Around Bosley Cloud 17th February 2018

The Cloud approaching from the East.

Croker Hill and Sutton Common from the East side of The Cloud.

Croker Hill and Sutton Common from the trig point on The Cloud.

Looking towards Jodrell bank from  the trig point on The Cloud.

On the Gritstone trail heading towards Timberbrook.

Ongoing works on the Macclesfield Canal.

This beats any mud experienced before this year.

The end of our diversions - or so we thought!

Part of a wonderful bank of Snowdrops next to the Macclesfield canal North east of Buglawton.

The Cloud from the Macclesfield Canal.

Croker Hill and Sutton Common from the Dane valley Way South of Bosley Locks.

St. Mary the Virgin Church at Bosley.

Walk stats: Distance: 8.8 mile. Climb: 1139'.

Time: 5 hours 30 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn and Celia.

Arriving at Bosley, it was still raining, so we sat in the car for about 15 minutes waiting for the rain to stop. Just as the weather forecast had suggested, just after 10-00 it did, so we put on our boots and set off. We had seen the last of the rain for the day, and were blessed with long spells of warm sunshine, particularly after lunch.

 The challenge for today was MUD, the worst that I have experienced since one of our infamous trips to Derbyshire!

 As we reached the top of The Cloud, the views opened up and we even saw Pale Heights on the other side of the Cheshire Plain. 

 Lunch was taken in our usual spot just before joining the Macclesfield Canal. Thankfully the fallen trees at this point were still there and we had a good place to sit as w were serenaded by the local birds - mainly Blue tits and great tits.

 After lunch we had our major challenge getting through the deep mud to reach the footbridge over the canal. At one point I struggled to pull my foot out of the mud and as we crossed the bridge everything from now on would be easy. However we had been warned that one section of the towpath was closed and a short diversion through Eastern edge of Buglawton would take us around the problem. A couple in the housing estate gave us direction, so we didn't have to resort to real map reading!

 The last few miles were done in really warm sunshine, warm enough for we to walk in my short sleeve shirt.

 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Pied wagtail, Common starling, Common buzzard, Jackdaw, Mallard, Moorhen, Blue tit, Great tit, Common chaffinch, Wood nuthatch, Winter wren and Rook.

  Overall a an enjoyable walk, especially if you blot out memories of MUD!

 I must remember t put this walk on a dry Summer day when the muddy areas would be less challenging.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Farmers Arms at Kelsall, where Weetwood's Cheshire Cat was h bet real ale on offer. One point to note, we found out that on a Wednesday the open at 15-00 - anew target for our walk from Gresty's Waste next week!

East of Holywell and More 14th February 2014

Dancing through Cefn-y-coed or is it just a mud dance?

Hilbre just coming into view.

Ed on the secateurs.

And that's the way we wanted to go, but no-one was willing to test the water!

The Millenium welsh dragon beacon at Bettisfield - a view that we hadn't seen before.

The stile is there somewhere.

Yes that is where the stile came out!

Our lunch spot adjacent to the Bettisfield Car Park.

Don't ask!

Daffodils in flower at Bettisfield car park.

Abundant Gorse in flower.

This is it then, the tunnel! What tunnel?

This tunnel.

Dee Quay and the flow of water gushing out of the tunnel.

Boats in Dee Quay.

Shelduck and Oystercatchers on the river bank.

Great cormorants and Oystercatchers on the river bank.

Looking East towards Bettisfield.

Greenfield Dock.

Walk stats: Distance: 7.8 miles. Climb: GPS wind assisted reading 1573'. Memory Map route estimate: 870' -  a more realistic value for the level of climb done.

Time: 4 hours 53 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Roger, David S and Ed.

The weather forecast suggested that it would be windy and cold, but there was good chance that we would escape any significant precipitation. In fact we had a few minutes when hail encouraged us to wrap up well before setting off and didn't get anything else. At times it felt quite warm, when the wind eased or we were in a sheltered spot.

 As expected we did test our boots in terms of how they could cope with mud and soggy wet fields, but to  my surprise the soles had no mud left when I came to wash them later on. A quick 10 minute wash and wipe were all they needed.

