Harris Hikers Solo Walks and More 6th April to12th April 2020

Good News 6th April 2020.
According to his wife, Dave J is almost as good as new.

In Days Gone By.

What year was this in and what am I making? 1986

The same year, but where was this taken? 
This was taken in April 1986 at the stone tower on Mynydd Tal-y-Mignedd on the Nantlle Ridge..The tower is was built by local quarryment to commemmorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897.
Easter Sunday 12th April 2020.
Happy Easter Everyone.
No walk today, just a day of rest. 
Time to reflect and watch the WEF virtual Easter Sunday Service.
Saltney Riverside and More 11th April 2020.

All sorts of litter - litter everywhere.

The high tide yesterday must have flooded is the lower path to make it still wet and muddy.

Green alkanet in flower.

Skylarks singing, but can you spot one? I couldn't!

The runway above the terminal gate still looks wet and muddy indicating that the high tides must have topped the gates.

Not many on the path at the moment, but that was a rarity. 
It doesn't tke cyclists long to appear and race past you.

A brown ringed snail, but is it a Brown lipped snail?

Is this daily exercise allowed?

Mallow in the making?

Walk stats: Distance: 5.1 miles. Climb: 87'.

Time: 3 hours 1 minute. On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h. Overall wal average: 1.7 m.p.h.

This was almost perfect for walk, and it was only after getting home that the temperature started to rise. As far as walking was concerned, setting off at about 08-30 was a good decision.

Having walked along these paths almost every day for nealy a month, it very noticeable how much litter is around. Plastic bottles, cans, plastic containers, crisp packets, cigarette packets, paper plastic bags, dog excrement and worse of all the infamous "poo bag". On this walk I passat least three red bins designated for depositing "poo bags", so no dog owner has any excuse for not doing the right thing.

The highlight of the walk today was hearing lots of Skylarks singing, but alas I haven't been able to spot one.

I did see a Bluebell on the roadside, but it was one of the cultivated variety often misnamed as Spanish bluebells.

Green shoots already showing in a field only ploughed and prepared a week or so ago.

Ed's Welh Wander 11th april 2020.

Moelfre Isaf from Tesco Abergele .

Distance: 7 miles.

Buttercup Wood.

Honesty in flower?

Moelfre Isaf trig point and the sea.

Tower Hill and its new residents.

A Coal tit taken bt Ed's friend from Prestatyn.

Ed's Welsh wander 10th April 2020.
Llangernyw from home back via pilgrims way.

Distance: 6 miles.

Hill behind mine with lambs.

Anyone know what thes purple / pink flowers are called?

White tree on Pilgrims Way.

The tree pilgrim behind Hafodunos Hall.

Hafofunus  waterfall.

A Saltney Riverside Walk and a Bridge View 10th April 2020.

Yesterday's high tide resulted in more flooding at the Riverside, River Lane saltney.

The grey heron in its usual spot on the mud bank, south of Bumper's Lane.

The leucistic Great cormorant the mud bank, south of Bumper's Lane.

Saltney Ferry  must be an expected tourist hot spot this Easter weekend!

The Dee Bore is on its way.

The Dee Bore on it way - taken from the Saltney Ferry Footbridge.

The Dee Bore gets closer.

The Dee Bore reaches the old Saltney Ferry ferry steps.

Walk stats: Distance: 2.5 miles. Climb: 88'.

Time: 1 hour33 minuts. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.

Another good dry day for walking, slightly cooler than yesterday due to the fact that there was more wind about. Pleasant enough and stilla shorts day.

 Another high tide was expected, so oce more the objective was to watch the Dee Bore as it approached Saltney Ferry Footbridge.

 It was a little disappointing, compared to some that I hae seen. Nevertheless it is always worth it and this was the first time that I had witnessed it from the advantageous position on the Saltney Ferry Footbridge.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Moorhen, Winter wren, Blue tit, Pied wagtail, Herring gull,rd, Greenfinch, Collared dove, woodpigeon, Carrion cow, Jackdaw, Great cormorant and Oystercatcher.

