Dates and Walks July 2007

Updated 27th July 2007

Thursday 5th July 2007
Tatton Park - House and Park

Distance: Unknown.

It is planned that we will visit the main house using our Tatton Park Passes or National Trust Membership Cards.

We should have enough Tatton Park Passes for all of us, if we all remember to bring them.

The visitors centre has suggested walks, so we will probably look at these before we start to explore the grounds.

Binoculars would be useful when we explore the grounds after looking around the house.

I suggest that we leave Chester at about 9-15 a.m., the gates don't open until 10-00 a.m. and we don't want to queue for them to open.

This is Dave J's birthday, so I'll bring some of my fruit cake. Let me know if you are coming so that I bring enough! We will of course be celebrating Celia's birthday too (hers was on the 1st July).

Start at Tatton Park car park. Grid ref: SJ743823.
Route to Tatton Park.
Take the A51 from Chester to Tarvin.
The A54 Tarvin to Kelsall.The A556 Kelsall to Northwhich. Follows this road beyond the M6 as far as Mere. At Mere turn right by the The Swan on to the A5034. After a mile or so turn left onto a minor road by a lodge. The entrance to Tatton Park is on the right after a little more than a mile. Tatton Park is clearly signposted from the traffic lights by the Swan.

Saturday 7th July 2007

Longendale Edges.

Distance: 12 - 13 miles. Climb: 1500'.

Start: Car park near Crowdon Youth Hostel off the A628. Grid ref: SK072994.

"Disfigured though it may be, moments of high drama still exist as this excursion illustrates". This is how Mark Richard's describes this walk.

This could be a challenging walk in terms of route finding, even getting to the start!

Thursday 12th July 2007

Around Llandegla

Distance: 10 miles. Climb: Unknown.

Start: Car park in the centre of the village of Llandegla. Grid ref: SJ197525.

To get to the car park, follow the A5014 from Chester through Saltney, Pontybodkin and across the Llandegla Moors. In Llandegla turn righ in to the village centre. The car park is on the right opposite the Post Office/Shop, behind the Bus Shelter. Take the road on the right opposite the Post Office/Shop and the entrance to the car park is on the right.

It is planned to use a walk is from a leaflet produced by Denbighshire Countryside Service and explores the area south of Llandegla/ Pen y Stryt, and extend it to about 10 miles. This will make the walk a length closer to our normal Thursday walk length. The extension will take us past the Wireless Station to Sir Watkin's Tower on Cyrn-y-Bryn. We will then descend the slopes of Cyrn-y-Bryn to the Offa's Dyke Path which we will use to return to the car park at Llandegla. I seem to be the only one that hasn't done the trek to the Wireless Station and Sir Watkin's Tower on Cyrn-y-Bryn before and it's one I've wanted to do for quote a while. It aso allows us to complete another part of the Offa's Dyke Path and Clwydian Way.

Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m., and meet in the car park at Llandegla.

Saturday 14th July 2007

Bleaklow Head and High Shelf Stones.

Distance: 8 - 9 miles (will be more if we park in a car park in Glossop which is likely!)

Start: Shepley Street, Old Glossop. Grid ref: SK954925 or the Bernard Street car Park in Glossop (Pay and display). We will decide nearer the time. It will probably be better if we go in convoy if more than one car is needed.

This walk includes part of the Pennine Way. One section to Higher Shelf Stones is described by Mark Richards as "unremitting hell". WE may prefr to stick to the Pennine Way path and miss it out! Anothe walk where gaiters and a compass may both be useful!

Thursday 19th July 2007.

The North west Moors and Cynwyd Forest.

Distance: 9-10 miles. Climb: 1500'.

Start: Corwen centre car park. Grid ref: SJ080435.

This is a variation on a walk that we have done before. This one is taken from John Tranter's book "Walks in and around the Berwyn Mountains. We could visit Moel Ferna, but this would make an extension of about 6 miles - a little too much for me. The walk description starts at Llangor church and uses the road to get there from Corwen. We will use the old railway track instead. This is the first time that I have used a walk from this book, so it will be interesting to see how easily his descriptions are to follow. I hope that they are better than his sketch maps! The walk also visits part of the Berwyns that is new to me, always an added bonus on a walk.

Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m. and meet in the car park at Corwen.

Saturday 21st July 2007 - Postponed until August

Alport Dale and the Woodlands Valley.

Distance: 12 - 13 miles. Climb: 1000' (but I expect it will be a little more!)

Start: Birchin Clough Bridge Car park. Grid ref: SE109915.

This walk visits some of the more remote and isolated regions of the High Peak. Access is still denied in some places, but the new Right to Roam Laws may have changed things by now.

Again gaiters and compasses to be recommended.

Leave Chester at 8-00 a.m.

Thursday 26th July 2007.
Cwm Dulas and Gopa Woods.

Distance: 7 miles; Climb: 1500'.

Start: Pensarn/Abergele Beach car park near the toilet block. (turn left as you go over the railway bridge by the station). Grid ref: SH942786.

This is a walk that we have done many times before, but it is one that I like. It's only 7 miles, but it will allow us the opportunity to explore an area that I have in the past was an area where access was denied. The new OS map would suggest otherwise.

Leave Chester at 9-00 a.m. and meet in the car park at Pensarn/Abergele.

Saturday 28th July 2007.
Around Lyme Park.

Distance: 10 miles; Climb: unknown.
Start: At higher Poynton visitor centre and parking close to the marina on the Macclesfield Canal.
Grid ref: SJ945833. This is just off Anson Road.
To get to the parking area. Take the A51 from Chester and then the A54 to Winsford and Holmes Chapel towards Wilmslow. Then take the A535 towards Alderley Edge and then the A5102 to Poynton. At Poynton follow the road to the east for Higher Poynton. Signs for the Anson Museum and Marina may help.
This new suggested parking place avoids the need to park in Lyme Park itself
If you are a National Trust Member bring your card, just in case we decide to explore some of Lyme Park itself.

This walk is taken from Jen Darling's book "Pub Walks in Cheshire and Wirral". Jen Darling doesn't give much help about what we might expect to see on route except for two for two Saxon cross shafts called the Bowstones. However I'm sure we'll find much more ourselves!

Leave Chester at 8-30 a.m.