Sunday 20th October 2013 - Bala, North Wales

Our walks this month take us along the Wales / Shropshire border – in and around Oswestry.  The coach will leave school as usual at 8.00 am prompt.   At Chirk there will be a toilet stop for A and B+ walkers. A walkers will rejoin the coach and B+ start their walk in Chirk.  The coach will continue to Oswestry where the B and C walks start and there are toilets.  The A walkers will continue to Llanymynech.   All walks finish at Oswestry where there are toilets and refreshments for the end of the day.  We plan to leave at 5.00 pm to be back in Formby about 7.00 pm.

The cost of travel will be £10.00 for members, £13.00 for non-members and £5.00 for Leaders, children and students in full time education. Please make your cheque payable to Range Walking Club and ensure it is signed as it is inconvenient for the Treasurer to chase up such omissions.

Please send in your return to the Treasurer before 7th November; places will be booked on the coach by the treasurer on a first come first served basis.

Cancellations: if you need to cancel or make a late booking, please contact the Treasurer on 01704 871308 who will endeavour to substitute your booking from the waiting list.  If you cancel after      7th November and it is not possible to fill your place on the coach, regrettably, we will not be able to give you a refund as coaches will have been booked on initial returns.

Christmas Walk:  29th December 2013 Meet at Longton at 9.15am to start walking at 9.30am. Full details and booking form are overleaf.

Club Weekend 2014: 27th-29th June 2014  Braithwaite  Lake District
The weekend will be based at the Coledale Inn, Braithwaite in the Lake District. The weekend will commence on Friday evening with a meeting at 9pm to discuss the various walks on offer on Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday evening there will be a group meal at the Coledale Inn.  There may also be walks arranged for the Friday for those who are able to get there on Friday morning.

When booking rooms at the Coledale Inn Tel No:017687 78272 please tell them you are a member of the Range Walking Club as at present, rooms are being held for us.  Alternative accommodation available in Braithwaite is The Royal Oak 017687 78533,  Middle Ruddings 017687 78436 and a camp site   We do hope you are able to come.

‘A’ Walk Distance: 12 miles Ascent: 2000 ft Leaders: Lynn Smith Gordon Spence	We begin our walk in the village of Llanymynech, south of Oswestry. Our walk follows the Offa’s Dyke path through a variety of landscapes, taking in various historic ruins along the way.  We will have a coffee stop after about half an hour to enjoy the stunning Border View. The route then takes us through the villages of Porth-y-waen and Nantmawr and we cross the disused railway which used to serve the nearby Whitehaven quarry.  We make our way to the top of Moelydd where there is a panoramic view of the English and Welsh countryside. We will lunch here (weather permitting), then continue North, through Candy Wood and on to the Old Racecourse, which overlooks Oswestry - from where we will make our way back into town.
‘B+’ Walk Distance: 11 miles Ascent: 1650 ft Leaders: David Neale Helen Neale	An interesting linear walk through pleasant and varied countryside that was the border between the ancient kingdoms of Powys and Mercia.  We start in the former colliery town of Chirk then head westward taking in Telford’s aqueduct on the Llangollen canal. Then on through the lovely Ceiriog Valley climbing steadily towards Bronygarth where we swing south onto the route of Offa’s Dyke. We follow the undulating border path through buzzard country, scattered with woodland and badger sets then on to the steep wooded ravine of Nanteris Wood towards Craignant. Here we climb steadily again until close to the summit of Selattyn Hill, where we stop for lunch. After lunch the path takes us on towards Orseddwen Farm, eventually joining a quiet road for a gradual climb over Bakers Hill and on to Oswestry’s ‘old racecourse’. Heading off the road we cross racecourse common passing the the old grandstand and the ‘Janus Horse’. At this point we leave Offa’s Dyke and descend towards Oerley Hall, across fields and onto a seldom used bridleway that brings us through the outskirts and into the town. We finish at the coach park adjacent to Oswestry Rail Museum.
‘B’ Walk Distance: 9.5 miles Ascent: 900 ft Leaders: Trevor Ludlow David Willis	This varied circular walk takes us on little used paths, well-trodden paths, tracks and quiet country lanes.  There is minimal climbing and when we do it is gradual.  The landscape is rolling countryside with a fair splattering of deciduous woodland for variety.  We start with a walk through the pleasant historic centre of Oswestry and its park gardens.  Later, on our route we will pass two derelict walled gardens of now demolished or empty Stately Homes, as well as a defunct Racecourse.  We briefly follow Offa’s Dyke path before stopping for lunch at a viewpoint over the Cheshire Plain.  Our final stop is on top of an Iron Age Hill Fort, having walked up some of the best preserved fort ramparts in the UK.  Finally we end our walk at the railway museum.
‘C’ Walk Distance: 7 miles Ascent: 630 ft Leaders: Joe Pearson Denise Nunn	A very pleasant walk through fields and a country estate.  We make our way through the town to Oswestry Heritage Centre, where our walk starts and walk up Broomhall Lane .  We then cross fields with many old trees dotting the grassland and through a small wood after a walled garden, all that remains of Llanforda Hall.  We carry on through more fields crossing a few quiet roads and past some impressive red-brick farm buildings and past Brogyntyn Hall which was the home of Lord Harlech and is now in need of restoration having lain empty for 15 years. We can turn here and make our way back through a cornfield to the town or if we feel conditions are right on the day, can extend our walk and go through a farm and along the lane past Oswestry Hill Fort where we can go through the cornfield and back.  There are a number of stiles on this walk.