A Welshampton Wander - Ellesmere – Meres, Mosses and Moraines 27th May 2023

Setting off along the canal towpath.

The Ellesmere Tunnel ahead.

Not what you expect to see in a rural garden.

You wouldn't expect this either.

The Shropshire Union Canal (Llangollen Branch) near Cole Mere.

A "Chocolate box cover" thatched cottage near Cole Mere.

A Mute swan and five young on Cole Mere.

Cole Mere Swans and Swallows.

St.Michael's and All Angels Church at Welshampton.

At the trig point south of Lea Wood.

At the trig point south of Lea Wood.

The view from the trig point south of Lea Wood.

Guinea fowl near Crimps Farm.

Descending towards The Mere.

Hazy views of Dinas Bran.

St. Mary's Church, Ellesmere.

or

"Haven't you seen a shorn sheep before?".

Not impressed with this one!

Just a few more Mute swans on Ellesmere.

Walk stats:
Distance: 8.4 miles. Climb: 394’.
Time: 4 hours 18 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: Max -17.2 Celsius at lunch at St. Michael’s and All Angels Church Welshampton. Minimum – 13.2 Celsius just after setting off.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max - 1, just a coolish light air as we set off.
Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Ed and David S.
Another good day for walking, not as sunny as we had hoped, but still very pleasant.
This was quite a varied walk that included woodland paths, canal towpaths, and country lanes, giving good views of three meres (The Mere at Ellesmere, Blake Mere and Cole Mere).
Lunch was taken at St. Michael’s and All Angels Church, where we all found suitable spots to sit.
After lunch the paths weren’t always as obvious as the walk description suggested, with maps on our GPSs we were able to keep on track.
A bonus today was being able to visit a trig point, not something you would expect to see on a largely flat walk!
Birds seen or heard today included: Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Winter wren, Woodpigeon, Canada goose, Common chaffinch, Herring gull, Mute swan, Red kite, Barn swallow, House martin. Common coot, European robin, Greenfinch, Mallard, Great crested grebe, Feral pigeon, House sparrow, Collared dove and Guinea fowl.
The nearer we got to The Mere, the more people we saw – Ellesmere is still a very popular place to visit.
Overall a very enjoyable walk that could be done in all seasons, but today it was at its best with dry conditions under foot and lots of spring flowers on show.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Pant-yr-Ochain, where Titanic’s Plum Porter and Purple Moose’s Snowdonia Ale were the beers of choice.

Around Gors Maen Llwyd NR and Llyn Brenig 27th May 2023

Mike in his Marie Curie Shirt - about to set off on a training walk, ready for his Three Peaks Of Yorkshire sponsored walk on the 17th June 2023.

If you want to sponsor Mike, contact him and he will give you details of his Just Giving link.

The start of the track round Gors Maen Llwyd NR.

First view of the Osprey nesting platform.

Getting closer to the Osprey nesting platform.

Not an Osprey, just a Meadow pipit.

The Osprey Nesting Platform, but can you see an Osprey?

The Osprey Nesting Platform, but can you see an Osprey?

The Osprey Nesting Platform, but can you see an Osprey?

The view from our lunch spot near the Visitor Centre.

Looking northward from Llyn Brenig dam.

Walk stats:
Distance: 11.4 miles. Climb: 771’.
Time: 5 hours 47 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: Max -22.4 Celsius. 21.2 Celsius at lunch in the near the visitor centre  overlooking the reservoir.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max - 3, briefly reaching a pleasant 9.8 m.p.h. gentle breeze as we crossed the dam after lunch.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
Another good day for walking, although at times it was a little on the warm side, only mitigated briefly by the occasional gentle breeze.
We started the walk from Gors Maen Llwyd NR parking area on the B4501 road.
We started by exploring the paths around the Gors Maen Llwyd NR, following a good track through the moor down to the water edge. We walked on the stony shore before picking up the path through the heather. At one point we had our nearest view of the Osprey nesting platform and could just about make out the head of a bird on the nest. We had better views from the Wildlife Trusts Observation Point where we were able to view the Ospreys through their telescopes.
From start to finish, we heard Cuckoos calling, but as on Wednesday we didn’t actually see one with any degree of certainty.
Birds seen or heard today included: Cuckoo, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Willow warbler, Stonechat, Carrion crow, Winter wren, Woodpigeon, Greylag goose, Canada goose, Common chaffinch, Herring gull, Lesser black-back gull, Common buzzard and Osprey.
The landscape looks totally different as we walked along forest tracks with only tree stumps to see and stacks of felled tree trunks next to the track waiting to be collected.
Llyn Brenig was a popular place today with plenty of boats on the water, mainly used by people fishing.
We arrived back at the cars, having had a good walk, but still glad to take our boots off and let our feet enjoy being exposed to the fresh air!
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell Inn, where we had to suffer the smell of pork being roasted on a spit in the car park and watch people enjoying a pulled pork batch. My pork pie when I got home didn’t quite cut it!

 

Trevor Rocks and The Eglwyseg Escarpments 24th May 2023

On the Panorama Road, heading for the Trevor Rocks.

Looking across Trevor Rocks towards Dinas Bran.

Even Dinas Bran needs repairs!

Strolling out across Trevor Rocks.

Nearly at the top of Tevor Rocks.

Made it!

Which way now?

Th Eglwyseg Escarpments ahead.

Crossing the Eglwyseg Escarpments.

The view from my lunch spot.

the countouring path heading towards The eglwyseg Plantation.

At the cairn before decending to the cars.

Final views towards the East.

