
Postponed.

Distance: 8-10 miles, but will be decided on the day.

Climb: 500'-1000', depending on the route we take.

Start at Llandudno West shore. Roadside parking near the boating lake. Grid ref: SH771820.

Leave Chester at 08-30 a.m.

This walk is one we do several times each year, particularly if we want to avoid muddy conditions. The exact route wil be decided as we are going round. It will probably involve going around the Great Orme on the panoramic road, have lunch in the Happy Valley before taking the path across the limestone pavement and then taking the steps down to the invalids terrace and back to the shore.

Wednesday 25th December 2019.

No Walk.

Saturday 28th December 2019.

Please contact me if you want me to arrange a walk for this day.

Prestayn to Point of Ayr and Back 18th December 2019

It looks like we have the beach to ourselves today.

The boardwalk and new shelter near the Little tern observation point.

"I am sure they know which way to go!"

On the way to Pont of Ayr.

Point of Ayr Lighthouse ahead.

Twite behind the sand dunes behind the Point of Ayr Lighthouse.

Poniews doing conservation work in The Warren Nature Reserve.

On the new boardwalk leading from th Presthaven Caravan Park to the beach.

A family of Mute swans on Prestatyn Gutter.

Walk stats: Distance: 10.3 miles. Climb:  747' wind assisted GPS reading (Memory map reading 245').

Group: Martyn, Nigel, Fran and Ed.

This turned out to be good day for a walk, very much on the cool side as we headed from Barkby Beach towards Point of Ayr and initially the wind wasn't too strong, but as we arrived at the RSPB bird hide we were grateful for the shelter it provided.

As we headed along the beach from Barkby Beach only Oystercaterchers and gulls seemed to be around, but it wasn't long before we saw over a hundred Great cormorants on beach close to the water edge.

 Approaching the Point of Ayr Lighthouse it looked much whiter it had obviously been given a coat of paint since our last visit.g

 Views across the estuary were never very clear, but where were were was always OK.

 The highlight for me was seeing at least a dozen Twite as we headed inland from the lighthouse.

  Lunch at the RSPB hide at Point of Ayr was very much enjoyed as Nigel presented us with mince pies made by Elaine, much appreciated, along with a little mature fortified fruit cake, than no doubt contributed to our faster than average overall walking speed.

 Our greatest disappontment of the day was to find al three PC at Talacre indicating they we were out of order, Thankfully the Barkby Beach PC we still open.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Herring gull, Black headed gull, Great cormorant, Oystercatcher, Common redshank, Winter Wren, Common blackbird, Eurasian curlew, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Mallard, Moorhen, Teal Mute swan, Woodpigeon, Little egret, House sparrow and Twite.

Marbury Country Park and Pick Mere 11th December 2019

Male Goosander on Budworth Mere in Marbury Country Park.

A few Great cormorants on posts in Budworth Mere in Marbury Country Park.

Roger escaping frpom the boggy section of the wa\lk.

St.Mary's and All Saints Church, Great Budworth.

Lapwing in fields North west of Marston.

Happy to be out and about!

Mute swans on Great Budworth Mere.

Tufted duck (male) on Great Budworth Mere.

A pair of roosting Mallard near the mere edge Marbury Country Park.

Walk stats: 7.4 miles. Climb: 446'.

Time: 3 hours 54 minutes.  On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Roger and David S.

It felt quite cool as we set off  from Marbury Country Park, so Winter gear was appropriate.

A first view of the mere gave us good sighting of at least four male Goosanders as well as many Coots and a couple of Great crested grebes.

 Our first challenge of the day, perhaps not for us, but certainly for our boots, came as we followed the path on the East side of the Mere heading for Great Budworth.

 Arriving at our usual lunch spot by Pick Mere easy we decided to continue, hoping to find a suitable spot not too far away. We did a a bench on Church Street, Higher Wincham near the Primary School. Consequently we were entertained by the happy sound of playing children. This joyful noise didn't stop, even when it started to rain.

 The gentle rain continued for about an hour as we progressed along the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath. It was good to see that he access to the towpath at Wincham had now been made official, with a kissing gate and steps down to the canal.

 The hazardous building at the Lion Salt Works had also been demolished and we were able to continue along the towpath.

  Arriving at the footbridge to over the canal to Black Wood, it was a agreed that we would follow the path through the wood o the Mere and back to the start,

 Birds seen or heard today included: European robin, Common blackbird, Common coot, Tufted duck, Great cormorant, Tufted duck, Common coot, Great crested grebe, Goosander, Mallard, Fieldfare, Redwing, Wood nuthatch, House sparrow, Mute swan, Black headed gull and Mistle thrush,

 A shorter than usual, but still enjoyable, well for most of the walk an capped with celebration drinks at the Morris Dancer at Kelsall (Timothy Taylor's Landlord and the Hawkshead's Porter getting the thumbs up!

