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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.

Thursday, 29 May 2025

Gronant, Big Pool N.R., Around Talacre Abbey and Coed Bell.

Marsh orchid and Ladybird by FM.
Gronant Dunes NR looking towards Point of Ayr.
Gronant Dunes NR looking towards Barkby Beach, Prestatyn
Looking towards Coed Bell from Gronant Dunes NR.
Skylark at Gronant Dunes NR.
Skylark at Gronant Dunes NR.
Little terns near the Little tern colony at Gronant Dunes NR.
A Little tern in flight.
Another Marsh orchid near Presthaven Sands.
Heading for Presthaven Sands Beach.
Lesser black back gulls.
High tide at Presthaven Sands Beach (around mid-day).
A boat on the high seas.
On the trot round the circuit near Big Pool Wood.
FM's photo of the pony and trap.
Ferns in wood heading towards the Abbey Caravan Park.
Looking towards the coast from the Abbey Caravan Park.
Foxgloves in flower.
Foxglove flowers close up.
Bluebells next to the track past Celston Hall Farm.
MD's Peacock and Bluebells
Bluebells already gone to seed in Coed Bell.
Stepping out on the descent from Coed Bell.
Distance: 9.1 miles. Climb: 928’.
Time: 5 hours 48 minutes.
On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 19.2 Celsius at lunch in Big Pool Wood NR. Max – 20.5 Celsius in the end of the walk.
Beaufort Wind Force: 0 – 2. Mainly a Light breeze, reaching a maximum of 5.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Fran and Mike.
Weatherwise this was a better day than forecast, although we did get very light rain for about 30 minutes just as we set off.
We started the walk by heading for the Gronant Dunes NR and the Little tern colony viewpoint.
There was plenty of Little terns flying around, but the warden informed us that they had only just started to identify nest sites.
We spent a little longer viewing the terns than we usually, so we had to think of a different place for lunch as it would take us to about 13-30 to get to our usual lunch spot near Abbey Farm.
As it was half term for most schools, there was plenty of families looking to play on the Presthaven Sands beach, but they would have to wait a while as the tide was well in at 11-45 and it would be about another half an hour before the tide started to go out.
So far, the Little terns and Skylarks were the stars, but lots of Marsh orchids were bonus.
As we approached Big Wood NR, it was a joy to se the pony and trap racing around the track, quicker than you think, making it difficult to take a decent picture.
We ended up having lunch in Big Pool Wood, where there was plenty of choice of benches and picnic tables to choose from. It was a pleasant lunch break, sitting in the sunshine and shielded from the breeze by the surrounding trees.
As ever, the paths around Kelton Farm were overgrown, resulting in some of us getting stung by Nettles.
We were hoping to see Bluebells, especially in Coed Bell, but alas we were too late and all of the Bluebells had gone to seed.
We did see a few Bluebells in flower along the track from Celston Hall Farm towards Acre Wood.
Birds seen or heard today included: Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Common blackbird, Carrion crow, Chiffchaff, Cetti warbler, Mallard Woodpigeon, Winter wren, Barn swallow, European robin, House sparrow, Common buzzard, Moorhen, Great tit, Blue tit, Mute swan, Great cormorant, Common pheasant, Lesser black back gull, Herring gull, Rook, Sedge warbler, Common starling, Skylark, Meadow pipit, Stonechat, Little egret and Little tern.
Butterflies seen included: Common blue, Small tortoiseshell, Peacock and Red admiral.
We arrived back at the car, having had a good walk, and ready for refreshments. We tried the Brit at Halkyn, but for the second time the Lees bitter tasted vinegary, so we headed to the Blue Bell where the Lees bitter and Treboom’s Welsh Sparkle went down well.

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