A Winter wren taken by Ed's Friend in Prestatyn on 9th April 2020.

A Rapid Saltney Riverside Walk 9th April 2020.

The Moon still looking pretty large as it descends in the west.

A slightly closer look at the Moon seen from my back garden just after getting up.

The Riverside Chaffinch singing from its usual tree.

Yesterday's high tide  definitely topped the main river bank.

View from the Riveside Path near Saltney ferry Footbridge, showing more extensive areas flooded by yesterdays high tide.

The original ferry steps at Higher Ferry, i had forgotten that they were part of the support structure of the footbridge.

The rising tide rushing past the footbridge supports.

Walk stats: Distance: 2.3 m.p.h. Climb: 34'.

Time: 59 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.9 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.3 m.p.h.

The day started well with good views of the Moon.

 I was a little late setting off this morning, and ony just got to the Riverside to see the tide turning, but it hardly made a enough ripple on the side of the bank to disturb the gulls. However twenty minutes later the rising tide was moving much quicker, perhaps I wasn't patient enough to wait long enough to see the Dee Bore.

Once more it was a superb day for walking, warm dry and minimal wind.  At last I made the right decision and wore my shorts. Hopefully there will be many shorts days to come.

Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Chiffchaff, Black-billed magpie, European robin, Winter wren, Great tit, Grey heron, Lesser black back gull, Herring gull, Greenfinch, House sparrow, Common blackbird Common starling and Goldfinch.

Another Riverside Walk 8th April 2020.

Sue P's resident Grey heron near the weir.
A Supermoon, Riverside Walk and A Bore 8th April 2020.

At this point, I wasn't optimistic about getting better vies of the Pink supermoon in the morning.

Slightly better but not much!

At last clear sky and a good view of the Pink supermoon.

A Winter wren calling from thebarrier on the railway.

A Chiffchaff singing from atree at the Riverside, Green Lane, Saltney.

The Saltney Ferry Footbridge from the Riverside, Saltney.

The Grey heron in its usual spot on the exposed mud near the river south of Bumper's Lane.

Two Herring gulls and a leucistic Great cormorant.

The Dee bore approaches A380 Wing Barge terminal.

The Dee Bore on its way.

The Police helicopter out checking again.

The ferry steps next to Saltney Ferry Footbridge.

Walk stats: 3.7 miles. Climb: 70'.

Time: 1 hour58 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.7 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.0 m.p.h.

A good start  to the day with good views of the Pink supermoon (named after a pink North American flower that blooms iSpring).

This was a perfect day for walking, gloriously warm and sunny and no wind - it was definitely a shorts day, but again I hadn't braved it!

A good sighting of a singing Chiffchaff was a bonus. 

I extended my normal short route by crossing the footbridge and heading towards Queensferry, continuing until I could see the bore on its way. i sat on the grass between the Wales Coast Path and river, oblivious to any walkers or cyclists that went by as I attempted to video the Dee bore as it approached me. However when I watched the video, I heard a small voice from behind me, calling in surprise at seeing fast flowing tidal bore, obviously for the first time.

Having watched the tide race past me, I headed for home to give my shorts  an airing hen I sat in the garden reading today's i newspaper.

Birds seen or heard today included: Chiffchaff, winter wren, Grea tit, Black-billed magpie, Winter wren, Mallard, Grey Heron, Lesser black back gull, Greenfinch, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Common starling, Common blackbird, Jackdaw, Common buzzard, Collared dove. Common chaffinch, Rook, Jackdaw, european robin and Carrion crow.

A Short Saltney riverside Walk With Time To Remenisce 7 th April 2020.

Not  quite a Pink supermoon yet.

I've never seen this many cars parked on Sandy Lane before.

The "Dee monster" is back!

The river level is pretty high, but it will be another half an hour before the tide turns.

Par of the Chester skyline from the Saltney Ferry Riverside Path.

The Saltney Ferry Footbridge

The original path to the ferry steps.

Whre have the steps gone?

Moel Famau on the skyline - wish I was there!

