Category: Footsteps

Quakers Yard and Hendryd Falls

 

Quakers Yard –

Starting at Quakers Yard, until the 18th Century, known as Rhyd y Grug, ‘the ford of the rustling waters’, where the Bargoed Taff and Taff rivers meet. Its name changed when land was bequeathed to the Quaker movement for use as a burial ground or yard. Until the 2nd half of the 19th century it was a picturesque rural village with 2 inns and little industry. Neighbouring communities developed later around the coal trade, local streets are named after influential Quakers and Treharris is named after William Harris, who came from a rich Quaker family.

Travelling east we walked alongside a turbulent river taking us to the Taff Bargoed Park, built on the site of old mine workings. The river has been dammed to create lakes, providing habitat for a diverse range of insects, birds and small mammals.

The manmade channels carrying water through the park were churning after heavy rain and occasional waves rose along the sides of the structures. Paving on the main footpath indicates the position of coal seams, each over 2000ft deep. Leaving the park and walking up a hill we noted that even the road had fast flowing water and we were lucky it was not icy.

On reaching the outskirts of Trelewis we headed northwest across open land. We spotted a large herd of horses in the distance (redolent of a scene from an old western film).

Continuing we came upon the site of the remains of an old chapel at Cefn Merthyr – hardly visible in undergrowth. There was a murky view to the west, of a green and brown hillside but looking north towards Merthyr a watery sunshine which we called ‘the promised land’ – it was so long since we’d seen sunshine.

Reaching the eastern edge of a woodland, we continued north for a while before turning south through the wood. It was quite atmospheric, the trees being covered in moss and the clouds low. Moving closer to the edge of the track to peer into the wood we were staggered to see a huge tyre dump. Coming out of the wood, Aberfan came into view across the valley and we stopped for lunch.

Continuing in a southerly direction we entered the Pontygwaith Nature reserve and the Taff trail at ‘Trevithick’s Trail’ which follows the old tram road from Penydarren to Abercynon along the river. The tramroad is famous for being the first in history to carry a full load of iron and passengers. On 21st February 1804 the train travelled 9.5 miles in 4hrs 5mins! Sleepers buckled and split with the weight and the engine’s boiler broke on the return journey to Abercynon.

Looking west across the valley, the gap in the hill which is known as ‘the dinosaur’s footprint’ is visible here. Tram road stones for the railway are still clear on the ground in places. Soon we reached the magnificent viaduct which crosses the river Taff. It has double arches which were built separately but now form a single structure enabling 2-way traffic.

Continuing down the trail we came to Quakers Yard station and from there returned to the cars. We agreed that, despite a cold, grey, winter’s day we had enjoyed a good walk with the bonus of being on proper tracks the whole way – much appreciated after heavy rain and the amount of mud around. The walk was 7¾miles and 800ft ascent. Map 166.

 

 

Hendryd Falls –

Last June we parked at Coelbren and walked south towards Banwen. Local tradition claims that St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland (and patron saint of Nigeria), was born here. He engineered the development of arts and crafts after he introduced the use of lime and mortar to Ireland. Enabling the initial construction of clay churches in 5thC AD, he taught the Irish to build arches of lime and mortar instead of dry masonry – this developed into organised crafts.

Just beyond Banwen a raised path crosses a boggy field and leads to a wetland area. There are ponds for wildlife and fishing. The grass around was full of flowers – orchids, buttercups, ragged robin and iris to name a few.

We turned east towards woodland and then north towards Dysgwylfa. We passed a wide waterfall on the river and stopped for lunch later. A sign ‘Caution Pedestrian Crossing’ stood alone in a wide expanse of open land. At Sarn Helen (old Roman Road) we turned west and at Tonfildre Farm turned north towards Hendryd falls.