Walk stats:
Distance: 9.5 miles. Climb: 1844’.
Time: 5 hours 29 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17.2 Celsius at the start. 12.6 Celsius as we crossed the Eglwyseg Escarpments. 21.2 Celsius at lunch in a sunny and sheltered spot near World’s End.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max - 3, briefly reaching a pleasant 9.8 m.p.h. gentle breeze as we crossed the more exposed parts of the Eglwyseg Escarpment.
Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Mike, Nigel and Ed.
Almost a perfect day for walking weather-wise – I didn’t need to change my shirt at lunch time and only used one handkerchief throughout the walk – my washing machine will wonder why it is getting a rest!
Once again, we decided to complete the walk in the reverse direction to the way that we have done this walk in the past, a bonus as we did the roads walking at the start. It had the disadvantage that we had the steady climb across the Trevor Rocks.
Throughout the walk we had a pleasant cooling gentle breeze (9.8 m.p.h) that at times was sufficient to blow my sun hat off.
Distant views were somewhat hazy, although the Llantysilio Mountains were easily identified.
We explore one new path which helped us to maintain height as we contoured around the Eglwyseg Escarpments before meeting up with the original planned route.
The bonus today was the number of times we heard the Cuckoo calling, starting as we arrived at the start point and heard just before we dropped down to the car at the end of the walk.
Birds seen or heard today included: Cuckoo, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Willow warbler, Stonechat, Raven, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Common pheasant and Common chaffinch.
We did see a bird of prey, but it wasn’t identified with any certainty.
Lunch was taken as we approached World’s End, no luxury of a picnic table today, just down to earth sitting on the grass bank!
Most of the hard work had been done before lunch, although we did have one final steep accent along the wall before following the path on higher up than the Trevor Rocks.
Towards the end we had good distant views of a viaduct (train seen crossing it by some).
Overall a very enjoyable walk, worthy of celebrating with the very quaffable Serin brew from the local Sandstone Brewery when we visited the Sun Inn at Trevor. A pot of tea had to suffice for some. It was still so warm, we sat outside.

 

Lledr and Llugwy 20th May 2023

St.Mary's Church, Betws-y-coed.

Just a few of the hat trees have been cut down!

Llyn Elsi from near the southern dam.

Descending through the tress to the Pont Gethin viaduct.

In intersting yellow flow, still to be identified.

The Afon Lledr from the footbridge.

The Afon Lledr from the footbridge.

Bluebells in the Lledr Valley.

Moel Siabod through the trees above the camp site.

A Grey heron on the Afon Lledr.

One of many Welsh poppies near Lledr Hall.

The view towards the mountains from Sarn Helen.

A Cuckoo calling north east of Sarn Helen.

The remains of the villgae of Rhiwddolion on the west side of Sarn Helen.

A Mistle thrush on the meadow as we approached Betws-y-coed on the Afon Llugwy riverside path.

Walk stats:
Distance: 8.4 miles. Climb: 1309’.
Time: 6 hours 0 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.4 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17.7 Celsius at the start. 22.0 Celsius at lunch in the shade opposite Lledr Hall.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max - 2, briefly reaching a pleasant 4.3 m.p.h. gentle breeze as we reached the highest point on Sarn Helen.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
Another good day for walking, very warm and sunny and very little wind of note.
Once again, we decided to complete the walk in the reverse direction to the way that we have done this walk in the past.
The start from Betws-y-coed was a steady climb up the forest track as far as Llyn Elsi, encouraged by the changing smiley faces as we neared the Llyn Elsi circular walk. It was half way up this forest track that we heard our first Cuckoo calling, obviously some way off as we could only just hear it.

Much tree felling has gone on since the last time we did this walk, evidenced by the huge number of felled tree trunks stacked on the side of the forest track.

The steep descent through the forest from Llyn Elsi to the Pont Gethin viaduct felt worse than it felt doing it in the opposite direction. At least this time we managed to find a dry path round the edge of the usually very boggy section.
Heading along the riverside path through the camp site gave us a different view of Moel Siabod through the trees.
We arrived at our usual lunch spot around 12-30, but unfortunately ii was in full sunshine, and we were looking for shade. We eventually found a suitable spot next to the path opposite Lledr Hall, not perfect but at least we weren’t in the hot Sun.
After lunch we weren’t looking forward to the climb up the road to Sarn Helen, but it turned out much better than we expected as most of the climb was in shade thanks to the tress on the east side of the lane.
Crossing Sarn Helen gave us we heard an even better delightful sound of a Cuckoo calling, but alas not a sighting.
As we descended Sarn Helen towards the A5, we noticed that the track had been treated to lots more stones and the ruts seen last time had been filled in.
Talking to a couple people living in a cottage next to Sarn Helen, what they feared most was mountain bikers hurtling down the track.
Arriving at the Miners Bridge several young people were taking advantage of the deep pools to cool off and even jump into from the rocks nearby.
As you would expect, the nearer to Pont-y-Pair and Betws-y-coed the more people we saw, and it was very noticeable that ice cream vendors were doing very well!
Overall a very enjoyable walk, probably the best way round to do it!
Birds seen and heard today included: Mistle thrush, Willow warbler, Chicffchaff, Great tit, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Common chaffinch, European robin, Winter wren, Common blackbird, Goldfinch, Common whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Canada goose, Herring gull, House sparrow, Common buzzard, Grey wagtail, Grey heron and Cuckoo.
Plenty of Bluebells still blooming along with many more Spring flowers including lesser stitchwort, Welsh poppy, Buttercups, Dandelion, Common bistort and Tormentil.
After walk drinks were enjoyed once we reached home!