Category: Community Groups

Crickhowell and  Llantwit Major

 Crickhowell

A good start to this walk; as we drove over the mountains (through Beaufort for the views) to Crickhowell car park, we saw cloud inversions and the valley mist starting to rise.

The walk route was undulating, we started with an uphill stretch along a road heading east out of Crickhowell. As we climbed, we enjoyed aerial views of the town and the surrounding countryside. It was not long before we were on footpaths and amongst trees. At one point we found an old favourite, a huge, sweet chestnut tree which we posed under, as we did the last time we passed this way. Nearby someone had altered a sign bordering a military camp: ‘Warning this is a literary camp. Beware of sudden loud noses.’

The hollow in an old oak was so large a man could have taken shelter inside it. At Llangenny we continued north following the beautiful Grwynne Fawr river, where we were soon enjoying ancient trees and the waterway. There was dappled shade and a lovely old bridge over the river. A pretty fungus, grey with white edges grew in a bed of moss.

Coming to a more open area, the hills around us were bathed in sunshine, the earlier mist having lifted but it was still hot and humid. As we walked along a road the hills behind were framed by the roadside hedge and we paused to take it all in.

Now buildings started to appear, and we were back in the outskirts of Crickhowell. Outside one house was a wooden carving of an animal with a large snout sporting binoculars and a rucksack. The Tourist information centre provided a second wooden sculpture (this time with a walking stick and rucksack) a cuppa and culture; there is a gallery upstairs with interesting artwork and reasonably priced cards. An excellent day’s walking in gorgeous countryside. Map OL13 Walk 7miles 1050ft.

 Llantwit Major travelling west along the coast

We parked at the sea front in Llantwit Major where there is a café and toilets and, if the surf is up, surfers. Walking past the lifeguard’s station we climbed the steep steps up to the coastal path travelling west. The path is well maintained but can be very muddy in wet weather. I enjoy a linear walk going as far as I am comfortable and then returning the same way. If you are feeling more adventurous you can take one of the paths heading inland to create a circular walk, but you will need a map to do this.

The last time I did this was a beautiful sunny morning with hardly any breeze so that the sea was very calm. We walked past Tresillian Bay (a stony beach to negotiate here) and were on the way to St Donat’s Bay when a rescue helicopter passed overhead. We were able to watch the helicopter lower itself close to the water’s surface and then lower a man to ‘rescue’ a dummy they had thrown out into the sea. From our vantage point on the cliffs everything looked tiny, and you wonder how they ever spot people in such a vast expanse of grey. Later we met some local children who were camping and taking part in outdoor activities at Atlantic College during their summer holidays.

St Donat’s Bay, Atlantic College, is a good place to stop on the sea wall for refreshment. It was here that we turned back to Llantwit Major. The coastal path and Heritage coast continues to Nash Point, then Monknash, Dunraven Bay and Ogmore. All of it splendid walking with brilliant views but even on bright days you may need warm clothes as the wind along the coast is usually quite strong

“The Labyrinth of the Spirits” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

“The Labyrinth of the Spirits” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The first few pages of this 500 page novel giving the description of Regina Aeronautica’s bombardment of Barcelona during The Spanish Civil War and the subsequent escape of Alicia Gris, the heroine, was extremely evocative and the brutality of the Franco Fascist era from 1936 until his death in 1975 particularly well written.
The story is basically a detective novel where Alicia Gris acting as a police agent is commissioned to find Don Valls who has mysteriously disappeared.
The novel is gritty, gripping but at times very dark with several difficult passages of graphic details of gruesome tortures.
Despite the fluency of the narrative the writing occasionally becomes rather mundane and the momentum is lost but Zafón soon rectifies these passages by introducing an absorbing twist.
Apart from two dissenters the group found the tome fascinating and a real page turner with most of the group awarding marks of 9 and 10. The overall mark was 7.
Thank you must go to our hostess, Jill, who provided us with delicious cake

Wales’ 20-Mph Default Speed Limit

WENVOE FORUM

Considering tomorrow today

Wales’ 20-Mph Default Speed Limit

Forum Member Gareth Stone gives his view of the 20mph discussion.

Wales’ 20-mph default speed limit…

On 17/9/23, Welsh Government legislation reduced the default national speed limit from 30-mph to 20-mph. A week later, I drove to Northampton for our grandson’s 10th birthday. As we neared, we noticed 20-mph zones in the surrounding villages and the residential area where they live. England seemed ahead of Wales here.

When the 20-mph default limit in Wales was initially debated, it had wide political and institutional support. Within weeks, there’s been a record-breaking petition calling for its reversal. I couldn’t understand the reaction, so I decided to take a ‘fresh look’ at the various arguments and viewpoints.

Some truths…? –

In 1990, the Department of Transport set out guidelines for the introduction of 20-mph limits. Road safety publicity messages at the time included ‘Kill Your Speed, Not A Child’, identifying speed as crucial to reducing risk of injury in accidents.

From 1991-1999, 450 such 20-mph speed limits were introduced in the UK. By 2003, there had been a 56% decrease in accidents and a 90% decrease in fatal / serious injuries. The biggest reductions were in child / pedestrian injuries.

Road safety – reducing crashes, injuries and accidents – saving lives…

50% of road casualties in 2018, occurred on 30-mph roads. The World Health Organisation identified the most effective way to improve pedestrian safety was reducing vehicle speed. Figures and evidence here alone justify the move to 20-mph. Speed (and longer stopping distances) significantly increases the risk of injury in collisions.

