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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 4 August 2016

The Afon Maes Valley from Llaneidan 4th August 2016

Heading for the cricket ground at Llanelidan.
he modest pavilion at Llanelidan cricket ground. 
or
Time for elevenses, but too early for lunch.
"Don't ask".
The Afon Maes Valley from Pls-yr-Esgob.
Our lunch spot on the banks of Nant y Cwm.
More of the group at our lunch spot on the banks of Nant y Cwm.
Looking North east down Nant y Cwm with Cae Coed on the right.
Distant hills, but are they the Berwyns?
Llanelidan and the Afon Maes Valley ahead.
Walk stats: Distance: 8.2 miles. Climb: 995'.
Time: 5 hours 5 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, David S., Wendy, Roger, Phil, Sue and Dave P.
We arrived at Llanelidan with the road to our usual spot blocked, so we set off to see if e could park near the church opposite the Leyland Arms. We asked the landlord who directed us to the area at the back of his stables where we could park which we gratefully did.
The forecast was for rain, probably around mid-day, but within five minutes of setting off we were encouraged to put on waterproofs. Thankfully it didn't last long and the few spots we did get before lunch weren't sufficient to worry us. 
 This walk did, as anticipated, challenged our route finding and our ability to locate paths that were very overgrown and some didn't even appear to be there at all!
 Another problem today was the odour coming from whatever treatment the farmer was spreading on fields nearby, a smell that we first thought must have been coming from an animal that had died! This accompanying smell kept us walking, even though some of the group were separate for lunch!
 However after passing Gwrych-bedw we located the path leading down to the Nant y Cwm where we were able to take advantage of fallen trees and boulders on which to perch as we enjoyed our lunches.
 Overall this was quite a roller coaster of a walk, and each time we gained height we had good views along the valley and towards the hills, particularly to North and to the North East. The distant hills were often in low cloud whilst we were in warm sunshine.
Birds seen or heard today included: Common buzzard, House martin, Barn swallow, European robin, carrion crow and Common blackbird.
 We all agreed that should we embark on this walk again in the future, we should make a few changes to avoid the worst of the problems encountered today.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Glasfryn at Mold where Purple Moose's Snowdonia Ale went down well as did Old Moot's, summer Fruits Cider.

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