Welcome to the Holy Trinity Fell Walking Club in the village of Formby!
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Walking on the Second Saturday March to November
Three Graded and Tested Walks - Coach Transport from Formby Village
Keswick is the Northern tourist centre situated under the massive Skiddaw and on the shore of Derwentwater. It is a pretty town set in beautiful surroundings and you can be assured of three great walks this month.
Walk Leader: Jenny Matthias
Total Distance: 10 miles
Total Ascent/Descent:2900ft
If you have never climbed Skiddaw here is your opportunity. Although this is a long 'hike up the hill' it is not too difficult! the path out of Keswick is part of the Cumbria Way and skirts around the side of Latrigg. As we turn off that way we climb steadily for the rest of the trek to 931meters, over 3000ft.
We will make the detour over Little Man if we have time. If the weather permits and visibility is good, you will be able to see my home town, Aspatria, Scotland and possibly The Isle of Man.
We will return the same way and it is down hill all the way! Hopefully back in time to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the town on a Saturday in summer.
Walk Leader: George Mann
Total distance:about 8 miles and no hard climbs.
Total Ascent:704ft Descent:1140ft
Today we do a repeat of the walk we did four years ago starting from Scales Farm on the A 66. Our path takes across fields to a track alongside the River Glenderamakin, then following a section of railway track we make our way over fields along the valley of St John's in the Vale and up to the Church itself.
From there our route tales us into the next Dale before climbing gently up to Castlerigg then down through Spring Wood to enter Keswick. There are a number of stiles on the walk but none of them difficult.
alk Leader: Heather Sissons
Distance: 6+ miles
Total Ascent/Descent: 980 ft
click on picture to enlarge
This is a classic low level walk along good paths, with great views across Derwent Water.
From Keswick we walk across the suspension bridge and head for Portinscale. we then join the beautiful footpath through Lingholm Estate and the woods, heading for Hawes End and the foot of Cat Bells We then pick up the path along the side of Cat Bells, with wonderful views over Derwentwater, heading for Brandelhow where we join the path by the edge of the lake to walk back to Keswick
The coach will leave the short stay car parkto the south of
Formby village at 0800hrs prompt.
Pre-booking is essential.
Despite the presence of a raised mound in the village called Gelert's Grave, now a tourist attraction, there is absolutely no evidence for Gelert's existence. The "grave" mound is ascribed to the activities of a late 18th-century landlord of the Goat Hotel in Beddgelert, David Pritchard, who connected the legend to the village in order to encourage tourism.
The village is probably named after an early Christian missionary and leader called Celert (or Cilert) who settled here early in the 8th century. The earliest record of the name Beddgelert appears on a document dated 1258, and the name recorded is "Bekelert". In a document of 1269 it is recorded as "Bedkelerd".[1]
Beddgelert is a significant tourist attraction, its picturesque bridge crossing the River Colwyn just upstream of its confluence with the River Glaslyn. It is also the nearest village to the scenic Glaslyn gorge, an area of tumultuous river running between steep wooded hills. Much of the area is however becoming invaded by the alien plant, Rhododendron ponticum which provides a covering of pink blossom in May and June, but which is slowly blanketing out the native flora. Attempts have been made to control its spread by cutting and burning.
The Welsh Highland Railway is currently rebuilding the former railway line, and in April 2009 reopened the railway station to the public, linking the village with Caernarfon to the north. Once fully open, the line will also link with Porthmadog to the south.
Other local attractions include the Sygun Copper Mine.
The village is also linked with the Rupert Bear stories, as Alfred Bestall wrote and illustrated some of the stories whilst he lived in the village, in a cottage at the foot of Mynydd Sygun.
