A Llantysilio Walk in Search of Snowdrops 8th February 2023

St Tysilio's Church  ahead - will the Snowdrops be in bloom?

Yes they are, but a little bit of warm sunshine is needed to wakes thaem up!

Inside St Tysilio's Church.

The Horseshoe Falls.

Narrow Boats being spruced up ready for the tourist season.

Dinas Bran fromthe West.

"Last time I saw Mike for quite some time."

"Stone a crow I've gone down the wrong way"

(I think it is supposed to be a Raven!).

The view from our lunch spot.

It's all down hill from here.

Snowdrops in the grounds at St. Tysilio's Church at the end of the walk.

Walk stats:

Distance: 8.3 miles. Climb:1371'.

Time: 5 hours 1 minute. On the move akng average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk aveage: 1.6 m.p.h.

Temperature: 12.7 Celsius at luch time.

Beaufort Wind Force: 0 -2. Mainly calm, but did pick up to a light breeze as we descended from Pen-y-bryn.

Group: Martyn, Mike, Fran and Ed.

A later than usual start as one of the drivers had been to a concert in Manchester and didn't get home until the early hours of the morning.

We set off towards St. Tysilio's Church, wondering if the Snowdrops would be showing.  The ground was still frozen and arriving at the church,  the Sun's rays hadn't reached the Snowdrops, so it looked like they hadn't quite woken up!

We decided that we would revisit the church at the end of the walk.

As we varrived at Llangollen, the temperature had risen signiicantly andmost of the group shed at least one of their many layers.

Approaching Dinas Bran, two of the group decided they would extend their walk by dashing up to the top of Dinas Bran and meeting the rest of us at the Korsukud lunch spot.

As we sat at the picnic table basking in the warm sunshine with superb views over Valle Crucis Abbey.  We expected them to meet us there about twenty minutes later, but after 45 minutes we decided to try and contact them on the phone. They were still about a mile away!

Some how they lost each on Dinas Bran - both blaming the other for the mix up!

We left them to their lunch, and set off, relying on them not getting lost and catching us up a little later. They did so and caught us up just after the Britannia Inn, and returned to St. Tysilio's Church as a complet group once more.

Birds seen or heard today included: Mallard, Great cormorant, European robin, Blue tit, Commo blackbird, Common buzzard, Woodpigeon, Black billed magpie, House sparrow, Carrion crow, Raven and Common pheasant.

Overall an enjoyable walk - all that was now needed was a decent pint of beer at local hostelry.

Initially we stopped at the Bridge Inn at Pontybodkin, but alas they had run out of real ale - we didn't stop.

Eventually the Royal Oak at Kinnerton wa able to satisfy our thirst with Timothy Taylor's Landlord and packtets of Piper's Chotizo Crisps. Sitting by a roaring fire helped the fel good feeling as well.

 

Coed Pen y Garth and Nant y Pandy 28th June 2012

The Llangollen to Carrog train, from a point South west of Ty Newydd on the Coed Pen y garth Walk.

In nant Y pandy waiting for yours truly and looking at the information board while they wait!

Heading along the new section for this walk, following a vehicle track that has been nmade to reach several designated gun spots for Grouse shooting. 
Thankfully they don't seem to have been used recently!

Our favourite, Moel Ferna, but not our destination today, thankfully!

Walks stats: Distance : 9.6 miles. Climb: 1460'.

Time: 5 hours 21 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Roger Phil, David S., Celia, Sylvia and Dave J.

An uncertain weather forecast, and we were expecting showers, in fact we would have been better to have ignored that fact and to have left our waterproofs at home. Showers were mininimal and th better option would have been to carry on and leave waterproofs inour rucksak!

The first part of the walk around Coed y Penarth was new to all of us. This was a very pleasant gentle stroll and a good start to the walk. However when we strated on the path that went westward from Garth Isaf to Ty Newydd, we were challenged with hundreds of biting Horse flies and "head high" ( a slight exageration!) stinging Nettles! Thankfully the two Davids and Phil beat a way through them to the benefit of those still with bare legs!
The Nant y Pandy walk was one we have done many times before, but thsis new version went East across the moor instead of West. This proved to be a much better route than the original one that was described!
We arrived back at the car, quite tired as for much of the walk it had been very humid, and in the latter stages, the temperature must ahve been in the high twenties, not my most ideal temperature and this turned to be an 8 hankerchief walk, although I may ahve lost one on route!
Birds seen or heard today included: Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Blackcap, Common blackbird, Common buzzrard, House martin, Barn swallow, Common swift, Meadow pipit, Winter wren and Carrion crow.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at The Grouse Inn at Carrog, where the Lees bitter went down very well. I'm sure the other drinks consumed by those not able to appreciate this brew today, went down well too!