The Little Orme and St. Trillo's Chapel 7th December 2019

Eurasian crlew in fields opposite the Craig-y-Don boating lake/paddling pool.

At the trig point on Little Orme Head.

Llandudno Bay and the Great Orme from Little Orme Head.

Fulmars etting up nesting sites on the quarry cliffs South west of Porth Dyniewaid.

Grey seals beached in Porth Dyniewaid.

Grey seals beached in Porth Dyniewaid.

Wigeon on the sea in Penrhyn Bay.

St. Trillo's Chapel.

The view of Penrhyn Bay and the Little Orme as we headed north westward along the promenade fro St. Trillo's Chapel.

Donkeys in a field west of Little Orme Head.

Donkeys in a field west of Little Orme Head.

(There is always one ooking to get into the photo.)

Walk stats: Distance: 7.3 miles. Climb: 949' (slightly wind assisted).

Time: 4 hours 23 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn and Roger.

At times the wind was pretty strong, at one point Roger's Tilley hat blew off, but thankfully he was able to retrieve it.

Out of the wind and with the sun shining wearing jackets of any sort was inappropriate. 

Distant views weren't brilliant, at least the Carneddau could be seen and views across Llandudno Bay to the Great Orme and across Penrhyn Bay towards the Clwydians were OK.

Arriving at Porth Dyniewaid to see the Grey seals, we weren't disappointed as over one hundred were on the beach below us.

This however wasn't to be the highlight of the day, better was to come later as we walked along the promenade towards Rhos-on-Sea.

 When we asked a group of birdwatchers if they had seen anything unusual, they pointed out a Snow bunting only twenty feet or so away. its camouflage was so good that I couldn't pick it out with my binoculars, but thankfully looking through one of the spotting scopes we were able to get a good sighting.

 Lunch was taken by St. Trillo's Chapel where we were spoilt for choice - which one of the many benches would we use as we ate our lunch.

 Energised by a couple Margaret's excellent mince pies, the first REAL mince pies sampled by me this year, we set off at some pace back along the promenade. Thank you Margaret - Roger thought I might keep one for later, he should know me better by now!

 Birds seen or heard today included: Oystercatcher, Eurasian Curlew, Common starling, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Red billed chough, Fulmar, Herring gull, Black headed gull, Great black backed gull, Black headed gull,Common redshank, Great cormorant, Wigeon, Common blackbird, European robin, Blue tit, Great tit and Snow bunting.

 We arrived back at the car having had a good walk, just about right for Roger walking for the first time for two months and early enough for me to home i n time to get ready to go out again at 17-00. Roger did however have to forgo his usual refreshing orange squash drink and I had to miss out on a pint of Lees bitter at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn.

Bwlch Penbarra, Coed Moel Famau, Around Moel ffrith, Mole Dywyll and Moel Famau 4th December 2019

A hovering bird, but not a Kestrel.

A Common buzzard, not known for its speed, but too quick for this cameraman!!

The Vale of Clwyd from Bwlch Penbarra at the start of our walk.

Nigel explaining that that was his best ever sighting of a Commion buzzard.

Looking over the fields towards Cilcain.

Lunchtime in the sun.

One of the reservoirs being drained for repairs.

Waiting on Moel Dywyll

Looking towards the Vale of Clwyd - the low Sun always a problem.

Moel Famau ahead.

Walk stats: Distance: 10.0 miles. Climb: 1723'.Time: 5 hours 18 minutes. On he move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h.Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h. (too much time over lunch!).

Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Wendy and Nigel.

This was almost a perfect day for walking, largely sunny with a gentle breeze and little prospect of rain. With feel like temperatures o about 5 Celsius, we all set of in Winter proof gear - a mistake! It wasn't long before most of the group were shedding outer garments an hats, whilst I suffered with overheating in my Paramo gear,

 As we walked around Coed Moel Famau and Moel Ffrith we were sheltered from any breeze an being in the sun it felt pleasantly warm.

 We stopped for lunch next to the track from Cilcain the the fishing reservoirs. We sat on the remains of the old stone wall and enjoyed basking in the warm sunshine as we devoured our lunch.

 As we passed the upper reservoir, we were surprised to see that the were draining it, presumably to do some sort of maintenance.

 The climb along Offa's Dyke Footpatjh over Moel Dywyll is always a challenge, more so today as the Sun being so low in the sky, always seemed to be in our eyes,

 Distant views were never good, but otherwise it was a good day.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Common buzzard, Eurasian jay, Black billed magpie, Winter wren, Common blackbird, Long tailed tit, Great cormorant, Common crow, Jackdaw, Redwing, Winter wren and Meadow pipit.

 We arrived back at the car, thankful that the last mile had been downhill and looking forward to a beer or two at the Glasfryn at Mold. We weren't disappointed!