Walk stats: Distance: 2.5 miles. Climb: 73'.

Time: 1 hour 36 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.5 m.p.h.

The day started well, with clear skies giving allowing the Moon to bee seen it it full glory. Hopefully it wiil just as clear in between about 18-00 tonight and 04-30 tomorrow morning, when the Pink supermoon can be seen. I am planning to wake up to see it in the early hours of the morning when it st ill dark outside.

 I usually go for my bread once a week to Chatwins on Westminter Park, but when I tried to start the car the car wouldn't start - the battery had died of old age. Thankfully the RAC came to my rescue and fitted a new battery. They arrived in fifteen minutes, not so many desparate motorists as so many are on furlough.

 Happy again, my car started and I was able to get my bread for the week.

 I delayed the start of my walk as I wanted to see how high the tide would be, so I needed to walking along the riverside between 12-00 and 12-30. the tide was at the top of the bank, but hadn't flowed over the top towards the upper river defences and Riverside Path.

 The tide tomorrow is even bigger 10.0 metres at 12-09 (Liverpool), about 30 minutes later at Chester.

 At midday I arrived at Saltney Ferry Footbridge, time to pause, pray and remenisce. I spend a very peaceful half an hour sitting on the Bob Manifold Memorial Bench located at the top of the path leading down to the ferry steps.  It must be about 55 years ago that I crossed the river with Bob Manifold at the helm.

Birds seen or heard today includd: Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Mallard, Moorhen, House sparrow, Blue tit, Great tit, Common blackbird, Greenfinch, Winter wren, Black-billed magpie, Collared dove, Woodpigeon, Common chaffinch and Common buzzard.

 I finished the walk in gloriously warm sunshine - I should have been wearing my shorts.

 Today's (06/04/2020) Welsh Wander Walk from Ed.

A Short walk Around Pentre Isaf (Llangernyw) 

Distance: 2.5 miles.

Near neighbours.

Views o the Afon Elwy.

Gorse in bloom.

(Competion for the Gorse I saw on my Saltney walk.

A Common buzzard collecting nesting material - location Prestatyn.
Taken by a friend of Ed.

A Short Quick Saltney Riverside Walk 6th April 2020.

Gorse in flower on te railway embankment near Bridge Street, Saltney.

Moorhen on the outflow of Balderton Brook.

Already pretty, but high tide is will be in about an hours time.

The location of the farm next to the Wales Coast Path.

Floating by, but what is it?

The River Dee Monster?

The former Mold Junction Primary where I spent six happy years of education.

Gulls in a field north west of Saltney Ferry Primary School.

The same gulls, but now easier to see that many of them are Black-headed gulls.

Walk stats: Distance: 2.4 m.p.h. Climb: 70'.

Time: 1 hour 4 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.9 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.2 m.p.h.
The weather today was pleasant, with sunny spells, little wind and brief spell when I thought it was going to rain, but the spots of rain stopped after a few minutes.

I decided to complete the walk today, without taking grid refs of the birds that I see to check out what the minimum time for the walk would be.
 Lets face it, doing the circuit without stopping was never going to happen. It was less than ten minutes into the walk when I ended up talking for about ten minutes to local landscape artist who is now cleaning around the pumps at Morrisons.  I only commented "the forecourt has never looked so clean" , but that was enough to start a conversation.  his current work is one that will commemorate the fiftieth anniversar of Ron Hill's 1970 Boston Marathon Win.
The tide today was quite a big one and was due to reach maximum at about 11-30, so as I arrived at the Riverside on River Lane in Saltney the water was still racing towards Chester.
Hopefully the video clip will give a feeling of how fast it was flowing. Recording video means trying to keep the camera steady and not moving  never easy for me.
 i did stop to record the grid ref for 4 birds seen, all the same - 4 Barn swallows - it's official summer is here!
Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Moorhen, Black-biled magpie, Chiffchaf, Great tit, Blue tit, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, House sparrow, Greenfinch, Winter wren, Common blackbird, European robin and Barn swallow (my first sighting this year).