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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 23 January 2016

Llanfairfechan to Aber Ogwen and back 23rd January 2016

Is it really that cold - the temperature is in double figures or at least that is what the forecast said!
The bird of the day - A Common scoter - West of Llanfairfechan.
"Come on you are suppose to beenjoying yourself, it's only a bit of a breeze!"
A few lapwings in flight.
Oystercatchers waiting for the tide to go out.
Penrhyn Castle again!
Llanfairfechan seems a long way off!
Walk stats: Distance: 10.1 miles. Climb: 100' (956' wind assisted on the GPS).
Time: 5 hours 40 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Roger.
The forecast was for it to be warm (about 10 Celsius), windy but no rain until after 18-00. It was just about right, although the rain started just as we arrived back at the car just before 16-00. 
 This walk as most of the group know is a little indulgence on my part at this time of the year as it is a good time to see Wintering birds to our shores, and this year was know exception. As started the walk it was very close to high tide and the birds should have been close to us and easy to see. It started well, after about 30 minutes, we saw a Common scoter only  100 yards or so off shore. Another good area is the coastal region North of Glan-y-MorElias nature Reserve, but we arrived just after the local ringing group had set of their net (fired by explosives) over the roosting birds at high tide, so birds were few and far between. Apparently most of the birds trapped were Dunlin.
 Today conditions underfoot were good, even in the places where we would usually anticipate a little mud. It was pleasing to find that the difficulty usually encountered West of Cwrtiau had been addressed and slate chips had been used to make the descent to the beach a little less hazardous.
 until we reached Aber Ogwen picnic site/car park we had battled against the wind, but thankfully the picnic table we used was quite sheltered and we had good views across the estuary and beyond to Anglesey.
 The return route was a pleasant wind assisted stroll back to Llanfairfechan.  
 Views inland showed that there was still snow on the higher slopes, but views across the Anglesey were never as good as the weather forecast had implied they should be.
 Birds seen or heard today included: Carrion crow, Mute swan, Mallard, Jackdaw, Common blackbird, Skylark, Goosander, Common scoter, Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck, Great cormorant. Oystercatcher, Eurasian curlew, Lapwing, Herring gull, Black-headed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Little egret (Roger's bird of the day) and Dunlin.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell Inn at Halkyn, where the Ty Gwyn cider went down well.

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