Talacre to Crosby

Walk 16.

Walkers, Stuart Page, Richard Porter, Bernie Porter, Paul Harris, Adnan Sidddiqui, Chris Reynolds, Simon Clarke, Carl Hamill & Andy Wheeler

23rd Feb - 26th Feb 2020

100 miles


To fill in a section of the route that we did not complete previously, we visited the area again in February 2020.

23 February
Problem at the Grosvenor, no Bacardi!!! But excelled in recovery , sent someone to Sainsbury’s

Gather at the Opera Grill for quiet 9 bottles of red wine


24 February
Talacre to Shotton 23 miles
Stuart
Paul
Bernie
Andy
Chris (introduction day)
Simon
Adman (introduction day)
Richard
Carl
Walk Grosvenor Chester to bumpers Lane to pick up mini bus
10 spoilt ramblers in a 9 seater mini bus ( Bernie in the boot)
Start at Talacre , team photo
Passed the closed mine at Point of Ayr
Unusual 4 chapels on small Village Main Street
Long slog to Aberkhan we’re saw the abandoned ship the Duke of Lancaster
To do or not to do localised flooding meant we had to edge through flooded underpass and poor old Bamby Bernie slipped and fell in up to the knees
Lunch
Adman thought we’d finished for the day
After lunch 5 miles of treacherous slippy mud paths
Welsh dragon on the view point

Picture with soldier on bench ,memorial to the first world war
Carl took a fall taking the photo, saved RP phone but duly embedded his on in mud , he was covered in mud

Continuing the coastal path to Flint-castle
Had to avoid the flooded coastal path walking on the road past the gas fire power station into Connah’s Quay rejoining the pathway
Walked to the white Bridge. Blue Bridge to finish
Cycle carnage and Kevs emergency braking caused Carl to smash his head in the back seat ( his turn to sit in the boot)
Photo outside the Grosvenor Hotel at finish

25th February - Shotton to West Kirby
Same walkers as above minus Simon& Adnan
Mileage = 17
Kicked off 8.15 , cock up by Richard misunderstandings of the 1 way system in Chester

Started of at Shotton steelworks on the Hawarden bridge where a very nice lady took a super photo of the spoilt ramblers

Walked through the industrial estates Toyota , Morrison’s manufacturing
Another confrontation with a flooded under pass
Through the MOD rifle range putting the welsh border behind us
Over the Burton marshes, wooden walk way over the bog.
More tricky muddy terrain, awful, which did upset Stuart as he had cleaned his boots the previous evening.
Lunch in Parkgate at elephant cafe with independently sourced coffee - not Costa
What time was it ? Bernie lost his watch fortunately found by Richard

Then walked along the sandstone wall
Wirral Way
Saw a male & female chiff chaff
No sign of the Dorset short curly hair pecker

Tea stop at Thurstaston Flossy’s tearoom
Stuart enjoyed a gluten free ice cream cone
Carried on walking along the Wirral Way through Caldy to West Kirkby
Bambino’s Bernie slips again on the moss

Folks at west Kirby marine lake can walk on water (due to Marine lake wall)
Past the Open royal Liverpool golf course
Finished at the lighthouse which had been converted to a beautiful house
Finished off with a mini bus tour of the Corona isolation unit , Chester zoo, and other suburbs
Carl refused entry to his own house

26 February - New Brighton to Crosby
Same group
10 miles
Early start, pick ups en route
Brisk 2 mile march to catch the ferry across the River Mersey and we all saw the new Virgin cruise liner Scarlet Lady, which was starting its maiden voyage from Liverpool to Miami (only 18 passengers plus crew)
Photo with Beatles statue and then on to Crosby for the final “fill in“stretch
Passing the Anthony Gormley statue s on Crosby beach and also past the Bramley moor Dock which will be the future home of Everton football club in 2024
Past the Famous Liver Building,Cunard office and Liverpool Grand Docks and Harbour building
Finished off with hearty soup & sandwiches at the Maritime Albert Dock,