Riding the Clwyds
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| 08:12 UK time, Tuesday, 19 May 2009
First the stats: 35 booked, 9 dropped out [presumably after seeing the forecast] 26 started, 1 quit 10 miles in due to 1 nasty blister, 1 2-hour downpour, a handful of showers, / , and a huge sense of satisfaction!
The weather forecasters were right. Sunday did, indeed, start off awful with dark and heavy rain clouds making our ascent to Moel Famau look pretty bleak:
As we came up on the weather became worse still and which photos taken by camera phone can't convey. It was a case of put your head down and plod on.
But then we had a stroke of luck, and just like had predicted to the hour, by noon those clouds had lifted and, as you can see from this photo, the blustery wind had blown the rain over us to reveal the Vale of Clwyd below:
Sitting on a was satisfying, but looking towards the coast was deceiving - we could see the sea and off-shore windfarm but it was still at least four hours away by foot.
Passing the A55 at Rhuallt Hill was so noisy - beautiful countryside spoiled by the noise of the traffic that dominated our conversations for more than an hour as we headed to .
Then Meliden, the Orme and coast was eventually revealed to us - and just around the corner on the finishing line was in sight:
Just short of 9 hours and a little over 21 miles and we had finished Walk 20 [Moel Famau - Prestatyn], one of 27 routes organised by . Our route had been led by Ian, John, Aled and Mike from .
Many thanks must go to them - not least because I've now got a better appreciation of the Clwyds [this undulating range of hills that felt like we were riding a green wave] and which helped me to gather the photos I need as we here at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Local start to build up a picture / guide to this impressive range.
See you on the hills!