 Our best views were after emerging from Cefn-y-coed, where we could clearly see across the Dee estuary towards Hilbre Island and the Wirral. At one point Liverpool's Anglican cathedral could be clearly seen on the horizon.

 Soon after taking the path at Cefn Smallholdings, we encountered the first problem, but Ed deftly used a pair of secateurs to open up a way through.

 Several paths had the potential of being flooded and causing us to rethink our options, but today it a minor road at Ffordd-y-Dre that was flooded.

 We decide to head towards Pentre Bagillt to pick up another path that would lead us to a point where we could rejoin the original route or head for the coast.

 It wasn't long before we encountered another stile totally overgrown with Holly and decide this needed more that secateurs and retraced our steps until we could enter the field at another spot.

 By now most of us had decided that the walk planned for the afternoon, wasn't going to happen, so we headed for the coast at the Bettisfield Colliery site (now a car scrap yard). As it was after 12-00, we decided to have lunch, where we spotted some concrete blocks in a nearby wooded area that meant we had a dry place to sit and were sheltered from the wind. We could even train spot at the same time, if we were so inclined.

 Just after lunch David spotted a sign for the Milwr Tunnel, and mentioned he had always wondered where it came out on the coast - it wasn't long before we were to find out.

 After visiting "happy bushes", we ended up exploring the coastal flood plain North and west of Dee Quay, before rejoining the official Coastal Path to Greenfield Dock.

 The last part of our walk took us through the Greenfield Heritage Park along the old railway track back to Holywell. As we headed down Halkyn Street, a local resident stopped us and explained that she was in dispute with a neighbour about Footpath 10 that had been going on for many years.

  Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, House sparrow, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Black-billed magpie, Common redshank, Oystercatcher, Common coot, Black-headed gull, Goldfinch, Grey heron, Mallard, Lapwing, Great cormorant, Herring gull, Common starling and Wood nuthatch.

 We arrived back at the car, having had a varied and at times with unexpected challenges. Although the walk was slightly shorter than planned, our legs still knew that they had been on a good walk -  extra mileage wasn't necessary!

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at home, for me after cleaning boots, a cup of tea with a dash of whiskey added.

Northop Hall,Wepre Park and Ewloe Green 10th February 2018

St. Mary's Church, Northop Hall.

The footpath through Coed Moch.

A few Crocus flowering in Wepre Country Park.

"Are you sure this is the way to the waterfall?"

The waterfall.

The boardwalk along the West side of Wepre Brook.

Ewloe Castle and our lunch spot.

Crossing a trinutary of Wepre Brook on our way to Castle Hill Farm.

Snowdrops on the verge in Green Lane.

Is this a first - a chimp on top of the gate post.

Catkins out - another sign of Spring.

From a chimp to a monkey!

Walk stats: 7.7 miles.  Climb: 668'.

(8.2 miles and 708' if you include the walk up the hill to the Top Monkey and back to the cars).

Time: 4 hours 10 minutes (Time in the Top Monkey not included!)

Group: Martyn and Ed.

The weather forecast for Bangor was for heavy rain all day, but Ed spotted that there was a window of "not so wet" forecast for parts of Flintshire and suggested we have a walk starting from Northop Hall.

 This we did, setting off from the Institute Lane car park just as the rain stopped. It didn't last and as we headed along the path through Coed Moch, we were accompanied by very light drizzle. At this point it seemed very warm, almost "boil in bag" syndrome in  my Winter Paramo gear. 

 Singing birds seemed to be everywhere on the the walk, reminding us that Spring is on its way.

 Arriving at Wepre Park, the rain stopped - feeling on the warm  side our only problem. the ambient  for the rest of the walk must have been in double figures, especially when the Sun began to shine.

 After following Ed's rather circuitous  route we eventually arrived at the waterfall on Wepre Brook.  Our route then took along the boardwalk on the West side of Wepre Brook before climbing to Ewloe Castle where we found part of the wall a suitable place to sit a we had lunch, serenaded by Blue tits and Great tits.

