Sunday 18th July 2010 - Welshpool

On Sunday, 18th July, our walks are based at Welshpool.

The coach will leave school as usual at 8.00 am prompt and the coach will go direct to Welshpool after a short stop at Llandrinio to drop off the ‘A’ Walkers. There are no toilets at the start of the ‘A’ walk!  The toilets at Welshpool are manned and cost 20p so be prepared!
We aim to leave for the return journey at 5.30pm and weather and traffic permitting, we hope to be back in Formby at approx 7.30pm

The cost of travel will be £10.00 for adults, £12.00 for guests and £5.00 for Leaders, children and students in full time education.

RETURNS       Should go either to school or to the chairman, Jean Mackeating.
Cancellations If you need to cancel or make a late booking, please contact the Treasurer on 01704 871376 who will endeavour to substitute your booking from any waiting list. If this is not possible, then regrettably no refunds will be given as coaches will have been booked on initial returns.

‘A’ Walk Distance: 12.5 miles Ascent: 2400 ft Leaders: Margaret Pegg John Roberts	Starting from the church in the small village of Llandrinio, we approach Breidden Hill via Criggion to climb Rodney’s Pillar with it’s splendid alround views.  We then duck back down into the Breidden forest to cross to Middletown Hill, climbing this and then along to Moel y Golfa and it’s fascinating Romany Monument.  We then drop down, crossing to the lower slopes of Heidre Hill and follow local paths to cross the River Severn at Buttington and follow the Shropshire Union Canal into town.
‘B+’ Walk Distance: 12 miles Ascent: 1700 ft Leaders: David Poole Edwina Roberts	We leave the car park in Welshpool and head up the main street before turning into the grounds of Powys Castle. Crossing the parkland, we pass close to the Castle before descending to the Montgomery Canal for a short stretch along the towpath to Belan.  We then climb on a minor road and farm tracks to reach another minor road at Pwll.  Our route then takes us past Trefnant Hall and the medieval manor of Ty Mawr to the outskirts of Castle Caereinion. From here, easy field paths bring us to Lower Sylfaen Station on the Welshpool to Llanfair Caereinion narrow guage railway line.  Crossing the A458, the final climb of the day takes us up to Y Golfa where we join the Glyndower Way for the descent back to Welshpool.
‘B’ Walk Distance: 8.75 miles Ascent: 1350 ft Leaders: David Wake Jean Mackeating	From the coach park we head in a westerly direction along Welshpool’s main street to Raven’s Bridge, where we catch a glimpse of the Welshpool and Llanfair light railway terminus, before heading off up the driveway to Llanerchydol Hall and farm.  We continue westwards through the woods and fields to Glyn, then north up to Gaer before descending to Lower Trefnant.  Here we turneast then north to climb upthrough Ty Brith woods then east again up through Moel y Garth woods before heading south through fields to Groespluan.  A short road walk and then a path through a Nature Reservetakes us back to Welshpool.  The grass in the fields was very long and wet during the Recce.  Gaiters were essential.
‘C’ Walk Distance: 7.75 miles. Ascent: 1100 ft Leaders: David Turton Steve Wright	For those with a good memory, this is a repeat of a walk from 1997.  From the centre of Welshpool we walk alongside the Shropshire Union Canal on our way to Buttington.  After joining the Offa’s Dyke path we soon start a long steady climb of 1000ft, mainly over farmland up to the hidden trig point at Beacon Rigg Fort.  This climb will be taken slowly with frequent stops being made to admire the panoramic view which gradually opns up behind us.  Our route back to the start is by woodland tracks and country lanes passing through Pant y Bwch and Lower Leighton.