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When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-10 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2020:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage, Wendy Peers, Celia de Mengle, Wendy and Ian Peers, Roger Smith, Paul Collinson, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Celia de Mengle, Sue Pearson.

Thursday 13 January 2011

A Rhyl to Rhuddlan Walk 13th January 2011

Trekking across a water-loggged field, a good section on the outward journey!
The information board at our lunch spot in the new Rhuddlan Nature Reserve.
Rhuddlan Castle from our lunch spot
Route finding, a major component of today's walk!
A Kingfisher, but not the one we would have loved to see!

Walk stats: 10.9 miles; Climb:254'.
Time: 5 hours 10 minutes. On the move walk average:2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average:2.1 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Sue P., Annie H., Carol H., Sue and Dave P., Phil, Sylvia and Dave J.
Weather forecast good, dry and very warm 10+ Celsius, so we set off expecting all would be as planned. However our planned route on the Western bank of the Afon Clwyd was soon cut short with a barrier and a notice stating that the footpath was closed. This proved to be a minor hiccup as we had had our OS map experts Dave and Phil with us and they soon decided on a route to get round the problem.
A little bit of road walking and then on to Gypsy Lane, sounded good, but the tarmac soon ran out and we ended up on a green track that had been churned up by cattle, claggy mud or what, we won't be doing this route again!
The bonus of our detour was going through the new Rhuddlan Nature Reserve and having lunch using the picnic tables with a good view of the castle.
Having already reached 5 miles, it was decided that we would only walk as far as Twt Hill, but would investigate the Brickland Pool Nature Reserve on the way back. What a lovely community facility this, a credit to the foresight of the local council in improving the access to everyone in this area.
Birds seen or heard today included:House sparrow, Woodpigeon, Feral pigeon, Colared dove, Blue tit, Great tit, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Black-billed magpie, Goosander, Goldeneye, Teal, Wigeon, Blackbird , European robin, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, Common gull, Common coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Little egret, Common starling, Great cormorant and Mute swan.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Pentre Halkyn, where the Lees Bitter, as ever, was in good nick. Change of management, yes, but the beer tastes just as good!
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