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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.

Saturday 17 March 2012

Yet Another Great Orme Walk 17th March 2012

Looking across the Conwy Estuary towards Conwy Mountain from the path above Marine Drive.
Looking towards Anglesey from the Western slopes of the Great Orme.
Looking towards Puffin Island from the Great Orme.
Violets, the flowers that Celia spotted first!
Walk stats: Distance: 8.2 miles. Climb: 1142''.
Time: 5 hours 10 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Celia.
Sunshine and showers were forecast, thankfully we only had one short shower and plenty of blue skies and sunshine.
As this was the second Saturday on the run that I had walked on the Great Orme, I decided to explore a couple of paths that we hadn't used before. The first was the path that goes from behind the west Shore Marine Drive toll house and runs parallel to the road and comes out opposite the road that leads to the gunnery site. This is a superb path and is one I would recommend over just following Marine Drive.  The second new path was the waymarked path after the road that comes down from St. Tudno's Church. a good path, but I will only use it again if we want to keep the walk to less than 10 miles.  As the group gets older, that may be soon than we would like to admit!
The sea was quite calm and at times we could see the reflection of the Conwy Mountains, the blue skies and the clouds reflected, not perfectly but still very obvious. It is days like this that makes walking around and on the Great Orme such a joy and and to be thankful that you still have the ability to get there and enjoy it!
I listened to the weather forecast and opted not to wear shorts, and was a little a little peeved when Celia decided to take off her trouser legs (only the lower half of course).
Lunch was taken, quite early, just after 12-00, using the picnic tables North of the summit on Great Orme.
Thankfully it was only 10 minutes after lunch that we experienced the first and only rain shower that lasted about 15 minutes.
Birds seen and heard today included: Pied wagtail, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Mute swan, Oystercatcher, Herring gull, Red-billed chough, House sparrow, Blue tit, Great tit, Winter wren, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Raven, Fulmar, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Great black-backed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Guillemot, Greenfinch, Stonechat, Blackbird, Great cormorant, European robin, Woodpigeon, Dunnock and Kittewake.
A lovely walk. I think I'm getting to like these 8 milers!
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn, Celia with her San Miguel and me with with my Lees bitter, and of course "we" were able to watch Wales on their way to a yet another grand slam victory!

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