Thursaston Common, Royden Park, Stapledon Wood, Caldy and More 9th October 2024.

View across the estuary towards North Wales from the Wirral Way ayt Thursaston.

Grazing Canada geese.

A new sign to the Dungeon.

The Dungeon ahead.

View across the estuary from the top of the Dungeon steps.

Looking at the waterfall in the Dungeon.

St. Bartholomew's Church, Thursaston.

Is this an old bell tower in the grounds of St. Bartholomew's Church?

If not, DS will put us right!

The front of St. Bartholomew's Church,

Autumnal colour as the bracken starts to die back.

At the toposcope on Thursaston Hill.

Volunteers cutting back the vegetation around the trig point on Thursaston Hill.

Royden Park Pond life.

A Moorhen on the water lilies on Royden Park Pond.

The view from our lunch spot in the gazebo in the Royden Park Walled Garden.

Under the laburnum arch in the Walled Garden in Royden Park.

Caldy Church of the Resurrection and All Saints.

Looks lik we can make it back to Thursaston Country Park along the beach.

Hilbre Island from Caldy beach.

A couple of Turnstones.

A few more Turnstones.

The fisherman's cottage on the beach at Thursaston.

Thursaston Country Park pond and some of the birdlife.

Thursaston Station and the end of our walk.

Walk stats: 8.6 miles. Climb: 650’
Time: 4 hours 31 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h. Overall Walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: Mainly around 12 Celsius at the start. Max 14.7 Celsius at lunch in the Walled Garden in Royden Park
Beaufort Wind Force: Mainly 0-2. Mainly Calm, but did rise to a 5.7 m.p.h. Light breeze at the toposcope on Thursaston Hill.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
The weather forecast wasn’t very good, with around 50% chance of rain all day, but not feeling cold and not much wind.
That was pretty accurate, and my umbrella was up more often than not.
Lunch time and just after was probably the longest spell of no rain that we had.
Once gain we took advantage of the gazebo in the Walled Garden in Royed Park for lunch.
The distant views were not very clear, with low cloud being very low on the Welsh sie of the estuary. Moel Famau was hiding in cloud all day.
We managed to walk along the beach from Clady to Thursaston Country Park, and with the incoming tide high up the beach, we had good close-up views of several waders.
Birds seen or heard included: Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Common blackbird, Blue tit, Coal tit, Black billed magpie, Little egret, Moorhen, Common coot, Mallard, Mute swan, Oystercatcher, Common redshank, Canada goose, Great crested grebe, Common buzzard, Grey heron, Turnstone, Dunlin, Eurasian curlew and Wigeon.
Overall, an enjoyable walk, despite the many showers.
After walk drinks were enjoyed, sitting by the fire at Rake Hall. Brimstage Brewery’s Trappers Hat was the beer of choice.