Ski Club of Manchester Winter Walk, Halkyn Mountain, Sunday 23rd February 2020

Leader: Frances Taylor

Reporter: Joy Parsons

This was the walk that was postponed from last year due to snow and ice and this year the weather was rain and high winds instead! It takes more than this to cancel a SCoM walk and as I approached the start point in Halkyn Village in a rainstorm I saw a group of walkers in full rain gear, one of whom waved to me. Eleven of us had turned up including Christine and the two dogs and even getting your stuff on was hard work!

Even though this was a walk on a limestone plateau the ground was saturated and there were many deep puddles and muddy areas to be negotiated.

We started by going south to the Moel y Gaer hillfort then going across to Moel Flagnallt with it’s Millenium Cairn. By then the rain was becoming lighter and we could see brighter weather approaching. We could soon see the Clwydian Hills clearly and also the Dee estuary started to appear.

We then went across to a big limestone quarry and managed to find a lunch spot near there which was slightly sheltered from the continuing strong winds. Lunch was a short break and we went on to some old limekilns which had been restored. The information boards made you realise what a hard life the workers had. It all looked primitive and dangerous. No Health and Safety in those days!

We started back over Halkyn Mountain in windy but sunny weather but the going was soft and muddy throughout but very enjoyable and a sense of achievement as the walk was 9 miles long with 1200 feet of ascent. It felt all of that!

We then drove to Brynford to a magnificent tearoom at the local pet cemetery near Holywell. The tea and cakes there were quite fabulous with enormous slices. It was good to see Frances tucking into a huge piece of Bara Brith which she richly deserved!

A great and memorable walk and thanks to Frances and to the SCoM members for their fortitude good company.