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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 2 May 2013

Maen Achwyfan And More 2nd may 2013

The watch tower on the North side of Coed y Garreg.
"Where have you been, I've been here for ages!"
Ffriddoedd wood, North east of Maen Achwfan.
Maen Achwyfan, stone cross dating from about 1000 AD.
This would have been a better meeting point, a seat with a view.
Alas too early for lunch!
Once one of the worst stiles you could ever come across, now one of the best.
Congratulations to the local council the work done making this stile so good in every way.
Not Bluebells, but at least the Wood anemone were in flower.
A Bluebell, thinking about coming into flower.
After a Cuckoo, this bird had no chance of being the bird of the day!
Walk stats: distance: 10.6 miles. Climb: 690'.
Time: 6 hours 3 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Phil, David S., Annie and Wendy.
What a glorious bright and sunny day this turned out to be, why did we bother to carry our waterproofs with us!
Having sprained my ankle walking last Saturday, I was a little concerned that I would be able to complete the walk, but after heeding Anne Savage's advice I wore a tubular bandage (double) and it gave my ankle the support that it needed, Thanks Anne, I do as I'm told occasionally.
This was supposed to be a the first of our Bluebell wood walks, but alas none were to be seen, but the Wood anemone and Celandine  and even Primroses were blooming well. 
Even the Cowslips were out on the banks alongside the A55 as we went home.
The views from the higher ground by the watch tower were superb, with Liverpool cathedral being clearly seen.
Lunch was taken in Llyn Helyg Wood, where we managed to take advantage of a couple of fallen trees to act as benches as we basked in the sun as we ate our packed lunches.
An intriguing pair of standing stones, protected by fencing, their origins as yet unknown! They are probably not enough to entice us to make a circumnavigation of Llyn Helyg again!
Overall a good walk, despite the challenges through the wood on Glol and the paths around Llyn Helyg and around Crown Bach and Rhydwen Farm, where the route of the path seemed to be blocked by a new slurry pit and a field containing a bull with his wives and offspring!
Birds seen or heard today included: Blue tit, Coal tit, Great tit, Wood nuthatch, Great spotted woodpecker, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, House martin (the first seen on our walks this year), Barn swallow, Chaffinch, Carrion crow, Rook, Common pheasant, Wood pigeon, House sparrow, Common cuckoo, Common buzzard,  and Common blackbird.
We did see a few Small white  and Peacock butterflies, and even a rabbit!
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn at Halkyn, where as ever the Lees Bitter tasted good!
If I remember, the next time I put this walk on the list, we will have to attempt parts of it in the opposite direction to see if the paths on the ground are easier to locate!

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