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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 19 December 2015

A Special Around the Great Orme and More 19th December 2015

Mute swans on the West Shore Boating Pool.
"You think we're trapped, don't you?"
Why does the sea look so calm?
Goats in grazing in places I wouldn't like to be!
Fulmars on nesting ledges on the Great Orme.
More goats deciding they didn't want their photo taken.
"Why do we always have to go uphill after lunch?"
Mistle thrushes ahead!
Rainbow in the sky.
Heading down the Monk's path.
A flowering Celandine in mid-December?
The West shore toll house.
The West shore toll house.
Walk stats: Distance: 9.2 miles. Climb: 1761' GPS wind assisted.
Time: 5 hours 04 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.8 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Roger.
We arrived at the West shore and were ready to set off about 09-40, but never really got going until about 10-10. We were passing the West shore toll house and I happened to mention to a man having a cigarette outside that lots of new windows had been put in. Next to our surprise, Vaughan, the owner was giving us a guided tour of the whole building, giving us descriptions and explanations of much of the renovation work he had done and to his future ideas to take it even further.  Passing the building on so many occasions and wondering what it was like inside and now being afforded the privilege of being invited in, made this a walk that we will always remember.
 Lunch was taken in the shelter in Happy Valley, Llandudno with its benches and views towards the Llandudno pier. It has the advantage too of a very convenient PC!
 The weather today could have been quite nasty, but thankfully we had very little rain, about 20 minutes after lunch when I unnecessarily put on my waterproofs! The wind at times was quite blustery, especially as we headed across the plateau on top of the Great Orme, but at least it was warm wind and it wasn't really a battle even when it was face on!
 Our first surprise of the day was  to see flowering Snowdrops, admittedly in someone's garden and later on Roger spotted a flowering Celandine!
 Birds seen or heard today included: Mute swan, Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Raven, Common buzzard, Oystercatcher, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, Fulmar, Great cormorant, Common kestrel and Mistle thrush.
 The views today weren't particularly good and at time we could see that the Carneddau was receiving quite a but of rain, but thankfully it missed us out as it headed North eastish!
 At the end of the walk we were thankful to have had a good walk and the best of the weather, especially as we had torrential rain all the way back to the Blue Bell at Halkyn, where as usually we had a warm welcome and  a Dee seasonal cider to match!
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