Author Topic: Walking  (Read 821231 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #225 on: February 24, 2011, 04:48:54 pm »
It was a dry sunny day so I thought I'd have a walk on the Great Orme. I decided to walk along the beach to the gunsite first of all as I hadn't done that for about 50 years!  Keeping a constant eye on the incoming tide I walked along the sand and over the rocks and near the cliffs. The first thing I came to was a tunnel under the Marine Drive but don't know what purpose it was for. It had steps going up at one time but they have long since gone and I couldn't see inside it.   St Petrocks was nearby with it's disused Summer House what a beautiful location and such a waste of a unique property.   Just around the corner were the posh houses on the Marine Drive and a little further on were the ruins of the Bishop's Palace. It's hard to imagine but when the Palace was built 700 years ago it was one mile inland from the sea.  With the coastal erosion I could see, the ruins won't be there in another 700 years.
The cliffs got higher the further you went and the erosion problem was evident everywhere.
I came across the tower that Frank Tyldesley built.  In it's heyday there was a walkway from the garden and a hydraulic lift down to the beach. Frank even had a path cleared through the rocks for his boat, but sadly the tower has been neglected.  As I approached the Gunsite I could see the three lookout buildings all tilting now in the direction of the sea and were occupied by a couple of men who were camping inside.  The concrete steps from the Gunsite had gone so I made my way up to the Gunsite and on my way up could see the evidence of a serious landslip to come.  Then it was up to the Rest and be Thankful for a coffee and piece of chocolate cake after passing another lookout place on the way.   From there it was over the limestone pavements to the summit and then testing my knees out as I walked down the tramtrack. The house that was hit by the car this Winter was looking worse.  I had the pleasure of meeting the Medz and his wife and having a having a chat while admiring the wonderful views from his house and then it was time to head for the West Shore via Haulfre Gardens. I'm glad I did the walk that way but won't be doing it again in a hurry!
« Last Edit: February 24, 2011, 06:45:19 pm by Hugo »

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #226 on: February 24, 2011, 04:56:55 pm »
Great Orme walk 24th Feb 2011


Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #227 on: February 24, 2011, 05:04:06 pm »
Great Orme walk

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #228 on: February 24, 2011, 05:07:04 pm »
Great Orme walk

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #229 on: February 24, 2011, 05:10:15 pm »
Great Orme walk

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Walking
« Reply #230 on: February 24, 2011, 07:51:47 pm »
Super pics Hugo--- hope I'm nowhere in the vicinity when that lot comes tumbling down!
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brumbob

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Re: Walking
« Reply #231 on: February 24, 2011, 11:28:22 pm »
 $cool$ Hugo

Offline Ian

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Re: Walking
« Reply #232 on: February 25, 2011, 08:54:08 am »
The lookout posts have certainly slumped a lot in the past 20 years.  I doubt they'll make it anywhere near another 700...
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Quiggs

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Re: Walking
« Reply #233 on: February 25, 2011, 10:18:36 am »
Thanks for that Hugo,    it brought back a lot of memories, as I spent my youth living on the Gunsite after the War. Some of the happiest days of my life with the freedom to roam on the Orme, fishing on the shore, raking for crabs under the rocks, collecting Periwinkles, Seagulls eggs on the cliffs, snaring Rabbits for Sunday dinner. The kids of today miss so much being cocooned from all kinds of fun and risk.
Dictum Meum Pactum

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #234 on: February 25, 2011, 10:29:11 am »
It was a dry sunny day so I thought I'd have a walk on the Great Orme. I decided to walk along the beach to the gunsite first of all as I hadn't done that for about 50 years!
What a good idea, I've never done that yet. Will give it a go soon.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #235 on: February 25, 2011, 01:14:57 pm »
It was an interesting walk for me with the memories flooding back but you had to be careful how you walked over the rocks.  A lot of erosion has gone on since I last did this part of the walk to the gunsite some steps led to nowhere now and also some unusual stones that must have a history but what purpose?
Hundreds of Oystercatchers about but I would have needed one of Dave's cameras to capture them by the waterside.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2011, 02:09:50 pm by Hugo »

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #236 on: February 25, 2011, 02:12:27 pm »
Great Orme walk

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #237 on: February 26, 2011, 10:28:03 am »
Those photos are brilliant Hugo.  I have to confess I've been on the Orme, been to the gun sites, the elephant cave and walked round the copper mines.  I've even been on the cable cars although I will never go on them again.  Kids think it's funny to rock the cars..............it's not funny at all! 
Now I realise after reading your post, there's a lot more there I have never seen.  So I intend to go and have a wander within the next couple of weeks.  Is it dangerous to walk round the rocks Hugo?  I mean will I get cut off by the tide? 
I've never been on the little Orme either and having seen Andy's photos it looks interesting up there too.
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Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #238 on: February 26, 2011, 11:22:27 am »
Last week I took some photos of the coach houses in the Park Hall, Conwy grounds.  While there I noticed an old press.  I remember thinking how beautiful it was with the bald eagle and fish embellishments.  Out of interest I did a bit of research.  To  my amazement it turned out to be a rare Colombian Press first built in 1813 by George E. Clymer, . "It was designed to allow a whole newspaper page to be printed in a single pull. The press worked by a lever system, It is sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as the 'Eagle' press due to the characteristic bald eagle counterweight which usually sits on the top lever."
Apparently these presses are in high demand in America and worth in excess of £10,000 in pristine condition.  The bald Eagle counterweight alone was sold in Christies, London in 2001 for $3,500. 
I didn't want to do a write up on the press until I had first had a word with the Trudy the owner.  Just in case in the middle of the night a van turned up and the press was nicked, especially as it would be my fault having featured it on my earlier post.  The fascinating point to mention is the rattle snakes entwined on the side of the press which signify the fact this is in fact an original.  Later ones were built in the UK but without the rattle snakes.

written by V. C. N. Blight CBE and taken from his publication entitled ‘The Colombian Press’, first published in 1962.

In the United Kingdom most of the embellishments were retained – the New South Wales Government Printing Office Colombian, built in London in 1849, has them all except the rattlesnake – but some manufacturers substituted a globe or a lion standing on a laurel wreath for the eagle.

Trudy is going to restore the press and sell it, with the proceeds going to much needed repairs on Park Hall.  The press has now been moved to a much safer location I'm pleased to say.

Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #239 on: February 26, 2011, 11:31:22 am »
Just in case in the middle of the night a van turned up and the press was nicked
Who'd do a thing like that?! *phones up to cancel van hire for tonight*

Great find, Angie. Wonder how it found its way to Conwy - could there be any connection with the old R.E Jones printers on the Quay?