Countryside 2020events About us! Our Events

Important notes for events • You will need to book in advance for most events via Eventbrite.co.uk, all links can be found on our website and Facebook page For who? The Access and Natural Environment Team are here to help you • Most events in this booklet are suitable access and enjoy our county’s countryside and wildlife. for family groups We welcome you to join us on any of our inspirational guided walks, What to bring talks and events with our knowledgeable Rangers, Conservation • Please wear suitable clothing for the and Access Officers to discover the beautiful that’s on your event and the time of year doorstep. • If you are joining us on a guided walk,

Talacre Warren please wear stout shoes or boots and bring a waterproof Dunes D e s e D ee Estu E A548 t • On popular events we run reserve lists. ar y r au y Greenÿeld Valley If you cannot attend an event, please Heritage Park Holywell cancel your place or let us know so we A55 Kathleen and May Flint Heritage Centre can give your place to someone else A55 Mountain Connah’s Quay • We reserve the right to turn you away if Clw dian Range and D y FLINTSHIRE Queensferry Etna Park you do not book your place Mold Broughton A55 • All events are free of charge unless ee Valley ( A495 Buckley otherwise stated AONB)

Caergwrle Buckley Common • W ell behaved dogs are welcome on FlintshireCountrysideandCoast most of our guided walks, please check Waun y Llyn @flintshirecountrysideandcoast Country Park beforehand. Please keep them on a lead Book your @FCCcountryside space via

Access and Natural Environment are social follow Countryside and Coast! Use the Countryside Code when you’re out and about!

2 3 Access our Natural Space Let’s get moving!

WALKING Let’s Get Moving North is a collaboration of organisations, Walk and discover more of Flintshire’s Natural working together to improve the health and wellbeing of the Environment. Sites to visit for more info population of North Wales, through increasing opportunities for www.flintshire.gov.uk people to move more. www.ramblers.org Flintshire Council is the First Local Government Organisation to www.walkaboutflintshire.com become a partner for this initiative.

RUNNING The collaboration is to support, influence and advocate for the Enjoy running along the mountains, coastal path and our country development of settings and environments to enable people to move parks? more. Check out park run Wepre Park and Greenfield Valley, find out more Benefits of moving more; at www.parkrun.org.uk • reduce risk of conditions such as coronary heart disease and certain cancers CYCLING Whether you are an experienced cyclist, who enjoys riding a long and • maintain a healthy weight fairly challenging route, or someone who has never been on a bike, Flintshire.gov.uk has a cycle route for you! • increase mental well-being www.cycle-route.com • reduce conditions that affect the muscles www.ridenorthwales.co.uk and bones www.sustrans.org.uk • help reduce sickness absence from work FISHING Enjoy fishing or would like to try? • reduce our carbon footprint by supporting This summer our Rangers are hosting a learn to fish event at Buckley, sustainable active travel check out Eventbrite to book your free session. • maintain independence in older adults The Rosie, Wepre Park is home to Connah’s Quay Angling Club check out what they have to offer www.connahsquayanglingclub.com • reduce isolation and loneliness and increase resilience HORSE RIDING Flintshire’s countryside boasts 110km of bridleways for you to enjoy on horseback. To find more information and plan your routes go to Walk about Flintshire provide weekly walking opportunities at Mold, Flintshire’s interactive mapping site via Flintshire.gov.uk or visit the Buckley, Flint, Shotton, , , Halkyn, Holywell, Talacre, BHS at www.bhs.org.uk , , , Hall, and more!

4 5 Halkyn Mountain Living Landscape Health and Wellbeing week

The Halkyn Mountain Living Landscape Project is a European funded landscape partnership which aims to manage the sensitive ecology of the mountain sustainably. The mountain is approximately 2000 acres of Common Land and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area for Conservation (SAC). The landscape on the mountain is very much one shaped by the underlying geology.

