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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, 3 April 2021

A Saltney, Deeside Lane, Fox's Drive and Riverside and Return to Saltney Dock 3rd April 2021

A Little egret on Thornleigh Park Farm Gutter.
Roger crossing the footbridge over the Sealand Land Drainage Gutter on the way to the Shooting School.
A Grey heron about to start fishing the rive near Queensferry Road Bridge.
A "Gypsy pony" next to the travellers residential site.
Cowslips on the river facing sicicide  of the embankment near our lunch spot.
A stranded tree trunk - evidence of high tides earlier in the week.
Ahetland pony grazing on the embankment.
A Raven in the top od the Scots pine on the Higher Ferry side of the river.
The incoming tide arrives just after 15-00.
The tidal waves roll towards The Riverside, Saltney.
Distance: 13.8 miles (10.3 miles with Roger) . Climb: 196'..
Time: 6 hours14 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.7 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 22 m.p.h.
Beaufort wind force: 0 - 2. Calm to light breeze North easterly. Temperature: 9.7 - 14.1 Celsius.
Group: Martyn and Roger.
Another almost perfect day for walking, especially when the Sun came out from behinds the clouds and we could feel the warmth of its rays.
We made good progress in the morning, and arrived at the first possible lunch spot at 11-15, far too early for lunch, so we carried on to the Queensferry Blue Swing Brigeae and crossed over it and headed back along the riverside path towards Sandycroft.
It was only 11- 45 whean we arrived at the second possible perching spot a large concrete block on the top of the flood defense embankment. Conveniently the breezeae s dropped and we sat in warm sunshine enjoying our lunch. Even better Margaret had sent a chocolate egg for me, It might be my age, but I can't remember when I last had a chocolate egg at Easter. Thank you Margaret.
I looked up the tide times and worked out that we should have a good chance of seeing it, if we were on the riverside about 14-00. That was correct, but I had forgotten that all High Tide Times at Liverpool are GMT not BST.  In fact, I did catch the tide wimper past when I returned to the riverside at 15-00 on my way home after Roger and I went our separate ways after leaving the Saltney Quay.
Birds seen or heard today included: Collared dove, Black billed magpie, Dunnock, House sparrow, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, European robin, Lesser black back gull, Little egret, Carrion crow, Rook, Raven, Skylark, Common buzzard, Feral pigeon, Common chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Lapwing, Common kestrel, Blue tit, Song thrush, Oystercatcher, Common pheasant, Lapwing, Mallard, House sparrow, Common starling and Common redshank.
Another good walk, ending with clean boots, but glad to put my feet up and have a cup of whisky fortified tea when I got home.

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