Walking

[snowcap]

I used to deliver wines and spirits to the Chain Bridge  hotel and have had many a cold drink stood on that swing bridge back in 1963.Those photos bring back some good memories.

[DaveR]

When we were staying in Llangollen earlier this year, we went for a walk along the canal and ended up having coffee in the Chain Bridge Hotel. There was a lot of refurbishment work going on at the hotel but the bridge itself looked very sad, needs completely rebuilding.

[Hugo]

They have done some work in the part of the hotel facing the River Dee and it looked quite inviting but the canal side of the Hotel didn't look any different since I last came past.

[Hugo]

I have driven over the River Clwyd thousands of times but not once have I walked along the banks of the river, so on Saturday I thought that it was time to do part of it and do the walk from the pretty village of  Rhuddlan to Rhyl and back.   Pete and I met by St Mary’s Church and took the cycle path to Rhyl.  This was my first walk along the path and I was very impressed by its condition and its close proximity to the river.   The tidal river was ebbing quickly and sandbanks were being uncovered and providing an unlimited food supply for the thousands of birds wading on its banks.  The place is a mecca for bird enthusiasts and among the birds we saw were Greylag Geese,Curlews, Lapwings, Shell Ducks, Mallards, Buzzards, Goosanders and many others but the one that struck me most was a Chinese Swan Goose.   Pete told me that this solitary Goose had been there for the last three years and there it was on the other bank honking away and not another female in sight.   We kept our eyes open for the Otters but never managed to see any of them unfortunately. Before long we were by the Marine Lake in Rhyl where we decided to stop and have our refreshments in the shelter of the Model Railway Station there. After the snack we passed by the front of the station and saw two men busy working on a steam engine there and they kindly treated us to a tour around the place. Pride of place was the steam loco called Billy that had been lovingly restored and placed in their museum. After that it was a quick walk across the new bridge Pont Y Ddraig and to our return journey on the other side of the river.    A large impressive looking house stands on the buttress to the previous road bridge and we passed it and the railway bridge as we made our way to walk along the top of the flood defence bank all the way back to Rhuddlan.    The best view of the river is from the cycle track as it is so much nearer the river but it was still nice to do them both.   A quick view of the Rhuddlan Nature reserve across the road and we finished the seven and a half mile walk at the KFC with a nice hot coffee.

[Hugo]

Rhuddlan River Walk

[hollins]

That was a good idea for a walk, didn't know you could do that. Thanks Hugo.

[Hugo]

As yesterday was deemed to be the best day of the week weather wise, we decided to have a couple of short coastal walks in the Menai Bridge area. We met at the car park by the Chinese Restaurant in Menai Bridge and then had a short walk through pleasant woodland until we came to the Belgium Promenade, so called because it was built by Belgium refugees for the kindness and hospitality shown to them by the residents of Menai Bridge during World War 1.   We followed the Promenade back to the town and went under the Menai Suspension Bridge and just admired the views from there before returning back and then going on to the island to see the Church of St Tysilio.  After spending some time looking around the place we returned to our cars to travel to the lay by near Brittania Bridge.  From there we took the coastal path down to the waters edge and made our way along the banks of the Straits and under the impressive Brittania Bridge.  A little further on and we came to the Church of St Mary and the coastal path goes through the Churchyard and then emerges by the water.  We couldn't carry on along the path as the stepping stones there were under water so it was an ideal time to have our refreshments.  By the time we had finished our refreshments, the stones were above the water so we carried on and passed a statue of Admiral Nelson standing in the water.  After about half a mile our path was again blocked by the tide but we did a bit of improvisation and built our own stepping stones so we could continue on the path.  The rest of the path was elevated above the tidal waters and walking on it was easy.  It took us to a lane and on the way we passed a converted mill that was up for sale, I'm not sure if the boat was included in the price but unless one of us won the lottery it was out of our league.  The lane took us to the main road which we followed back to the lay by and we completed the day with a drink and piece of cake at the Treborth Garden Centre.

[Hugo]

Menai Bridge walk

[Hugo]

Yesterday, with a good weather forecast,  I drove down to Beddgelert for the start of a Beddgelet and Cwm Bychan walk.  Wayne and I parked our cars in the centre of the village and walked along the river to the Aberglaslyn Pass.   The  Winter Sun was so low and shinning brightly we couldn’t take any photos of the stunning scenery or the fast flowing river that we followed down to Nantmor.    From Nantmor it was a gradual climb up Cwm Bychan and the weather was so warm and sunny that our fleeces had to come off straight away.  Not long into the walk we disturbed hundreds of Fieldfares that were feeding from the Rowan trees and then we came to a small but fast flowing waterfall,a little further on were the four pylons that still remain in the valley.  These pylons were an aerial ropeway for the Copper Mines and date from 1870, ore was transported on the ropeway to a crushing mill near Nantmor.
We stopped there and had some refreshments before continuing up to the top of the valley and then crossed the stile and headed for a signpost.  For a change we took the path down to the Copper Mines.  The path was very steep and we had to be careful at one point,  Wayne took a tumble on a path but was unhurt, bar his pride.   From the Copper Mine we headed for the village down a very narrow lane which  at one time  must have been the main road as we came across a milestone saying it was half a mile to Beddgelert.   That distance soon passed and when we arrived back in Beddgelert  we put our gear into the car before heading to the Bistro and Tearooms by the bridge.   A nice hot chocolate and coffee cake finished of a very pleasant walk.

[Hugo]

Beddgelert and Cwm Bychan

[Tellytubby]

  Another great walk - it's a pity I wasn't invited.

[Hugo]

You're lucky being in a central heated office while us OAP's have to go out and walk up hills to keep warm!   

[welshwiz]

A nice walk Hugo,
i have done this one a few times, have you tried the path down to llyn Dinas its a bit more forgiving than the copper mine path

[Hugo]

That's the way we normally go Welshwiz and it's a lovely walk of about six miles.  The first time I did the walk down to Llyn Dinas we were lucky enough to see a Kingfisher on the boathouse there.  Never seen another since but I'm always looking out for one.
It's the first time I have walked down the Copper mine path but next time I think I'll take the path to Beddgelert instead as it would be nice to see the village from above it.

[TheMedz]

I spotted a kingfisher on a couple of occasions at Talacre. If you go right along the coastal path instead of left towards the lighthouse and about 150 yards down there on the land side of the path is a little pond. The kingfishers were down at the furthest point of the pond on a branch overhanging the water.

I've also spotted a kingfisher a couple of times on the pond in the park in Ruthin.