Morda Valley and the Welsh Borders 8th October 2016

Autumnal colours.

Bracket fungi.

The view from our lunch spot - part of the Berwyns.

The first stones we came across, Worth sitting down and admiring the view.

The view towards the Llantyslio Mountains.

More fungi.

Another view of the Berwyns.

A Common buzzard.

"I've got my eye on you!".

Walk stats: Distance: 11.8 miles. Climb: 1080'.

Time: 6 hours 27 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walking average: 1.8  m.p.h.

Group: Martyn and LeRoi Walwen.

I wasn't expecting to get a walk today, as I thought that I was going to be "Billy No Mates" again after the intervention of a couple of tickets for the Rugby League Grand Final. However Le Roi came to my rescue and saved me from a bus trip to Holywell and a Wetherspoon breakfast. Instead I had to cook my own breakfast.

This turned out to be another good day for walking, rather overcast, but hardly any wind and not at all cold. 

This wasn't the best walk that we have done in this area, but did provide a good day's out and the nominally nine mile walk, ended being nearly 12 miles, thanks to talking too much at crucial times on route.

 The start of the walk was along Offa's Dyke Path on pleasant tracks, some on woodland edges, but we didn't get any real views until lunch time and after lunch as we started to cross moorland.

 Distant views included the Berwyns, the Llantyslio Mountains and Llandegla Moors.

  We didn't see that many people on route, although a car full of young women started to come up the track behind us, hoping to get to ride horses near Glyn Ceiriog. We pointed out that the road ahead came to an end just further on and that they were in fact in the wrong valley. Hopefully they would eventually get there in time to have a ride on a horse.

 Later on we met a young family, just have an afternoon out and pointed out the house where they lived. They even said we went past and knocked on the door that they would make us a cup of tea.

 Having retraced out route, we actually went past the drive to their house, but I think they would have been shocked had we called in.

 Not many birds seen or heard today, although we did see quite a lot of Ravens. Other birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Meadow pipit, Wood nuthatch, Common starling, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Mistle thrush, Eurasian jay and Common buzzard.

 I'm sure we will repeat this walk, but perhaps from a different start point, using the Old Race Course car park instead of the Craignant Car Park and Picnic site.

A Tarporley Round 6th October 2016

Words of Wisdom above a door at Eaton, presumably it was originally the manse.

Follow the leader, I thought it only applied to Sheep and I can't remember the last time walkers did!

Our lunch spot at Utkinton.

Distant views of Beeston and Peckforton.

This is one Shrew that won't complete the Sandstone Trail.

Looking South towards Beeston Castle from the Sandstone Trail, just before leaving it to head for Tarporley.

Our first encounter with a field of Maize, but at least there was a clear path through it.

Approaching St. Helen's Church, Tarporley, but not towards the main entrance.

The ornate preaching cross in the grounds of St. Helen's Church Tarporley?

Walk stats: Distance: 10.1 miles. Climb: 651'.

Time: 5 hours 17 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, David S., Wendy and Paul.

This proved to be a lovely day for walking, feeling much warmer than the forecast and the cool wind didn't really materialise.

  As usual we didn't find the way across the Tarporley golf course easy, but it would have helped had we read the route description a little more carefully. In any case a friendly golfer put us right.

 Conditions under foot were good, even those places that at other times of the year had very obviously been very muddy.

 Lunch was taken at Utkinton where we took advantage of two benches, one in the Sun and the other in shade, but both needing care to ensure that your head wasn't "tickled" by the Holly bushes behind!

 As we approached the Sandstone Trail our first views of Beeston Castle and was soon to be a good reminder that we were heading in the right direction.

 Everyone at some point sampled the occasional Blackberry,  finding them ripe and sweet to taste.

 We arrived back at the car park, just after three, knowing that we had been on a good walk and ready for that refreshing drink in the Rising Sun, Tarporley. In this case a pint of Wizard.

 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Woodpigeon, European robin, Mallard, Chaffinch, Coot, Moorhen, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Winter wren, Eurasian jay and Common buzzard.

 In future I must remember that this walk is best completed at this time of the year, and not in wet Winter months.

Newtown Mountain Forest, Cae-llwyd and Ty Mawr Reservoirs 29th September 2016

Bethlehem Chapel, Rhosllanerchrugog at the start of the walk.

The woodland path heading North from Penycae.

The path from Newtown Mountain Forest leading to open moorland.

Buarth-yr-yd ahead.

What can we se on the horizon?

Frodsham and Helsby Hills on the left.

One or two Starlings having a rest and thinking about starting a murmeration.

Ty Mawr Reservoir from our lunch spot.

End of lunch overlooking Ty Mawr Reservoir.

If you're lost follow the sheep!

Back on track.

Autumnal colours starting to appear.

A closer look at the Autumnal colour of the leaves.

A Mosaic at Rhos celebrating various ages, but they seem to have missed out Tim's. 

Walk stats: Distance: 9.4 miles. Climb: 1201'.

Time: 5 hours 20 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Sue and Michel, Roger, Wendy, David S and Tim.

The weather today was probably the best that we had when completing this combination of walks from Rhosllanerchrugog, and definitely the driest underfoot.

 We experienced mainly blue skies and sunshine and at times quite blustery winds that felt cool whenever the Sun disappeared behind clouds, 

 At various high points, the views, particularly across the Cheshire Plain and towards the Wrekin and the Long Mynd, were excellent.

 Lunch was taken from a point between Cae-Llwyd Reservoir and Ty Mawr Reservoir. The latter appearing bright blue. Both reservoirs, particularly Cae-llwyd seemed to have much less water in than usual.

 Tim surprised us by producing some superb hazel nut and chocolate biscuits, and when pressed admitted that it was his birthday and only one more to go before a really special one!

