Around Minera Mountain 10th June 2026

The start of our walk today.

"Fran you are going the wrong way!"

It's the Buttercup season

Red clover is doing well here too/

Ragged robin next to the path in Minera Mines Country Park.

Common spotted orchid next to the path in Minera Mines Country Park.

Foxgloves showing well

Guinea fowl, but they ae not included on the birds seen today.

So this is the Nature Reserve.

Lime kilns near the Minera Quarry,

Minera Quarry.

"Come on, can't you go quicker?"

"Mum, reading the notice is easier in English."

Just in case you wanted to read it as well.

Another view of the Minera Quarry.

Bird's foot trefoil in the field as we approached Minera Mountain.

Guess what, I can see Moel Famau!

A helicopter coining into land.

Approaching the trig point on Esclusham Mountain

Arriving at the trig point on Esclusham Mountain.

Hold on to your hats!

Annie with her patient friend on Approaching the trig point on Esclusham Mountain

The disused mine area on Minera Mountain.

Another view of the disused mine area on Minera Mountain.

Walking through the bracken.

Fran says "Is this they we should be looking after the environment?"

Nearly back on track to the path leading to Fron Deg.

Not the easiest gate to negotiate!

Ox-eye daisies at the Minera Lead Mine Centre.

Distance: 6.9 miles. Climb1037’.
Time: 4 hours 36 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walking average: 1.5 m.p.h.
Temperature: 112.6 -13.7 Celsius.
Beaufort Wind Force: 3-4, mainly a Gentle breeze, but reached a 17.2 m.p.h. Moderate breeze near the trig point om Minera Mountain.
Group: Martyn, Mike, Fran, Annie and cockerpoo.
The weather forecast wasn’t brilliant, and we were anticipating frequent showers, possibly heavy.
We thought we had got away with it, but with less than a mile to go we had a downpour that made some of us grateful that we were sheltered enough to use our umbrellas!
We had a similar downpour just as we arrived back at the cars, one of the worst times for it to rain!
This was another day when natures the beauty showed well with lots of spring / summer flowers evident.
We saw plenty of Common sotted orchids, but they couldn’t match the splendour of the orchids seen last Saturday.
Route finding was easy s far as the trig point on Esclusham Mountain, but after that, it became more of a challenge!
We set off on what looked like a path that would be a short cut to the path we wanted that would lead to Fron Deg. Alas it ended up being a challenging tramp across bilberry and bracken terrain, at one point even Annie’s dog decided to lay down for a rest!
Lunch was taken much later than usual, as we all wanted put the moorland challenges behind us before relaxing at lunch.
It was 13-30 before we had lunch, and even Fran had only asked once “when are we stopping for lunch?” Outputs from Solar panels never even mentioned!
Luch was taken near Fron Deg, where all four of us manage to sit on a stile.
After lunch, we decide that the easiest option was to return to the start by using several sections of roads as well as on section of field paths.
Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, Common pheasant, Chiffchaff, Winter wren, Great tit, Willow warbler, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Carrion crow, House sparrow, Jackdaw and Eurasian curlew.
We arrived back at the cars, having had an enjoyable walk (for some), and worthy of celebrating at the Pant yr Ochain with a pint of Titanic s Plum Porter and a Guinness Zero (Chilli crisps included!).
However, I don’t think this route across Mineral Mountain will be repeated!