The area has been extensively quarried for limestone and chert and mined for lead. This industrial activity has had a lasting impact on the flora and fauna of the mountain. The thin, lime rich soil provides the Launch Evening - 23rd May – 29th May ideal conditions for nationally scarce calcareous grasslands. Metal Event launch on the rich residue from the lead mining also creates some very interesting This week will be full of wellbeing, mountain - Saturday and rare grassland habitats. Grazing has helped to maintain these nature walks, talks and much more. 23rd May from 6pm grassland habitats. Fun for all!

The main aims of the project are to protect and enhance the notable Look out for more information and Live Music ecology of the mountain by managing the grazing and controlling event dates and details on the FCC invasive vegetation. Countryside and Coast web page Local Food and social media pages. Another key element of the project is community engagement. To this end, we are hosting a series of public events designed to help people Halkyn Mountain Health and Heritage Crafts

engage with the landscape. These range from guided walks looking Wellbeing Living Landscapes at the wildflowers and industrial heritage, quarry tours, to craft events such as basketry, textiles and spoon carving.

We are hosting the Halkyn Mountain Health and Wellbeing week over the May half term and there will be plenty on offer to encourage you to get out and about – see FCC Countryside and Coast webpage and social media pages for more information.

6 7 Be a Legend - Volunteer Beach-tastic!

• Habitat work • Family Activity Assistant Are you bonkers about the beach? • Access management • Schools Assistant Love visiting Talacre? • Heritage gardening • Historic Machinery Assistant We have a number of events detailed within • Events • Visitor Support Assistant this booklet which you will love, including; • Conservation Work • High Tide Beach Clean • Gardening One off or regular visits from • Natterjack Toad Walk • Ground Maintenance hours, weeks, months or longer • Talacre History Walk whatever suits. • Research Assistant AND…. Beach-tastic Talacre Discovery Enjoy an afternoon on the beach, build sand , toast marshmallows and follow our discovery treasure hunt to win a prize. Keep an eye on our social media pages for dates over the school holidays.

Coastal Ranger Walks Do you have a group who would like to learn more about our biodiversity and heritage rich estuary?

Book your guided walk or talk with our Rangers. Email [email protected] or call 01352 703900 for more information.

8 9 February, March, April & May

TALACRE HIGH TIDE VALENTINE LOVE LIGHTING OF THE FAN BIRD CARVING EASTER ADVENTURES DRAGON BEACH CLEAN BIRDS MON 10th FEB SUN 16th FEBRUARY SUN 1st MARCH SAT 11th APRIL 12th APRIL W epre Easter Treasure Hunt 12noon – 2pm 11am - 3pm 6.30pm - 7.30pm 9.30am - 4.30pm 11am - 3pm Do your bit to help in the Join the Friends of Wepre Celebrate St. Davids Day Fan bird carving is a Wepre Park ‘war against litter’. Grab a Park and Rangers to make with the lighting of the traditional European folk 12th APRIL Castle Egg Hunt bag and help us clear the a bird box to take home. dragon. The event is weather art where a single piece 1 - 3pm marine litter washed up on Suggested donation of £3. dependant so in the event of of wood is carved into one of the biggest tides of No need to book. poor weather please check a beautiful bird with its the year. social before you attend. wings spread. 11th - 13th APRIL Greenfield Valley’s Get the Goose Wepre Park Visitors Centre. Book in advance. 11am - 3pm Book in advance. Meet at Bettisfield near Greenfield Valley Meet Gamfa Wen. dragon. Rhes y Cae Village Hall. Charges apply, more details available on Facebook