A steep descent to Hendryd falls is eased by lots of steps. The spectacular waterfall has a 90ft drop, the steep climb up the other side was harder than the descent but at the top we found we had parked just 5 minutes from the top of the falls. The walk was above Ystradfellte, 8miles and 800ft ascent. Map OL12

 

 

 

 

Cefn Mably and Ruperra Castle / Ystradowen

 

Cefn Mably and Ruperra Castle

We were lucky, there had been snow overnight; in Cardiff and the Vale the snow was light but further north there were heavy falls. Starting at the drive to Cefn Mably, near the farm, we walked towards the house and passed in front of it.

We turned west walking across farmland which was rather wet underfoot. Entering a large field, a herd of cows and a bull moved towards us. They split us into 2 groups most of us remaining in the open, but a couple apparently pinned at the edge of the field. Soon we could hear a tractor engine and the farmer arrived with feed – the cattle had heard the engine before we did and had no interest in us.

Approaching a river, we turned northwest towards Cefn Mably woods, keeping them on our left and then heading across open land. A house had an apple tree which had dropped its fruit and was now festooned with Christmas baubles. Surrounded by a light sprinkling of snow it looked very festive.

As we climbed higher more of the fields were snow covered and dark trees were edged in white. A branch of a tree, with a large chunk of wood as its base, was an attractive garden bird table.

We arrived at Coed Craig Ruperra, managed by Ruperra Conservation Trust, a notice offered logs for sale. Skirting the edge of the wood we arrived at Ruperra castle:

Ruperra Castle was built in 1626 by Sir Thomas Morgan, who was knighted by King James 1st. It was a typical Jacobean courtier’s house. King Charles 1st stayed here in 1645, visiting in an attempt to raise support for the royalist cause in the civil wars. However following defeat by the parliamentarians at the battle of Naseby, the Glamorgan gentry, realising the Royalists were about to lose the war, refused to help out. During the 19th Century the eldest son of the Tredegar family lived at Ruperra, which saw its heyday as a great Victorian country estate. Destroyed by fire in 1941 and still in a state of disrepair, it is now a Grade11 listed building supported by the Ruperra Conservation Trust.

Close to Ruperra Castle are banks and ditches formerly part of an Iron Age Hill fort and a large motte, probably constructed by the Normans around 1100. With its superb and commanding views over the surrounding countryside, it would certainly have provided a strong defensive lookout point.

As the weather was clear we took a diversion to the motte. The views from the motte were excellent, improved by the dusting of snow. We sat down leaning against its walls to gain shelter from the cold and eat our lunch.

Descending we saw a few fellow walkers – the first of the day. We came across a long stretch of laid hedging, the craftsmanship that had created it was clear in the skeletal ribs evident in the winter.

Leaving the Coed Craig Ruperra area we walked through a farm with a barn full of old crates and huge logs. Going under a power line we spotted a heron stood in the middle of a field, it didn’t appear to move a muscle as we passed.

Now we could see a road-bridge over the river Rhymney and within a few minutes we stepped onto the road, walking a short distance to the cars.

The walk was 7miles and 700ft climb. Map 151.Thanks to Ross Thomas for the historical information.

Ystradowen

Parking in Ystradowen we crossed the main road to a footpath. Setting off across farmland, towards Mynydd y Fforest, it was typically wet underfoot – so wet a pond had formed.

Some pigs wallowed in a particularly mucky area and later we saw more in an open field attended by a farmer.

On reaching Mynydd y Fforest we made our way through the small but pretty wood and generally southwest towards Llansannor. Emerging onto the road and looking north, the village ‘City’ stood above the area. Turning south we came to Llansannor church and spotted our 1st snowdrops of the year with white buds showing. We continued past Llansannor Court and farm.

Crossing a few more fields we stopped to eat our lunch. We could hear dogs yapping and as we made our way to the road for Trebettyn, we found the source of the noise, a number of small dogs penned in a garden. Unusually the house had gargoyles on its low perimeter wall.

