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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 14 January 2017

Clip-yr-orsedd and the Druid's Circle 14th January 2017

Our first views of Anglesey and Puffin Island.
"Who do you think you are?" - residents of Idlewild Animal Sanctuary, Llnafairfechan,
Another resident of Idlewild Animal Sanctuary.
Our first hint of the white stuff on higher ground.
Clip-yr-orsedd ahead.
How did it get there? Answers on .....
guess who on the highest point on Clip-yr-orsedd.
"Why I am I here?"
On the highest point of the East end of Clip-yr-orsedd.
At the Druid's circle - well I think that is where we are"
Wild ponies near our lunch spot.
Our lunch spot with views towards Anglesey.
The tumbling river at Nant-y-Coed.
Our final back towards Penmaenmawr quarries and our outward route.
Walk stast: Distance: 7.6 miles. 1385'.
Time: 4 hours 30 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.1 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
We didn't know what weather we were going to get, but all of the forecasts suggested that it was going to be cold, windy with wintry showers. Most of the time it wasn't that cold,except briefly as we were at the top of Clip-yr-orsedd when it started to hail and taking just to photos with my gloves off made my hands unpleasantly cold. Our time around the Druid's Circle was unpleasant too,where we were walking in cloud and visabilty was down to about 50 metres - not the place to stop for lunch!
 Apart from that our outward journey had been good, a delightful zig-zag route giving frequent views towards Anglesey and the Menai Straights.
 It was surprising to see how far the Penmaenmawr quarry had encroached since our last visit and now it almost up to the tone wall below Clip-yr-orsedd.on the North side.
 we were very fortunate to be able to have lunch on stone adjacent to the North Wales path South West of Clip-y-orsedd when the clouds had lifted and the rain had stopped. 
 About twenty wild ponies had chosen to graze on this side of Clip-y-orsedd., so I suppose we were in good company.
 Approaching Blaen-llwyn we had our best sightings of the day a Red kite and  a Red billed chough.
 Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Jackdaw, Blue tit, Great tit, Rook, Raven, Common buzzard, Red-billed chough, Herring gull and Black-headed gull.
 Thankfully today we had three dry spells, just before we set off, lunch and just as we arrived back at the car and a bonus was the fact that it took me just five minutes to clean my boots when I arrived home.
 In a funny sort of way, I enjoyed this walk despite the often challenging weather conditions.
 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell Inn in Halkyn, where Sheppy's cider went down well and Desmond the rescue dog welcomed us!.

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