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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 March 2014

Moel Arthur and Penycloddiau 13th March 2014

Penycloddiau from the Northern slopes of Moel Arthur.
At the top of Moel Arthur.
Feeding time is over!
The best I could do with my camera - one Common buzzard out of three!
Tim's furry caterpillar - but what does it grow into?
On the top of Penycloddiau - but you can't even tell I'm wearing shorts!
Moel Arthur from the track in Llangwyfan Forest. 
Walk stats: Distance: 7.9 miles. Climb: 1158'.
Time: 4 hours 38 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Roger, Phil, Tim, Annie, Celia and David S.
Setting off from Chester we were all wondering whether or not we would see anything as we were in fog and temperatures of 3 Celsius. I believed Accuweather's forecast of lots of Sun and temperatures in the mid-teens and put my shorts on, and was starting to think that I'd made the wrong decision!
 Thankfully it turned out to be the right one, and we had a superb walk in almost perfect walking conditions, wall to wall blue sky, Sunshine all day, pleasantly warm temperatures well into double figures and only the occasional gentle breeze. My only regret I forgot to bring my Sunglasses!
 Distant views on the walk today was very limited as the Clwyd Valley below us seemed to be in mist, as did Moel famau in the distance, but everywhere we walked was in glorious sunshine.
 Everyone in he group seemed to agree that this was probably one of the best circular walks in the Clwydian Hills - it's amazing what a bit of warm Spring sunshine does - but I would probably agree whatever the weather conditions.
 Good signs of Spring today included a singing Chiffchaff, my first of 2014 and singing Skylarks on Penycloddiau. We also had could views of a Wood nuthatch and a family of Common buzzards - not enough to be a wake!
 Birds seen or heard today included: Chiffchaff, Chaffinch,Wood nuthatch, Carrion crow, Rook, Raven, Dunnock, Winter wren, Meadow pipit, Blue tit, Black-billed magpie, Common buzzard and Skylark.
 Arriving at the Britannia Inn, the temperature was down to 7 Celsius and the mist/fog was still lingering, and the locals didn't believe that just a few miles away we had been walking in warm sunshine all day. They just thought that I was some form of "nutter" wearing shorts, sandals and no socks (this was apparently a shock to Celia too!). The Lees bitter today tasted superb , but there again it usually does.
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