 Once we left Wepre Park, most of our walk was along roads, but at least the busy ones had pavements and we knew mud wasn't going to be a problem. 

 Green Lane and Magazine Lane were very quiet lanes and where we came across the entrance to a property that had chimpanzees sitting on top of the gate posts. 

 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Blue tit, Great tit, Long-tailed tit, Black-billed magpie, Eurasian jay, Wood nuthatch, European robin, Woodpigeon and Rook.

 We arrived back at the cars, having had a good walk, when at one time we thought we wouldn't get a walk in at all.

 Although we thought the walk had made us tireder than we should, we decided to walk up the road to the nearest hostelry, rather than take the cars.

 After seeing chimps earlier, it seemed appropriate that we should call in at the Top Monkey for refreshments before heading home. I enjoyed my Pepsi while Ed enjoyed a Hobgoblin (not my favourite real ale - hence the Pepsi)

A Red Fox Adventure and Harris Hikers Annual Walkers Meal 7th February 2018

The start and finish of our walk today.

Looking across the green at Thornton Hough..

The  smithy's workshop at Thornton Hough.

St., George's United Reform Church, Thornton Hough.

The parish church  of All Saints Church, Thornton Hough.

Our first opportunity of to negotiate mud,

The parish church  of All Saints Church, Thornton Hough - round two.

Our second chance to negotiate a very muddy section.

Walk stats: Distance: 6.0 miles. Climb:126'.

Time: 3 hours 3 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.h Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h. 

Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Annie, Nigel T, Celia and Wendy.

Joining us for the meal: David S and Anne, Naomi D, Dave and Sylvia.
It is always good to catch up with our friends that have walked with us in the past, but that for one reason or other have been unable to do so in more recent times.

 On Monday I confirmed a table for 23, by 09-00 today, circumstances meant we were down to just twelve for the meal!

 Just seven of us set off on the walk, the smallest number ever for our Annual Walkers Meal, but on such a glorious day we knew we would enjoy it.

 This was quite a pleasant low level walk, and we didn't anticipate ant problems and we had been warned that places could be muddy. However we didn't expect it o be so muddy!

 The walk went through the delightful village of Thornton Hough with its village green (and PCs still open) and the black and white cottages typical of the area.

 our first encounter with muddy paths came as we left Thornton Hough for Brimstage.  Some managed to escape into the nearby field and in so doing limited their challenge.

 Eventually we arrived back at Thornton Hough, we most of us stopped for drinks (Not art the Star), while  Celia decide to go into the United Reform Church.

 The described route mow involved retracing our step along Liverpool Road  to the Red Fox. As every walker knows if you have an OS Map you look for ways to avoid this heinous crime!

 We decide to the best option was to take the Raby Road and follow a path that led straight from Raby back to the Red Fox. A good idea, but a big mistake! This was a path that could rightly challenge for "muddiest path on the Wirral".

 I ended up well in front at this point, as I had been going as fast as I could to avoid hearing any whinges coming from the following troops!

 We arrived back the car, a little later than planned, but had had a good walk in warm sunshine, so warm that for the last couple of miles I walked in a short sleeved shirt having put my Winter jacket in my rucksack.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Common starling, Rook, House sparrow, Jackdaw, Common buzzard, Herring gull, Black-headed gull, Lapwing, Carrion crow, Woodpigeon, Common chaffinch, Common blackbird and Common kestrel.

 Our experience at the Red Fox today was excellent from the bar staff and the young lady that took charge of our table. The way she took our orders and kept track of our orders was the best I have experienced in any of these Brunning and Price establishments. We all enjoyed our meal choices and were in agreement when I suggested that there was a good chance we would go to the Red Fox for our Annual Meal in 2019.

 On this occasion I enjoyed one or two of their real ciders, but Facer's Sunshine Bitter went down well with others. I'm sure Celia was happy with the choice of lagers too!

 A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the card and towards the generous cash gift, very welcome as I have just bought a set of printer ink cartridges.

 Arriving home, I discovered that my boots weren't as muddy as I had expected, but I'll still leave it until tomorrow before I clean them!