I thought I would get a walking blog in which I thought was quite interesting, we have completed a few winter Sunday short walks around Llangollen which keeps fitness up and of course limited my the shorter days, the evening are starting to pull out now.

Anyway time to get another section of the sandstone trail in with of course my beloved book "circular walks of the sandstone trail" which walking end to end of the sandstone trail one Sunday  afternoon could be a challenge.

One thing I have to say is I really love the Peckforton Hills its like a small hilly kingdom of things to find, great views,caves the brilliant sandstone trail and of course two fantastic castles to add.
So today's walk starting near the Pheasant inn at the candle workshop which has a car park for walkers just outside the workshops, for today we are we are following from the book walk 8 Burwardsley of a distance of 8km and taking in a good section of the sandstone trail with a spur added to take in Rawhead  which is the highest point of the point of the sandstone trail at 227 metres and commanding  fine views across towards Chester and the buildings  Liverpool  visible.

Bulkeley Hill which is owned by the National trust which was on walk provided some brilliant views across the expanse of the  Cheshire Plains viewing  as far as the peak district of North ease Cheshire and the huge radio telescope at Jodrell bank.

onto Rawhead for the spur  which i just mentioned and we find a well known locally as "Droppingstone" (drippingstone).

We found a few signs of spring along the route on this surprisingly mild January day and even sat outside in the beer garden to enjoy  the  Cheshire views and cider  

Over the Christmas period I manage to get a few walks under my belt with the available day light, poor light has made photography difficult most of the time, but the weeks leading up with snow given me some brilliant snow night photography,with  winter in mind I have written my contribution of 2018 November\Decembers edition of shire magazine which will be really good as It inspired me to write it at the right time of year also with the right photography too,I thought no good writing a winter walk in summer as you need the feel of the walk , with freelance writing I have a few good writing projects ideas and projects underway. some being short true local stories.
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This year I was amazed to find one of my photos in the final 22 of "mountain photographer of year" in trail magazine, unfortunately I did not win but I feel honored to been short listed to of got that far.
  The photo was of Crib Goch in quite a different perspective which i should get framed up really,and maybe I should enter a some photography and writing competitions. 

Walking I logged up on my fitness app in 2017 was 919km which has kept me fit and health, inspired and enjoyed every bit of it plus whopping 1858km of cycling. 

Boxing day walk was a nice flat walk along the Llangollen canal with my partner Glenys, starting at Trevor for a there and back walk to LLangollen, lunch at the station and a wonder around and of course I had taken my camera, the distance walked was  15km also this route makes great cycle ride too.

Saturday 30th December was a routine I devised witch i call the bridden hill three peaks, which starting a middletown on the powys\Shropshire border involves walking to the summit of middletown hill then walking over into Shropshire then a ridge doubling   back into wales for a walk to the summit of bridden hill with tower Rodneys pillar on the summit, then involves a walk over and up to the summit of moel y golfa, that my bridden hill hill three peaks walk quite a lot of walking involved and a little bit challenging with a distance of 14km, I completed this with my son Tom.

31st of december up early to follow  a section of olwyn glyder trail from welshpool/to golfa hill summit for a there and back walk of 11km and of course the first walk of the year....

1st of January 2018 again started at the same point of yesterday walk at the Owain Glyndwrs stone which marks the start or finish which ever direction you walk the route, so this time walking with Glenys along the canal tow path which this one was the Montgomery Canal for walk past pool quay and then up the quiet lane to the summit of the Rhualt hill then onto a enjoyable bridleway and lanes and back onto the canal, plenty of wild life along the canal which we saw a woodpecker, heron lots of  moorhens and of course we finished with  distance of 15km and rewarded ourselves with mince pie and coffee at the royal oak in welshpool a great walking start to 2018......happy new year
From Clive and Glenys