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BOWL TURNING WILDLIFE HALKYN MOUNTAIN NATTERJACK WILLOW PLANT PHOTOGRAPHY BIRD SURVEY TOAD WALK SUPPORTS EXPEDITION WORKSHOP MARCH 7th & 8th SUN 29th MARCH WED 15th APRIL SAT 25th APRIL THURS 7th MAY 9am – 4.30pm TUES 10th MARCH 9.00am - 4.00pm 7pm - 8.30pm 9.30am - 4.30pm 10.30am - 1pm Over a two day course come 7.30pm - 9pm Come and learn how to carry Join the Ranger and the Renowned basket maker A gentle walk and lunch and learn how to turn a log Fancy making it into the out a bird survey and see site manager for a dusky Mandy Coates will show on the Dee Estuary. into your very own functional Countryfile calendar? what is out and about on walk through Talacre you how to make a Somewhere special at high bowl using a foot-powered Learn some tricks and tips Halkyn Mountain. dunes. Learn about the beautiful plant support tide. Walk from Shotton, lathe. Greenwood worker for photographing wildlife endangered Natterjack from willow. enquire for further details. Please bring a packed lunch Doug Don will show you from the RSPB. Toad and hopefully they Book in advance. Donation to RNLI. and wear suitable outdoor how it’s done. Book in advance. will sing us a chorus too. Book in advance. clothing. Village Hall. Book in advance. Book in advance. Rhes y Cae Village Hall. Book in advance. Rhes y Cae Village Hall. Meet Gamfa Wen.

10 11 May, June & July

LEARN TO ORIENTEER GREENFIELD HALKYN INDUSTRIAL CONNAH’S QUAY HALKYN QUARRY FLINT FESTIVAL GEOLOGY DAY HERITAGE GUIDED FESTIVAL TOUR WALK FRI 8th MAY SAT 16th MAY SUN 28th JUNE WED 1st JULY SAT 4th JULY 11am - 2pm 11am - 3pm WED 27th MAY 10.30am - 5pm 5.30pm - 7pm A free family friendly Enjoy traversing the Drop in and discover 1pm - 3pm Enjoy a fabulous day at A fantastic opportunity to festival with live music, countryside from one the treasures beneath Discover the spectacular Wepre Park. Come and visit the heart of a working charity stalls, donkey rides, control point to another Greenfield’s feet... a countryside of Halkyn and see the stalls, live music, limestone quarry courtesy storytelling and activities using your new map session of fun with rocks, its fascinating industrial fair and grand procession of Cemex. Wear sturdy for all. Come and say hello reading skills, this can be minerals and fossils. history with the Ranger. to start the event. footwear or wellies if wet. to the Countryside Team. done individually, teams or Entry fee to the museum Book in advance. A very popular event so www.flinttowncouncil.co.uk families to help you all learn applies. book early. Meet Cemex, www.flintfestival.co.uk together. Meet Waun y Llyn. www.greenfieldvalley.com . Book in Book in advance. advance.

TALACRE HISTORY MIDSUMMER WALK HALKYN ROCK THE CASTLE NATURAL DYES WEPRE BUZZY WALK WILDFLOWER GUIDED BEE DAY WALK THURS 4th JUNE SUN 21st JUNE 2020 SAT 11th JULY SAT 11th JULY SUN 12th JULY 10am - 12noon 10.30am - 2.30pm WED 24th JUNE Probably the greatest 9.30am - 4.30pm 10am - 3pm Join us for a walk in the A circular walk around 1pm - 3pm venue for a Rock Festival. Come and learn about Join local experienced dunes. Learn all about Halkyn Mountain on the Join the Ranger and Come and see the local making dyes from natural beekepers and new the fascinating history of longest day of the year. Flinshire’s County bands and end a great day materials. Helen Melvin beekeepers to find out all Talacre. Ecologist for a walk, where with the finest fireworks. from Fiery Felts will guide about bee species and how Please bring a packed Book in advance. you will learn about the Bar and food stalls, entry you through what colours to become a bee keeper. lunch and something mountain’s ecology. fee - donations at the gate. you can get from your Fun and games for children, Meet Gamfa Wen. to drink. Please wear Book in advance. garden plants. Rhes y honey for sale and many suitable clothing for the www. flinttowncouncil.co.uk Cae Village Hall. Book in more fun activities! Meeting weather. Book in advance. www. flintfestival.co.uk advance. point, Old Hall Garden.

