Around Conwy Mountain and More 16th September 2023

Is this what they mean by Welsh Tourism Tax?

One view of Conwy Castle.

Conwy harbour.

Little egret in Conwy Harbour.

The Great Orme from Conwy Muntain.

Ling on Conwy Mountain. 

A yacht passing Deganwy - seen from Conwy Mountain.

Three of the Welsh mountain ponies seen today on Conwy Mountain.

The parting of the ways!

The North Wales Path , my choice today.

It's not looking good in that part of the Conwy valley!

More of the North Wales Path.

A distant Common kestral and one even furher away!

Is it the sea I can hear or is it the traffic along the A55?

Just testing my camera on the moving option - did it work?

Atmospheric view from our lunch spot.

Another atmospheric view from our lunch spot.

"I don't believe it, Llyn y Wrach really is a lake".

A painted stone in the middle of Llyn y Wrach, but did a real live one visit this lake for a drink?

The only foal that we saw on Conwy Mounttain, but I think he/she is last ryear's model,

It makes a change to see a Llama rather tha a sheep or a pony!

A glimpse of an impressive estate house in the Conwy Valley.

Walk Stats:
Distance: 8.3 miles. Climb: 1453’. (8.1 m.p.h. 1236’)
Time: 4 hours 54 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. (2.2 m.p.h,)
Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h. (1.6 m.p.h.)
Temperature: At 17.2 Celsius at the start. 16.6 Celsius on Conwy Mountain. 18.2 Celsius at lunch.
Beaufort Wind force: 0 – 2. Mainly calm /light air, but briefly reached a 5.5 m.p.h. light breeze as we headed towards Llyn y Wrach.
Group: Martyn and Mike.
A later than usual start as we decided to call in at Hammer and Tongs at Broughton to see if they had small washing up bowls, They did, we both, bought one, but when I got home, it was hardly any smaller than the one I already had!
The forecast for today was pretty good in that was only a 10% chance of rain. The forecast did suggest that it could be misty, but we didn’t expect it to last all day as it did over Tal-y-Fan.
Thankfully for us in the main it was pleasantly cool just about perfect for walking. Hopefully Fran’s little do just outside Caernarfon was just as good.
As is my want these days I allowed Mike to climb over Caer Seion while I took the lower North Wales Path.
Without anyone to slow him down, Mike got to the rendezvous point first!
Our lunch spot was the usual spot overlooking the Fairy Glen.
After lunch we headed past Llyn y Wrach, for once was in fact a “lake”.
The walk from here was just a gentle stroll back to Conwy, anticipating refreshing pint at the Albion in Conwy. It didn’t disappoint!
Birds seen or heard today included: Common kestrel. Mute swan, Common redshank, Mallard, Little egret, Herring gull, Red billed chough, Black billed magpie, Raven, and Meadow pipit.
Overall another enjoyable walk around Conwy Mountain.

Around Bryn Alyn and Eryrys13th September 2023

A time to pause in Big Covert west of Burley Hill Quarry.

Burley Hill Quarry through th trees.

Part of the Clwydian Hills seen from the easr of Burley Hill Quarry.

We don't have to keep to coviddSocial distancing jst yet!

Burley Hill Quarry from the northern slopes of Bryn Alyn.

Moel Famau from the northern slopes of Bryn Alyn.

At our lunch spot south eat of Bryn Alyn.

Which way to Eryrys?

Gleaning finished in Nercwys Forest!

At the trig point on Nercwys Mountain.

At the trig point on Nercwys Mountain.

This is the path we want!

Moel Famau from the path on the way to Fron Deg.

Not the type pe of plane you expect to see flying over the Clwydians!

Spot the bus stop - that's where our car is parked!

Using the new gate leading to the road at Brybn-yr-orsedd.

And there are steps and a hand rail to help as well!

Even the awkward stile leading to the layby had been replaced by a nice new gate.

Walk Stats:

Distance: 9.7 miles. Climb: 1634’. (9.7 m.p.h. 1390’)

Time: 5 hours 54 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. (1.9 m.p.h,)

Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h. (1.6 m.p.h.)

Temperature: At 19.2 Celsius at lunch. 17.8 Celsius at the end of the walk.

Beaufort Wind force: 0 – 2. Mainly Calm /light air, but briefly reached a 4.8 m.p.h. light breeze as we climbed up the path on the north east slopes of Bryn Alyn.

Group: Martyn, Mike, Sue and Michel.

The forecast for today was pretty good; in fact it was pretty well perfect for walking – not too hot and very occasionally a gentle cooling breeze.

At the start, we had to suffer walking along the main road as far as Llanferres where we picked up a track taking us towards Maeshafn.

Although the Sun was shining it wasn’t long before we were walking along forest tracks through Big Covert to Maeshan. It was a very pleasant walking in the shade of the trees.