Now we headed east towards Maendy and Prisk, mostly by road, and passed the entrance to Caeau farm. At Prisk we turned north passing Castell Tal y Fan farm and the remains of the castle wall. The track passed a field containing cows and a bull.

As we made our way back to Ystradowen the ground was muddy. Some of the stiles had been overgrown, some with missing or unsteady treads and others a bit high for some of us. Despite the mud in places it had been surprisingly firm underfoot for the Vale of Glamorgan and we had enjoyed the walk unspoiled by rain which had threatened throughout the day. The walk was 7 miles and 700ft. Map 151.

A map of any of the walks featured in this column is available as a pdf file from Ian .at ianmoody029@gmail.com

 

 

Chartist Cave & Abercarn

 

Chartist Cave

We started at Trefil on a cold but sunny morning, much better than the weather forecast. Walking north we followed the Brinmore tramroad which opened in 1815.

We soon arrived at a quarry and the footpath led us through it. It has been used as a set for Torchwood and Dr Who.

Emerging from the quarry we followed a good track and crossed it to look at ‘the Duke’s table’. This is a ring of stones with a raised mound of grass in the centre surrounded by a second circular mound. It is said that this was where the Duke of Beaufort had lavish lunches with water gathered from a nearby spring, on days spent hunting on the moors. The inner ring is the table and the outer the seating.

Continuing north, on the main path, we found a sign marking The Aneurin Bevan Heritage Trail – ‘Bevan was always welcomed on his visits to the quarrying village of Trefil, the northern tip of his constituency. He loved its lonely moor lands walking with his friends. The ashes of both Bevan (1960) and Jennie Lee (1988) were scattered on these upland slopes. “What the nation mourned was the tragedy which mixed with the brilliance and the genius, and what it did in expiation was to acknowledge his unique place in our history.” Michael Foot’

Here we turned east and shortly after northeast, enjoying glorious views in the unexpected sunshine. Large sink holes appeared regularly across this landscape.

Now we turned south east to make our way towards the Chartist Cave, which can be difficult to find. (See the cover article about the history of the Chartists). After a short walk across the moor we could see a large cairn on top of a hill. Then a heavy mist descended hiding it from view, so we walked on a bearing to it. From here the cave is to the east, we crossed peaty ground covered in heather. With the misty weather we calculated that after about 10 minutes we should have been near the cave and soon realised we were stood on top of it and found the opening.

After a brief exploration of the Chartist cave, we had lunch. The mist did not lift so we cut the walk short, following a small track southwest, back to Trefil. As we approached the village a kite swooped nearby.

The walk was relatively dry underfoot, despite the peat, with tracks left by many feet human and animal making the going easy. We covered 6.8miles and 600ft climb. Map OL13

 

 

 

Abercarn

We parked at the edge of the forest above Abercarn and walked downhill towards housing before starting to climb and taking a footpath in a north-easterly direction, we crossed open land keeping the forest to our right. Nearby we spotted a tree with the base of its trunk shaped like a teapot..

After a short distance we entered the forest travelling west briefly and then northeast again. The forest follows a steeply sided valley and a lot of trees had been cleared. The pattern the felled trees formed made us feel as if we were moving as we looked at them, even though we stopped. An abundance of next year’s foxgloves lined the footpath.

A short stretch of dark woodland was decorated with the remains of police tape – imaginations ran riot. Soon we emerged onto a minor road where we met a fellow local walker and his dogs. He was friendly and enthusiastic giving us tips about good places to walk in the area.

We continued along the road before turning east onto Mynydd Maen Common. As we did so, a car passed us, a door opened as it slowed and a small dog jumped out, whereupon the car drove off with the dog running after it. The car pulled into a lay-by about 400yds further on – a new way to walk the dog!

Crossing the common, the woodland still on our right, we noticed that thick ice covered water here. Misty, the dog, was surprised when she stepped into/ onto water and her legs splayed.