12 13 July & August

HALKYN QUARRY FELT MAKING RIVER RAMBLE I YOUR CAERGWRLE RIVER RAMBLE II SPOON CARVING TOUR CASTLE THROUGH THE CENTURIES WED 15th JULY SAT 18th JULY WED 22nd JULY WED 5th AUG SAT 8th AUG 5.30pm - 7pm 9.30am - 4.30pm Session 1 - 10am - 12pm SUN 2nd AUG Session 1 - 10am - 12pm 9.30am - 4.30pm A fantastic opportunity to Part two of our textile Session 2 - 1pm - 3pm 11am - 2pm Session 2 - 1pm - 3pm Carving your very own visit the heart of a working themed events. Helen Join the Rangers in a river Join the castle Ranger and Join the Rangers in a river wooden spoon is a very limestone quarry courtesy Melvin from Fiery Felts will expedition. Waterproofs local historian and we will expedition. Waterproofs therapeutic experience. of Cemex. Wear sturdy show you how to create and wellies are essential. guide you through the and wellies are essential. Come and learn about footwear or wellies if wet. artistic felts. Hot chocolate at the end centuries of folk lore, who Hot chocolate at the end wood selection and safe of the ramble courtesy of the ramble courtesy carving techniques. Bring A very popular event so Rhes y Cae Village Hall. married who or murdered of the Old Hall Café. of the Old Hall Café. a packed lunch. book early. Meet Cemex, Book in advance. whom. Meet Caergwrle Pentre Halkyn. This event is for children Castle. This event is for children Book in advance. Book in advance. aged 4 and over. Book in Book in advance. aged 4 and over. Book in advance. advance.

EXPLORE AND HALKYN POND DIP WILD FAMILIES CAERGWRLE CASTLE HALKYN POND DIP RAKE AND ROAST DISCOVER TRAILS PICNIC AND STORIES AND SECRETS WED 29th JULY WED 29th JULY SUN 9th AUG WED 12th AUG THUR 13th AUG SUN 26th JULY 10am - 11.30am 11am - 2pm 12pm - 2pm 10am - 11.30am 11am - 3pm 11am - 2pm & 1.30pm - 3pm If you are bored of the Bring a picnic to the castle & 1.30pm - 3pm Bring the family and help Come and discover Buckley’s Join the Ranger to see holidays already then and hear some ancient Join the Ranger to see rake the hay from our hidden industrial secrets, what creatures live in one come and try out a stories and try out our what creatures live in education area meadow. this will be a guided walk of the mountain ponds. wildlife challenge and scavenger hunt. one of the mountain A traditional day on the through time opening up Wear wellies. Dipping discover Etna Country Book in advance. ponds. Wear wellies. land, with a break for a your imagination, and you equipment will be provided. Park. You will need all Dipping equipment will barbecue lunch. thought it was just clay! All children must be your courage to get to be provided. All children Book in advance. Bring a packed lunch. accompanied by an adult. the end. must be accompanied by Book in advance. Book in advance. Book in advance. an adult. Book in advance.

14 15 August & September

SALT MARSH SPECIAL LEARN TO FISH WEPRE BAT WALK ADVANCED LEARN TO FISH BATTY CASTLE

AND TALK 1&2 ORIENTEERING DAY THURS 13th AUG SUN 16th AUG WED 19th AUG SUN 30th AUG SUN 6th SEPT WED 9th SEPT 6pm - 8pm 11am - 3pm 8.15pm - 9.45pm 10.30am - 1pm 11am - 3pm 8.30pm - 10pm A sense of place and Whether you have fished WED 26th AUG 2020 Join the members of the Whether you have fished Enjoy an evening stroll to freedom on this rare or not, come and learn 8.15pm - 9.45pm ERYRI Orienteering Club, or not, come and learn the castle with the local opportunity to explore the from experts, hone your Walk and talk all things members of the Welsh from experts, hone your Ranger and a Batty expert heart of the Dee Estuary skills to outsmart a fish. It bat related! Using our bat Orienteering Association. skills to outsmart a fish. It who will bring to life the crossing from England to doesn’t matter if you don’t detectors find out what bat Use your new skills to doesn’t matter if you don’t nocturnal lives of your Wales. have any tackle there will species are in Wepre Park. traverse the countryside have any tackle there will local flying mammals. Book in advance. be some for you to borrow. Book in advance. from one control point to be some for you to borrow. Caergwrle Castle. Higher Common Buckley. another. Waun-y-Llyn. Higher Common Buckley. Book in advance. Book in advance. Book in advance. Book in advance.

