A Riverside Walk with More of the Greenway to Hawarden Bridge 9th January 2021

A Riverside Walk with More of the Greenway to Hawarden Bridge.

Is that The Saltney Ferry Footbridge ahead?

The meeting point for the Greenway and the Church Farm, Sealand Road path.

Approaching the Blue Bridge over the Expressway.

Crossing the Blue Bridge to blue skies in Wales.

Moel Famau - centre stage, decked in snow, but not easy to see.

View from my drinks stop.

Distance: 13.4 miles, Climb: 217'.
Time; 5 hours 23 minutes. On the move walking average: 3.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.5 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn.

Birds seen or heard today included: Moorhen, Mallard, Common blackbird, European robin, Woodpigeon Winter wren, Great cormorant, Little egret, Common chaffinch, Sparrowhawk, House sparrow, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Rook, Common redshank, Little grebe, Greylag goose, Goosander, Fieldfare, Redwing, Lapwing, Black headed gull, Common buzzard, Great tit, Blue tit and Feral pigeon.

I had planned an early start today, but delayed, hoping that the early morning fog would lift quickly. It didn't and I set off at about 10-00 still with visibilty only 100 m or so. In fact the Sun threatened to put in an appearance just after 11-00, but didn't break through until after mid-day.

Even in the limited visibilty, it was still good to be out walking, and with hardly any breeze it didn't feel that cold, my only problem was my glasses misting up frequently - how blessed people with A1 vision are!

My first surprise of the day was hearing the continous high pitch sound of motorcycle engines in the distance as I left Deeside Lane on the path/track to Sealand Road. In fact it turned out to be some off road motorcycle entbhusiast racing around a track in a farmer's field - presumably an example of farm diversification!

Neither this track or the path from Church Farm on Sealand Road to the Greenway was as I remembered it, but there again the last time the Greenway didn't exist!

The views from the Blue Bridge (with Welsh Red Dragon see by vehicles passing under it on theway to North Wales) were superb, and Moel Famau looked majestic decked in snow and in the sunshine.

Arriving at the riverside at Hawarden Bridge, it felt really warm in the bright sunshine, so much so that I sat on a a bench enjoying a hot drink of " ginger and lemongrass" but only a short sleeved shirt on top.  My Paramo jacket was on te seat beside me, turned inside out drying off!

I don't thin I have seen so many people walking on the Wales Coast Path as I did today, but my surprise was seeing a cyclist approaching, but neither of us realised that we knew each other until it was too late (well too late for the cyclist to stop). In fact it was a friend from my teaching day - LeRoi.

Overall an enjoyable walk, but with legs feeling tired!