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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 21 November 2015

The Clywedog Valley and Around Foel Uchaf and Foel Ganol 21st November 2015

St. Mary's Church, Cyffylliog.
On the delightful path on the East bank of the Afon Clywedog.
"Can you tell the temperature is on the cool side?"
One challenging part of the path, but only once the stile had been negotiated!
One of our first views of the Clwydian Hills.
The Clywedog Valley and the Clwydian Hills from the forest track East of the Clywedog Reservoir.
The Clwydian Hills from the track East of Bryn Ocyn.
A eureka moment! A lost glove now found!
Does Gary Lineker here or are they trying to tell us something?
A "friendly" message on the house next to where we parked in Cyffylliog, 
but no notes left on the car!
Walk stats: Distance: 11.0 miles. Climb: 1816'.
Time: 6 hours 16 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overallwalk average: 1.8 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Roger.
We arrived in Cyffylliog with the sun shining, but it still felt on the cool side, but at least we couldn't feel the strong winds forecast. After passing the church, we were soon on a delighful path following the Afon Clywedog, but as soon as we had said it we we confronted by the path being blocked by a very large tree. We just about got over it, but decide that we would use an alternatve route on the way back, even if we would have to walk a little further.
 After leaving the Afon Clywedog, we started to follow a path on the East side of the Afon Concwest. This was a little overgrown in places and was blocked by even more fallen trees. After crossing the stile in the photo, we managed to weave our way between and below the branches of the fallen tree. This just confirmed our determination not to use the riverside paths on our return route.
 After escaping from the Afon Concwest we had the long steep climb up the road Boced farm. After passing the farm we had superb views over the Clywedog Valley towards the Clwydian Hills.
 Lunch was taken on the forest track South of Bryn Ocyn. we were well sheltered from the any Northerly wind. This was a pleasant spot overlooking the Clywedog Valley.
 We decided to shorten the walk slightly and decided not to go as far as the reservoir, and instead took a forest track that led to the Clwydian Way that would take us back to the road at Boced Farm.
 After passing the Concwest valley path we had steep climb up the road to the Cyffylliog road that we had decided to take. Unfortunately after climbing the steepest part and taking a few hundred yards along the Cyffylliog road, I realised that one of my gloves was missing. We turned back and you can guess it, I found the glove at the bottom of the steep hill. Having found the glove climbing up again seemed like a breeze, but it did make the walk a little longer than our legs would have liked.
 We even managed to flag down a farmer and tell him that one of the sheep in the adjacent field was caught by a wire in the fence. He seemed quite pleased, although I'm not certain it was one of his sheep!
 As we descended the road into Cyffylliog we could see rain coming, and alas as we got back to the car and started to change it became quite heavy.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird (lots), House sparrow, Blue tit, Common pheasant, Carrion crow, Raven, Common kestrel and Common buzzard.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Cholomendy Arms at Cadole, where the Tirril Brewery's Brewsher Bitter was superb - a good drink to revive tired legs. 
 We were even home early enough to watch Liverpool thrash Manchester City!
 Overall a good day walking on a crisp and clear Autumn day, and we only ended up changing in the rain because I managed to drop my glove and insisted on turning back to retrieve it!

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