 Fortified by the extra energy from the biscuits, short cuts were no longer an option, and we headed off the loop that climbed through moorland to Fron Deg.

 We arrived back at the car, having had a delightful walk, proclaiming that it should be repeated again at this time of the year or maybe in Summer.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Common starling, Barn swallow, Carrion crow, Black-billed magpie, Woodpigeon, Common buzzard, Goldfinch, Grey wagtail and Dipper.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Pant yr Ochain, where Purple Moose, Snowdonia Ale and Titanic Stout were sampled.

The Roaches, Lud's Church and the Black Brook Valley 24th September 2016

The pinnacles on Hen Cloud, but not to be visited on the walk today.

A Kestrel hunting on the fields next to Windygates farm.

Amongst the rocks at the Southern end of the Roaches.

A plaque to commemorate the visit of royalty.

Apparently he was part of German nobility and the the father of Queen Mary.

Doxy Pool on the Roaches.

At the trig point on the Roaches.

At the trig point on the Roaches.

Bosley Cloud framed by Gritstone pinnacles on the Roaches.

The Hanging Stone seen from the Northern end of the Roaches.

The Northern entrance to Lud's Church, now with a  boardwalk.

The Black Brook Valley from South east of the Roaches School near Roach End.

The final approach towards the Roaches at the end of the walk.

Walk stats: Distance: 9.6 miles. Climb: 1507'.(Wind assisted GPS reading 2194')

Time: 6 hours 11 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.5 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn. Mike and Celia.

It looked like being a good day for walking, except the predicted gusts of up to 40 m.p.h. were a little worrying. Thankfully they never did get that strong, although around mid-day they could be described as on the strong side. Temperatures were pleasantly warm, even the wind and views in all directions were really good.

 Like the Prince and Princess of Teck, we too visited Doxy Pool and Lud's Church, Mike even sat in the "Queen's Chair", shaped out of the rock adjacent to the commemorative plaque.

 Walking along the ridge of the Roaches is always good, where you feel on top of the world, especially as you can clearly see the valleys on each side as we could today.

 All of the  Cheshire Plain with Bosley Cloud and Shutlingsloe standing proud highlighted our view from the trig point on the Roaches.

 Lunch was taken, near the junction of paths, one leading to Gradbach and the other to Lud's Church, where an a small outcrop of Gritstone provided us with suitable resting places. This outcrop is apparently called Castle Rock. This is a location that we have used before as a lunch spot.

 On this occasion, we decided to miss out the path through Lud's Church and instead took the path its  Northern side,  leading Gradbach Wood.

  This was only the third time that we have done this walk that descended in to the Black Brook Valley on the Eastern side of the Roaches, a valley that appears like a hidden valley, the more

you descend down to the river.

  On reaching the road near Hazel Barrow Farm, the route back seems a long way away, especially as the Roaches and Hen Cloud cannot bee seen.

 On following the track to Well Farm the Roaches soon come into view after leaving the track on to the moorland path. The last half a mile now seemed much shorter and we would soon be able to sample that perfect pint at the Wilkes Head, Leek - pint of Hartington Bitter, the best bitter in the world.

 Birds seen or heard today included: Common kestrel, Meadow pipit, Carrion crow, Winter wren, Raven and Barn swallow.

A Ceiriog Trail North of Rhiwlas 22nd September 2016

The River Ceiriog at Pontricket.

A lesson in map reading?

Unexpected rock cliffs North of Cwmclwyd.

Looking West Nant Llechwedd-gwyn towards the Ceiriog Valley as we ascend the Lower Ceiriog Trail / Upper Ceiriog Way past Springhill Wood.

.Rowen with abundant fruit. glistening in the bright sunshine.

A suitable spot to to wait for the photographer and have a drink at the same rime or eve adjust one's.attire to suit the ambient temperature!

The Berwyns from the Upper Ceiriog Way North of Foel Rhiwlas.

The panorama from South west of Pen y Gwely just before our lunch spot.

An abandoned plough next to the path heading down towards Rhiwlas.

A gate that we had hoped to go through, but without a machete at hand we had to make a slight detour.

Foel Rhiwlas seen the North west. 

Walk stats: 7.3 miles. Climb: 1136'.

Time: 4 hours 59 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.5 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Roger, Celia, Wendy and Phil.

Overall this proved to a good day for walking, plenty of sunshine and only a gentle breeze that occasionally make us feel on the cool whenever the clouds blocked out the Sun. Thankfully that didn't happen often.

 The walk in the morning was superb, starting on a delightful path through woodland towards Pont-y-Melbion. As we climbed up the  Nant Llechwedd-gwyn Valley we had delightful views towards the Ceiriog Valley and once we had climbed to the top of the Nant Llechwedd-gwyn Valley  the views towards the Berwyns couldn't be bettered.

 Lunch was taken just South of Pen y Gwely, where the remains of an old stone wall made convenient perching spots with fine views of the Berwyns to look at and the warm sunshine on our backs.

 The section of path on the East side of Foel Rhiwlas presented us with one or two problems and will be missed out on any future walk in this area. This will probably be sooner rather than later, maybe in November or December of this year,

At the end of the walk Roger commented on the fact that we had been stopped for 90 minutes or more, but looking back we stopped a fair while to allow a farmer to drive his flock of sheep along the trial first, then waited while three horse riders went through a gate before we closed it, and of course there was our lunch stop that now seems to last for at least 30 minutes and that's before you take in to account stops to look at the map, admire the view or visit happy bushes!

 Birds seen or heard today included: Coal tit, Common blackbird, Common pheasant, Goldfinch, Barn swallow, Rook, Common buzzard, Black-billed magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion crow and Wood pigeon.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Pant-yr-Ochain at Gresford where a brew from the Stonehouse Brewery went down well.