Author Topic: Walking  (Read 821006 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2025 on: August 09, 2019, 12:35:35 pm »
Yesterday Tellytubby and I took advantage of the glorious weather and decided to have a nice quiet walk away from the maddening crowds.
Our walk was through the Nant Y Coed Nature Reserve in Llanfairfechan.      It's a delightful woodland walk and a stream tumbles through the valley, you have to cross two sets of stepping stones to cross the stream.     The first thing we came across was a pond and it's hard to imagine now, but many years ago the owner of the estate charged people for fishing in it and there was also a wooden hut there to provide refreshments for the anglers.   As you walk upstream Sessile Oak trees are all around and  you become aware of Dinas, the Iron Age hillfort that looms overhead.
Our aim was to get to the top of the hillfort and admire the stunning views from there but we were not going to take the hard way up across the scree.   We were going to continue on the Upland walk and then cross the rough pasture fields to approach it from the eastern side.   When we approached the eastern flanks of the fort the views were simply stunning, we were bathed in sunshine, yet just behind us on the Carneddau it was quite dark and cloudy.     
The views from the top were certainly worth the effort of getting there so we stopped to have our refreshments and it was so peaceful up there with just the two of us on the hill.    We then came down through a farm track and returned to the car park.
Llanfairfechan sea front was busier than we had ever seen it so we moved on to Conwy Quay but that was busy too so we only stopped long enough to have an ice cream and then we headed for home



 

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2026 on: August 09, 2019, 12:38:42 pm »
Nant Y Coed Nature Reserve and Dinas the Iron Age Hill Fort


Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2027 on: August 30, 2019, 12:09:22 pm »
Yesterday Tellytubby, old Uncle Albert and I paid a visit to the Brondanw Estate in Llanfrothen.    It was the home of Sir Clough Williams Ellis who went on to build Portmeirion.         The walk itself was relatively easy but as we had never been there before we wanted to see the places of interest there.    We parked our car in the car park by the house and headed first of all to the quarry which I believe  Clough Williams Ellis intended to make it into a grotto but didn't get round to doing it for some reason.    It's quite impressive and you can see the potential there,  we noticed a monument at the top of the quarry so we headed up there to have a look at it.   The monument is called The Flaming Urn, and was erected when the house was rebuilt after a fire. It stands at the brink of an old quarry, a steep, narrow, rocky drop to a dark pool – an irresistible invitation for the architect-gardener to create another piece of theatre with a fountain and basin fed by a cascade.
After a quick glance down to the pool we headed uphill to the tower.   The tower was built by Clough with funds given to him as a wedding present from his fellow officers soon after the First World War and I've copied an extract from a conversation Clough had with his commanding officer
" Clough describes his Commanding Officer first offering a silver salver.    Clough gently suggests that silver might not be the most useful present, and is then asked to choose something else:

"Me: Well, Sir, what I should really like would be a ruin.
C.O.: A . . . WHAT?
Me: A ruin - as an outlook tower. You see, Sir, there happens to be a rocky eminence close above my home on which I have always felt there should be a tower of some sort as a fitting crown and as a superb view-point commanding wonderful panoramas from the summit of Snowdon to the sea.
C.O.: Well, if you want a ruin, I suppose you had better have a ruin - though it's an odd sort of wedding present, I must say."
Anyway it is a very impressive folly and every door, every window has spectacular views and the folly must have been built with those views in mind,    A steep narrow staircase takes you to the top of the tower and the views are breathtaking.  My only warning is that the roof level on the stairs is quite low so if anyone visits it please take care.   Don't do what I did and hit your head on the concrete roof!
We took many photos up there and on our way down we saw one of Clough's seating areas that made an ideal spot for having our lunch
After lunch it was downhill to Plas Brondanw and a look around the gallery.  We didn't venture into the gardens but will do so next time when all the plants are in flower.
We then drove to Porthmadog where old Uncle Albert provided us with a cup of tea and the biggest slice of Carrot cake that I've ever had.    A lovely way to end a nice gentle walk and to remember that it's not just the walks but the company that matters

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2028 on: August 30, 2019, 12:12:16 pm »
Plas Brondanw Llanfrothen

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2029 on: September 13, 2019, 12:00:48 pm »
On Wednesday,  Tellytubby and I had a walk in the Prestatyn area and we started the walk from the small car park at the end of Bishop's Wood Road.  After a short stretch on the public footpath we then took a very steep path uphill through the woodland.   It wasn't long before we reached the Fish Cave, the hills around here held rich seams of lead and zinc  and the Fish Mine in Bishops wood is just one of the many shafts and tunnels that remain from the old mines. It was named after the fish shaped spoil heap that once lay on the slopes below it.
Anyway we were tempted to have a look inside and just went in about 50 yards and then decided to come out of it    The mine is only about 4 feet in height and you have to be careful when going inside as I soon found out when my head hit the roof!
After coming out of the mine we continued up the steep path until we came to the ruins of an old miners cottage called Pant Y Fachwen, it's an excellent viewpoint giving views over Meliden and Prestatyn and the North Wales coast.   Apart from that it gave me a chance to have a well earned breather and take some photos!    Spare a thought though for the 58 year old miner who lived here in 1791 and died when he fell down a shaft in the nearby Talargoch lead mine.    The walk continued steeply up to Gwaenysgor and then we crossed some boggy ground before we arrived at the village pond.   There were numerous Ducks and Geese there but we didn't see any of the large carp that live there so we headed on to Golden Grove crossing open farmland and passing a farmhouse that looks like it has seen better days which was a pity as there was great potential for development to the numerous outbuildings.    Past the farm the path was overgrown and it was hard going climbing up that steep hillside so after a while we stopped and sat by a wall and had our refreshments in the warm sunshine while looking at the lovely scenery all around.     Soon it was time to move on and return back so we crossed over the farmland and came on to the country lane leading to Gwaenysgor.  What was really interesting for me was that Tellytubby who is very familiar with the village was acting as a guide and pointed out places of interest as we strolled along the village street.   So much has changed in the village over the last 60 years or so but it still retains it's charm and the only remaining pub The Eagle and Child looked very inviting as we walked past but we resisted the temptation to go in as we still had a good walk downhill to the car park

https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/files/144636359-Gwaenysgor%20Booklet.pdf



Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2030 on: September 13, 2019, 12:04:00 pm »
Meliden & Gwaenysgor walk

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2031 on: September 21, 2019, 05:50:11 pm »
Yesterday we parked our car at the Abakhan store at Llannerch-y-Mor. We were heading for Flint but realised at Bagillt that we may not make it back to the car before the gates shut so at Bagillt we crossed the railway line and caught the number 11 bus back to our car.
 From the Duke of Lancaster there is a nice easy grassy path to Greenfield Dock with a great view of the patterns on the sandbanks in the Dee Estuary.
At the Greenfield Dock we saw massive bags of cockles being unloaded.
Next stop was Boot End where the exit of the Milwr Tunnel was delivering gallons of water into the estuary.
We had a picnic lunch here reading about the amazing construction feat that was done to build this tunnel, 10 miles long from Loggerheads!
https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/milwr-tunnel/
What a beautiful day it was for walking with a nice breeze and managed to avoid buying anything at Abakhan apart from a welcome cup of tea.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2032 on: September 26, 2019, 01:07:01 pm »
Yesterday Tellytubby and I enjoyed a short but very pleasant walk on the Little Orme.   We were hoping to see some Seal pups at Angel Bay so we set off from the Co-op car park and walked a short way up Penrhyn Hill before turning right and then along the private road.
At the end of the road is the Pentre Isa farmhouse which was built in 1680 and the house opposite was converted in the 1970's from one of Pentre Isa's barns.    It is no longer a working farm and the land was sold years ago and is now a large housing estate.
Continuing on the footpath we came to Angel Bay and many other people had also  come to see the Seals.   There were several adult Seals but no pups visible so perhaps we were a couple of weeks too early
After a good look around we headed up the steep grassy incline and we passed the metal winding wheel before making our way to the trig point at the top of the Little Orme.    It may not be as high as the Great Orme but it still has stunning views  across the coast and to the mountains of the Carneddau.
We returned to the footpath and headed back towards Penrhyn Bay and then turned left to walk past Ty Ucha which is the only remaining farm on the Little Orme.  The outbuildings appear to be about 200 years old and in need of some TLC, the footpath passes alongside the farm building and then emerges on the private road by the former farmhouse of Pentre Isa
We then decided to drive to Craigside and had a wander on the beach to the base of the Little Orme.      The Villa Marina stands out amongst the other beach side properties and looked very impressive indeed.     A feature of this stretch of coast is that all the older properties had summer houses built in their garden and stand out like little white castle towers but all are sadly neglected now.
We carried on towards the Orme and stopped by the sea defences to have our refreshments and later continued to the base of the Orme as I wanted to show Tellytubby something.   It was a man made feature that looks like stone steps but the steps do not lead to anywhere so its origin and purpose remains a mystery.     We then made our way back to our cars and then headed home.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2033 on: September 26, 2019, 01:10:45 pm »
Little Orme walk

Offline SteveH

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2034 on: September 26, 2019, 01:48:12 pm »
It might have been a short walk, but I remember that wheel, and getting to it, as a teenager, no problems as the Little Orme was our playground, but I recall going up with my friend who was visiting Rhos for the first time since emigrating to Canada, both in our thirties, he had an outdoor job, I worked in an office, I took some stick during that walk :-[  I struggled, and afterwards I did try to improve my exercise routine, but easier said than done, so well done to you both, and I am glad to see your back is not holding you back.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2035 on: September 26, 2019, 02:26:57 pm »
Thanks Steve but I must admit that I didn't go up there in one go as I stopped to take a photo (  that's my excuse for a breather! ) the back is still a bit dodgy and stiff after any walk.    It's a pity I can't spray WD 40 on it as that's what I need as my back is like a rusty hinge at the moment
We hope to do a 3000 footer soon so we'll have to see what happens then       ???

Offline SteveH

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2036 on: September 26, 2019, 04:19:22 pm »
Quote
"It's a pity I can't spray WD 40 on it as that's what I need as my back is like a rusty hinge at the moment"

I am not joking, but a friend in the Midlands swears by it, has used it for years, says it penetrates and keeps his knees supple..........   &shake&

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2037 on: September 27, 2019, 10:07:17 am »
Quote
"It's a pity I can't spray WD 40 on it as that's what I need as my back is like a rusty hinge at the moment"

I am not joking, but a friend in the Midlands swears by it, has used it for years, says it penetrates and keeps his knees supple..........   &shake&
Perhaps I should give it a try ! I have been off my feet since the beginning of July, eventually diagnosed as Discitis (try Google, I had to) 3 weeks in hospital, still using a walking frame, but improving slowly. Not to be recommended. It is an infection in the spine, so is a slow job.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2038 on: September 27, 2019, 10:17:35 am »
I am sorry to hear this, Nemesis.

Get well soon x

Offline SteveH

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Re: Walking
« Reply #2039 on: September 27, 2019, 10:28:49 am »
All the best Nem.  hope all is well soon.