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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.

Saturday, 9 May 2020

Harris Hikers Solo Adventures Saturday 9th May 2020

A Circular Walk to Hawarden Bridge Using Both Sides Of the River.
A Common whitethroat singing from a telephone wire on Flint bRoad, Saltney Ferry.
Looking towards Queendferry from the Saltney Ferry Footbridge.
The A380 Airbus Wing Barge Dock.
The Queensferry Blue Bridge from the path underneath the Queensferry Road Bridge.
Looking over the steel wirks landing stage towards Hawarden Bridge.
An Oystercatcher resting on the landing stage.
Hawarden Bridge ahead.
The Dee Bore at Hawarden Bridge.
The Dee bore approaches Queensferry blue bridge.
A Great cormorant watches the rapidly rising tide.

i a not sure how this fits in with the Welsh Goverments latest directive that daily exercise should start and finish from home.
Almost high tide at the Riverside, River Lane, Saltney.
The rising tide causes the river to breach its lower bank at the Riverside, River Lane, Saltney.
Distance: 11.6 miles. Climb: 127'
Time: 5 hours 1 minute. On the move walking average: 2.7 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.3 m.p.h.
As I set off just before 09-00, it was already 13 Celsius and a high temperature in the mid-twenties expected. There was no noticeable breeze, so it certainly felt that warm.
I decided to walk today, without flagging up every birds on my GPS, so I anticipated getting round a little quicker.
On the outward journey, I decided to follow the Wales Coast Path, hoping that there would be fewer cyclists in the morning. I don't think it made any difference, as well as Cyclists there were lots of joggers / runners as well - in all a nightmare if all you wanted was a peaceful stroll along the river.
 I decided to walk as far as Hawarden Bridge in the hope that I would catch the Dee Bore at that point. I did see it, but without any wind assistance it didn't appear that big.
The return route from Hawarden Bridge along the south side of the river was better than I remember, and now leads straight to the Queensferry Road, south of the blue bridge. The route from here to Saltney Ferry Footbridge along the top of the river defense embankment is not surfaced in any way, so the next hour or so was completely cyclist free - blissful!
So far so go, Flint Road was quiet - no motorbikes racing engines heard or speeding cars heard, until I was half way down the Riverside Path from the footbridge to River Lane. Oly then did  hear a car open up the throttle - I suppose it could well have been just speeding up to the maximum allowed on the road.
Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Collared dove, House martin, Song thrush, Common starling, Common whitethroat, Barn swallow, Common pheasant, Great tit, Common blackbird Goldfinch, Blackcap, Woodpigeon, Carrion crow, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Canada goose, Oystercatcher, Black headed gul, Lesser black back gull, Great cormorant and the bird of the a Common swift (the first ones that I have seen this year).
Butterflies seen included: Small white, Large White, Peacock and Green veined white.
The surprise of the day was seeing a Grey squirrel in the middle of recently ploughed and prepared field.
As I arrived at the Riverside on River Lane, the tide was just about at its maximum, just about breaching it lower bank.
I arrived home having had a superb walk, but with legs feeling the tiredest that they felt for quite some time.
Ed's Welsh Wander.
Abergele Coast and Country 
Distance: 8 miles.
Great cormorants on coast Path.
Oak tree in bloom near Llanddulas.
Lots of garlic to keep the vampires away from Llanddulas church.
Early purple orchids near Rhyd Y Foel

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