Abbey Village

A walk around Abbey Village.

Abbey Village elevation

Abbey Village route

Nothing much worth photographing until a Red Admiral appeared near the end and landed on Gill for a warm sunbathing spot.

Red Admiral hitching a lift

Hollingworth Lake

A traipse around Hollingworth Lake and the moors.

Hollingworth lake route

Quite grey and dismal. The tracks around windy hill getting more rutted and impassable every time we visit, mostly due to the dirt bikers (whizzing about while we were there).

View from Blackstone Edge

Looming clouds over Cowberry Hill

Llangollen

Continuing the snowy theme, a walk around Llangollen in icy weather. The ice makes the mud solid which is welcome, but makes compacted snow extremely slippery on the slopes, which isn't so welcome.

Llangollen elevation

Llangollen route

The snow made the early morning (almost) deserted Castel Dinas Bran more picturesque than usual.

Sunrise through the arch on Castel Dinas Bran

Snowy Clwydian Hills

Castel Dinas Bran in a bit of snow

Sheep safely grazing at the base of the hill (after we'd made our slippery way down)

We took a back route by a stream up to the "Chicken House". It was so cold icicles had been forming over the stream.

Icicles over the stream

Shutlingsloe

A wintry walk to Shutlingsloe (it was going to be The Cloud, but the car park was closed with no indication when it was going to open, something we're increasingly experiencing). Probably worked out for the best because Shutlingsloe had had some snow.

Shutlingsloe elevation

Shutlingsloe route

The weather was extremely windy and cold, we struggled to stay upright going round Shutlingsloe itself.

Sunrise over Shutlingsloe

Snowy shutlingsloe

Snowy Shutlingsloe (not pictured, howling winds)

Scrabbling up the (cheshire) Matterhorn

The route back was through northern trails, instead of the soggy cow fields to the south. Worked out ok, even if we did get a little lost.

Moel Arthur

Getting the year started with a big walk around Moel Arthur and Moel Y Parc, then back via the undulating but much less steep alternative around Moel Arthur's base.

Moel Arthur elevation

Moel Arthur route

Grey and dismal so not much in the way of photos.

Looking back towards Moel Famau