ROSPA identifies a fatality risk of 1.5% when struck by a car at 20-mph rising to 8% at 30-mph. If your child runs into the road and a driver hits the brakes, a car travelling at 30-mph would be doing 24-mph when the car travelling at 20-mph had stopped. The safety argument is hard to contest, saving up to 100 lives in Wales over 10 years and preventing up to 20,000 injuries.

Improved health / well-being…

Vehicle speed is the main reason why people do not walk, cycle or allow their children to walk, cycle or scooter to school. Lower speeds encourage active modes of travel such as walking & cycling. It’s not only safer for children to walk to school, older people also feel able to travel more independently and safely. This reduces the number of cars on our roads; and in turn reduces congestion for those with no other choice.

Improved air quality and environment…

Driving at 20-mph does not mean extra pollution. Speed in residential areas is not continuous or steady. You are always braking, accelerating, pulling out at junctions, stopping at traffic lights, overtaking parked buses, delivery vans etc.

Factors contributing to pollution levels are driving style; acceleration; braking; vehicle condition; distance travelled and engine temperature. 20-mph should improve the smooth flow of traffic. Driving smoothly reduces particulate emissions. Particulate emissions especially smaller PM2.5 ones are linked with respiratory problems, diabetes, mental health conditions, depression and autism.

Costs and savings…

Welsh Government analysis puts the direct costs of the policy (changing road signs, markings and the marketing campaign) at c. £32.5m (spread over 2022-27) and the cost to the economy, c. £6.4bn (over 30 years).

Hayward identified that the £32.5m will be quickly recovered as the cost-savings from reduced deaths and serious injuries will be substantial. This also benefits the Welsh NHS more widely across other areas.

£6.4bn over 30 years equates to c. £200m pa – still a huge number. Much of these costs are attributed to short journeys. If you remove these disproportionally expensive short journeys from the equation, the costs fall to c. £57m pa, which again could easily be offset by the savings from fewer accidents.

Other factors…

ROSPA received concerns that traffic calming in 20-mph zones had negative consequences, such as vehicle damage, injury to passengers, slowing down emergency vehicles and increasing vehicle emissions.

Research showed no evidence of vehicle damage from properly negotiating humps and no permanent changes to vehicle suspensions. Levels of passenger discomfort were generally acceptable if speed limits met, and spinal impact was an order of magnitude lower than that which caused injury.

Further research showed that delays to emergency vehicles were generally in the region of small numbers of seconds.

Further evidence:

  • Many countries already do it, and it works.
  • Councils can keep major roads at 30-mph and arterial roads in/out of cities will not change.
  • Over 0.5m children will find their walk or cycle to school safer and healthier.
  • Fewer accidents and bumps which clog up towns/cities will lead to less congestion.
  • Noise pollution reduced in built-up areas.

 

My final thoughts…

Evidence shows that 20-mph default speed limits on residential roads, outside schools and busy pedestrian areas saves lives and reduces injuries. They improve the environment create safer communities and make quieter, more pleasant places, where people feel able to walk / cycle. They reduce air pollution and benefit people’s health and the local economy.

Getting to 30-mph requires twice the energy as getting to 20-mph. People living in communities with existing 20-mph limits are positive about the changes.

Of course, 20-mph seems slow. That’s the point. It may be annoying at first as we all, as drivers, want to be at our destination. But think of the cyclists and pedestrians that benefit so hugely, and the reduced air and noise pollution.

Finally, consider that when seat belts were first introduced 40 years ago, in 1983, some will recall the widespread resistance to the change. Who would consider driving without them now?

A fuller version with references to research and evidence of pilots is posted on the Forum blog,https://wenvoeforum.wordpress.com/ where you can put forward your own views.

 

The Wind Blown Hairstyles

CARERS WALK

The Carers stroll at Barry Island was a hair raising experience as the wind swirled around Nell’s point spoiling hairstyles! Still, ruffled hair is a small price to pay for a leisurely stroll, a chat with friends and of course, the Italian ice cream at the end!

 

 

Grey Skies Did Not Dampen The Spirits

The Stress Buster Strollers

 

Some gloomy grey skies did not dampen the spirits of the Stress Buster strollers on their monthly walk. Smiles and chatting were in abundance as they strolled through the woods in Romilly Park, uphill on the grass of marine drive, then down the promenade to take a look at the Bull’s Nose on thr Knap beach. Next was Watchtower Bay which was at its best with the tide far out showing the golden sands. A walk through the lakeside gardens and coffee…and more chatting finished an enjoyable, fun morning out!!

October Meeting of Wenvoe W.I.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

October Meeting of Wenvoe W.I.

Wenvoe WI met on 5th Oct in the local Church Hall where the members enjoyed a Fish and Chip supper, courtesy of the ‘Fryery’ Fish and Chip shop on Cowbridge Rd , Ely, Cardiff. Individual members’ meals were boxed , and delivered steaming hot, and were delicious. This was followed by a General Knowledge Quiz.

The following afternoon, amid lovely Autumn sunshine, our erstwhile members gathered in the Grounds of St Mary’s Church, where, under the able supervision of Mr Mike Tucker , the Church Sexton, 100 tete a tete bulbs were planted as part of the WI celebrations for the centenary of the Glamorgan Federation of WIs. The bulbs were planted in the shape of the letters WI, and immediately in front of the bench Wenvoe WI had donated to the church several years ago.

Our celebrations will be completed later in the year in December, by a Link Carol service at St Mary’s. Wenvoe WI meets on the first Thursday of each month in the Church Hall at 7pm. November’s meeting will be a demonstration of Christmas Craft by Andrea , from ‘The Daisy Chain’ in Sully, to be held on 2nd November.
New members and ‘tasters’ are always very welcome.

Jan Young ( President)

 

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