We were a little later getting to the start to the walk, so we knew we wouldn’t make it to the usual lunch spot in Nercwys Forest. As we climbed the slopes of Bryn Alyn we were on the lookout for a suitable spot to stop for lunch.

After deciding to reverse our usual route to Nercwys Forest, we soon found a suitable spot in an area that looked as though it had been part mining explorations. Plenty of stones to sit on and sheltered from any breeze.

At Eryrys we took the lanes to link with our usual path to Nercwys Forest. It turned out to be a good route to take – ripe Damsons on a roadside tree forced to stop for a while!

Later on as we crossed the cleared section of Nercwys Forest, it was ripe Blackberries and Bilberries that delayed us!

We failed to spot the path to Fron Deg that we really wanted and ended up doing an unintentional extension to the trig point on Nercwys Mountain (something I had wanted to do for some time.

We eventually got back on track and were soon descending the steep track to the road at Bryn-yr-orsedd and that awkward stile to negotiate.

We didn’t need to worry as the stile had been replaced by a new easy to use gate with steps and hand rail leading down to the road.

We arrived back at the car having had a really enjoyable walking and looking forward to some liquid refreshments at a suitable hostelry.

Birds seen or heard today included: Common buzzard, Wood nuthatch, Dunnock, Barn swallow (must be one of the last to still be here), Eurasian jay, Sparrowhawk, Jackdaw, Tufted duck and Meadow pipit.

It was disappointing to find the Druids Inn at Llanferres closed so we ended up defaulting to Fran’s choice and headed to the Glasfryn! As usual some enjoyed Purple Moose’s Cwrw Eryri and one enjoyed a Brimstage Brewery’s New Zealand Pale Ale. One person enjoyed a pot of tea, but alas it lacked a tot of whisky!

Esclusham Mountain and Around Minera Mountain 2nd September 2023

Minera Lead Mines (Visitor Centre on the right).

St. Mary's Church, Minera (viewed from the railway track leading to Minera Quarry).

A row of lime kilns, east of Minera Limestone Qarry.

Not a lot of water in the stream emerging from Minera Limestone Quarry.

Minera Limestone Quarry (northern section).

Minera Limestone Quarry (southern section) see from the Nature Reserve.

Minera Quarry Nature Reserve Notice Board.

Another part of the Minera Quarry Nature Reserve.

Looking northwards towards Minera Quarry.

At the trig point on Esclusham Mountain.

Esclusham Mountain decked in flowering heather (Ling).

The view from our lunch spot at the Minera Mountain Lime kiln.

The remains of the Minera Mountain Lime kiln with its choice of perching stones.

Part of the boggy pah we had to follow.

"Are you sure this is the way?"

Happy to have escaped not just the bull but everything since Fron-deg!

Ed enjoying the view from the viewpoint

Hold your breath here it comes!

The view across the valley from the viewpoint.

Was the extension of the walk to visit the viewpoint worth really wortyh the effort?

Walk Stats:
Distance: 7.8 miles. Climb: 991’. (7.1 miles. 694’)
Time: 4 hours 53 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. (2.1 m.p.h,)
Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h. (1.6 m.p.h.)
Temperature: At 19.2 – 22.5 Celsius
Beaufort Wind force: 0 – 2. Mainly Calm /light air, but briefly reached a 4.5 m.p.h. light breeze.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
The forecast for today was pretty good, hence switching to the Minera Mountain walk from the Minera Lead Mine Visitor Centre.
It was somewhat overcast to start with and distant views were very hazy, but at least it made it more a pleasant temperature as we climbed through the quarries to Esclusham Mountain.
After visiting the Esclusham Mountain trig point, we followed the track south westward until me met the usual track leading to Fron-deg.
Lunch was taken at the remains of an old lime kiln where there were plenty of suitable stones on which to sit.
So far this had been a really enjoyable walk, giving us some different views of the Minera Limestone Quarry.
After lunch greater challenges were going to test us. We knew about the boggy track down to Fron-deg, but getting from Fron-deg to New Brighton on what on the OS Map looked like a good route, was anything but!
Waterlogged tracks, paths through waist high bracken (most not on the OS Map, but going in the direction we wanted to go), awkward stiles and even a large bull on one of the paths (thankfully it watched pass by and then wandered off in the opposite direction).
We arrived back the cars, thankful that our challenges were over for the day, particularly as the temperature felt as though it was in the mid-twenties, not pleasant to be walking in for any length of time.
It was only 14-45, so we decided to take off our boots and sweaty shirts before visiting the Minera Lead Mine Visitor Centre. Although it was open when we passed it on the way to the cars, by the time got to the door at 14-55 it had closed (35 minutes earlier than on the notice board!)
Birds seen or heard today included: Black billed magpie, House martin, Black billed magpie, House sparrow, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Woodpigeon, Red grouse, Stonechat, Meadow pipit and Common buzzard.
Another return route to cross off and the challenge to find a better route from Esclusham Mountain back to the Minera Lead Mine Visitor Centre Car Park still remains.