10am: waiting at Bwlch Pen Barras, Moel Famau for the first coach load of youngsters to arrive. Ysgol Bodnant, Prestatyn were first to arrive with 50 excited children. Nick and Sharon were leading this group and after a short explanation and health and safety talk they were off.

Soon after the next bus arrived with more excited children, from Ysgol y Llys Prestatyn this time. Rhun, Erin and I were leading this group. It’s quite a hike to the top, and hardly any of the children had done the walk before. They all made it to the top, some with a little cajoling.  Everyone sat around the tower for lunch, some eagerly feeding a very tame red legged partridge (christened Alan by Rhun). At least today we could see the tower as we were approaching, the day before had been so misty we could barely see the Jubilee Tower when we were right on top of it!

The walk down was through the forest, a contrast to the moorland we had been crossing on the way up. We passed the ‘House for a Grouse’ area which intrigued the youngsters. It is an area of the forest which was felled a few years ago and now is covered in healthy heather, with the odd tree planted, an ideal habitat for black grouse. 

After 3 hours exploring Moel Famau the youngsters were back at their coach. It had been an exciting day and great to see the school children so keenly exploring the environment. No we didn’t see any black grouse, I think we were just a bit too noisy for that but several of the children both heard and saw a stonechat, and I certainly now know what one sounds like and realise why it is called stone chat……………….it sounds like two stones being knocked together- stones chatting!!