Sunday 16th November 2014 - Burwardsley, Cheshire

This month our walks which go along the Sandstone trail are based in Burwardsley Cheshire. The coach will leave school as usual at 8.00 am prompt and go direct to the start of the walks.  There are toilets at Delamere station where the A walk starts and at the Candle Factory where the other walks start.  All ‘A’ walkers will need to have bags and boots on the coach to be able to make a quick getaway from the coach at Delamere Station. There are refreshment opportunities in Burwardsley where all the walks finish.  We plan to leave at 5pm and  expect to be back in Formby by 7.00pm

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 6th 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 809287 who will endeavour to substitute your booking from the waiting list.  If you cancel after      6th 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:  Monday 29th December 2014 Delamere  Meet at the Boot Inn at 9.30am to start walking at 9.45am. Full details and booking form are attached.

Club Weekend 2015: 5th-7th June
The Club Weekend on the 5th-7th June 2015 will based in St David’s on the Pembrokeshire Coast.   A booking has been made for a group meal on Saturday 6th June in the Grove Hotel High Street St David’s SA62 6SB 01437 720341. At present there are 6 rooms available at the Grove Hotel.

Attached is a list of some of the other hotels and guest houses in St Davids.  They all seem to be fairly small so there will probably be a need for us to stay in separate places.  However, since The Grove Hotel is on the High Street it will be an easy place for us all to meet throughout the weekend.  Since St David’s is a small city it is advisable to book as soon as possible to be close to the centre.  If you are booking The Grove Hotel please mention that you are part of the group booked by Margaret.

‘A’ Walk Distance: 14.5 miles Ascent: 500 ft Leaders: Andy Fowler Jane Fowler	All A walkers will need to have bags and boots on the coach to be able to make a quick getaway from the coach at Delamere Station.  After a toilet stop at the visitor centre we pick up the Sandstone Trail and head due south through mixed woodland and open pasture.  Crossing the A54 we continue southwards on good paths until we reach Wharton’s Lock over the Shropshire Union Canal and head towards Beeston Castle.  Skirting around Peckforton Castle we climb through woodlands to Higher Barwardsley and loop around the village to reach the candle factory and well earned refreshments.
‘B+’ Walk Distance: 10.5 miles Ascent: 900 ft Leaders: Edwina Roberts Margaret Pegg	Leaving the Candle Factory we pass Sandhollow Farm and Mickerra Farm on the way to the village of Harthill. The route continues along footpaths and country lanes up to Maiden Castle.  We then follow the Sandstone Trail over Bickerton Hill through Tower Wood and up to Raw Head the highest point on the Sandstone Trail.  The route descends into Bulkeley Hill woods, goes up Bulkeley Hill and past the Peckforton Hills to Higher Burwardsley and refreshments.
‘B’ Walk Distance: 8.75 miles Ascent: 1000 ft Leaders: David Wake Gill Hickmott	This circular walk follows the Sandstone Trail from the Candle Factory in Higher Burwardsley over Bulkeley Hill to Raw Head, Tower Wood and over Bickerton Hill where we leave the Sandstone Way and descend to the village of Brown Knowl. From where we follow field paths, farm tracks and lanes, through Harthill, below Burwardsley Hill and then back to Higher Burwardsley.
‘C’ Walk Distance: 6.4/7.4 miles Ascent: 400/930 ft Leaders: Steve Wright Julie Cork	We start at the Candle factory and take a minor road and paths to join a track traversing waste hill. An area mined for copper as long ago as the bronze age. The Romans quarried sandstone here to build roads and much of the stone in Beeston castle came from here. From here we descend to Peckforton. A short stretch of road walking followed by field paths takes us to the edge of Spurstow. From Spurstow we take a narrow lane with the castellated towers of Peckforton Castle soon coming in to view.  We then cross the river Gowy and follow field paths to Beeston moss. Continuing along field paths we reach the Castle Lodge. We pass through the lodge archway on to the drive leading to Peckforton Castle.  We walk up the hill to the castle(now a hotel). This is optional.  Returning down the hill we take a path that rises up to Stanner Nab and then down the western slopes to join a track which leads back in to Burwardsley and the Candle Factory.