Turn Right At Liverpool And Keep Walking- Day 32 – Shotton To Flint – 29 May 2017

Today is the day I learn to pay attention to the weather forecasts, because it rains. Train to Shotton, and then a walk back to Hawarden Bridge, as that’s where I left off last time, discover it’s only about 300 yards, but then I have to walk to the river anyway to follow it, so no great shakes there.

The clouds are heavy and the day dank.

I walk past Broughton where Airbus make the A380. I was in Hamburg this year and we passed the Airbus factory there. After that it is Connah’s Quay, which like Parkgate has suffered from the silting up of the Dee. It was once the setoff point for ferries to Ireland, and had a major rail terminal. Now, it is just small boats that use the harbour.

On the way to Flint the rain really sets in, and I get absolutely drenched. So I can spare you pictures on this stretch, mind you there was not a great deal to see either. Apart from this odd road sign.

Yes, I don’t know either. The rain has stopped by the time I get to Flint, where the castle provides the highlight of the day, appropriately for my walks Burgh By Sands and Lanercost there is an Edward I connection, as the castle was the first to be built during his campaign to conquer Wales, and it had a strategic position, being one day’s march from Chester, and on the Dee, which was at that time fordable to England. It was used as part of the Iron Ring, a network of castles designed to encircle North Wales and Oppress the Welsh. In more recent times, Turner visited it and painted there, his rendering is much better than mine, so here it is, followed by mine.

Flint Castle JMW Turner 1838

After that it was a train back home, via Chester and Crewe this time, making it a circular tour. Just seven miles today.

 

 

 

 

Turn Right At Liverpool And Keep Walking- Day 30 – Neston To Shotton – 8 May 2017

A pleasant morning again, and back onto the old railway line out of Neston, after parking up. It took some work here, with a deep cutting blasted into the stone.

The first port of call after Neston is Ness, where Lady Hamilton was born in 1765, the daughter of a blacksmith, and a great beauty, and abused by all around her. It is worth looking at the wikipedia article on her to understand her better. She was first married in Naples then after years of childless marriage mistress to Nelson and died in poverty in Paris of amoebic dystentry, shunned by all, despite Nelsons wishes in his will to provide for her. Her birthplace is marked by an anvil,

I need to learn photoshop so I can get rid of the bins.

After that, it was a stroll around the botanic gardens in Ness, with fine views over the Dee to Flint.

 

My horticultural diversion completed it became obvious I was approaching Wales. This is a major achievement, having walked from home to another country.  The footpath was well defined at this point. What did surprise me was that the border was on the English side of the Dee. I had always assumed that Wales was South of the river and did not stretch North of it.

 

At this point I walked past an abandoned old train wagon, totally no idea why it is here, the tracks looked active.

And then it was a long walk around the perimeter of the Toyota factory, and a large solar farm, finally reaching the banks of the Dee proper once more. It is still tidal at this point, but has become more like a river, than the seaside impersonation it makes downstream.

 

Unfortunately my plan to catch a train back was partially scuppered by the fact that Hawarden Bridge station has a severely restricted service. I didn’t realise that it was but a short walk to Shotton station proper, so walked to the main road and caught a train to Shotton back to Neston.

A short eight mile stroll.

Copyright Allan Russell 2019