WAUN Y LLYN WILD FAMILIES HALKYN INDUSTRIAL ASH SPLINT BASKETS WILDLIFE ON THE ILLUSTRATED TALK - MYSTERY WALK HERITAGE GUIDED RANGE - A BIG DEE RSPB WALK DAY SPECIAL SUN 23rd AUG WED 26th AUG SAT 12th & SUN 13th TUES 15th SEPT 11am - 2pm 11am - 2pm WED 26th AUG SEPT SUN 13th SEPT 7.30pm - 9.00pm Come and be guided If you are bored of the 1pm - 3pm 9.30am - 4.30pm 10.30am - 1pm An evening illustrated talk through the lovely landscape holidays already then Discover the spectacular A two day course showing Join the Coastal Rangers on focussing on the work of by the local Ranger who will come and try out our countryside of Halkyn and you how to make a this Big Dee Special with the the RSPB. wildlife challenge and its fascinating industrial Dee Wildfowlers and RSPB tell you some of its industrial beautiful and useful basket Rhes y Cae Village Hall. discover Etna Country history with the Ranger. on the MOD firing range to and natural history. from ash wood. Book in advance. Book in advance. Park. You will need all Book in advance. see what wildlife makes the Rhes y Cae Village Hall. your courage to get to best of the most dangerous Book in advance. the end. habitat on the Dee Estuary. Book in advance. Courtesy of the MOD. Book in advance.

16 17 September, October, November & December Join us for Big Dee Day 2020

WILLOW BASKETS WONDERFUL WOODS HALLOWEEN TREE AND ORCHARD SPOOKTACULAR If you know a local business or group that would like to get involved then DAY SAT 3rd OCT SAT 31st OCT get in touch. Alternatively book a 9.30am - 4.30pm SUN 4th OCT 6pm - 9pm place on a beach clean at Talacre Renowned basket maker 10am - 3pm Join the Friends of Wepre at 1pm on the 11th September via Mandy Coates will show Join the Rangers and Park to create a lantern in ‘eventbrite’. you how to make a Conservation Team for all the Visitors Centre. Go on

beautiful basket from things tree. Woodland a ghostly walk through the 11th - 18th September 2020. willow. and orchard management, Old Hall Garden and then grafting demonstrations, Rhes y Cae Village Hall. float your lit lantern on the apple pressing, horse Contact Flintshire Access and Book in advance. Rosie. Booking Essential. logging, guided walks, – Tickets on sale on 1st Natural Environment Service at: talks and much more. October 2020 from Old Hall Wepre Park. Café. Wepre Park Visitor Centre, Greenfield Valley Heritage Park Wepre Drive, Greenfield Valley, Connah’s Quay CH5 4HL Holywell, CH8 7GH 01352 703900 01352 714172 [email protected] [email protected] www.flintshire.gov.uk/ www.greenfieldvalley.com countryside ILLUSTRATED TALK WEPRE PARK MIDWINTER – THE BIRDS OF CHRISTMAS FAYRE LANTERNS HALKYN SUN 6th DEC SUN 20th DEC Public Rights of Way Biodiversity Team TUES 17th NOV 11am - 3pm 3pm - 7.30pm Tŷ Dewi Sant Tŷ Dewi Sant 7.30pm - 9.30pm Come to along to our Family event to make a St Davids Park St Davids Park An evening illustrated talk annual Christmas Fayre festive lantern and join in CH5 3XT Ewloe CH5 3XT looking at the bird life on a lantern parade around at Wepre Park Visitors 01352 704729 01352 703263 Halkyn Mountain. Centre. Local crafts for Moel y Gaer. Refreshments sale, make a yule log. provided. publicrightsofway@flintshire. [email protected] Rhes y Cae Village Hall. Enjoy mince pies and our Rhosesmor Village Hall. gov.uk https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/ Book in advance. Christmas tree. https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/ Nature-in-Flintshire Materials will be provided. en/Public-rights-of-way Book in advance.

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18 19 Other Countryside Partners...

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