At the eastern edge of the forest we turned back south and enjoyed lunch with lovely views down the wooded valley. Then we had to walk down to the bottom of the valley – approximately a 500’ drop! This proved a bit of a challenge as it was largely covered in heather and bracken and extremely steep

Reaching the bottom, we followed a stream. A section of this had concrete sides and a dam, probably a sheep dip. We now followed good forest tracks above the stream. Glancing across the steeply sided valley, we could see our cars parked on the other side. We continued until we could drop into the valley and climb the other side back to the vehicles. The walk was 7.4miles and climb 1200ft.

 

 

November Walks

 

Goytre Wharf – We started at Goytre Wharf car park and set off towards the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

The Wharf was built in the early 19th C so that barges could unload coal and limestone directly to the limekilns. It celebrates the industrial heritage of the area with a number of displays including the original lime kilns with figures lugging sacks and an old cart. On the morning of our walk the kilns were particularly atmospheric as steam appeared to be rising above them as if from the limekiln chimneys (probably early mist rising). At Machine Cottage, in 1812 home to toll collector Francis Morgan and his family, a weighing platform outside was connected by levers to scales inside which enabled the calculation of the toll for a cargo.

Heading south along the canal we enjoyed the level ground before turning west, quite a steep climb led to woodland. Great swathes of woodland had been cleared so we were rewarded with good views. Looking back into the valley we could see a pub we had passed and even though it was early in the day we looked forward to refreshment there at the end of ther trek. One of the houses appeared to be pale blue as its white walls were reflecting the sky. Considering so many trees had been felled the paths were still clear and littered with bright orange patches of a fungi, with a flat open growing habit.

We passed a tree which had fine almost transparent fungi growing on its branches. Superb beech trees edged our track and as we had passed the highest point of the day we stopped near them for lunch. New shoots of foxgloves could be seen in abundance promising next summer even though last summer had only just gone.

After lunch our route was mostly downhill or level. We continued north and east heading towards Llanover. Heading across farm land we came back to the canal and some people took the opportunity to stretch their legs striding out ahead. We met up again as we turned back to Goytre Wharf.

The day was dry and cool but felt humid whenever we were climbing. In total we had walked 8miles and climbed 1100ft. Maps 152 & OL13.

Llangybi – Parking in Llangybi village we noted that the older buildings had interesting windows with small panes and unusual chimneys. We started by returning to the main road and after a short walk north along the road entered a field, very quickly our boots were heavy with mud as we trudged across it. Briefly we followed a stretch of road and we saw the profile of a man stood in a field with a

rifle looking towards the wood.

Travelling generally west on a track we passed a Motte & Bailey on our right which was hidden from view but we didn’t explore because of the muddy path and overgrown surroundings. The remains of Llangybi castle were on our left. Now we walked north for a short while through Cae Knap and then east along a road at the edge of Coed y Fferm. Walking along the road we could see the outline of Sugarloaf and Skirrid in the distance. Turning off the road we headed for Cwm Dowlais and then west towards Bittia farm.

Crossing farmland we came across a derelict farmhouse with huge cracks in some walls but there was a solid barn in good condition. Perhaps the new house lower down the valley was a replacement farmhouse.

There was lots of mistletoe growing in the area and quite high up in a tree, we had our first sighting of berries this year.

Now we turned south towards the other side of Coed y Fferm and southwest once we reached the wood. A farmyard had a handsome herd of cows and a little further on we found a farm building which had a door with a cat flap at first floor level and next to it an outdoor tap – a bit odd.

Coming across a solid metal feeding trough, we stopped for lunch, the only dry place we could find as the whole walk had been pretty muddy underfoot due to heavy rain the previous night.

Reaching a farm access road we turned southeast towards and through a wood. At a clearing we turned south and came out of the wood across open land passing Whitehouse farm and on to the road leading back to Llangybi. Our route back to the start was via a new housing estate which took careful navigation.

Although muddy underfoot, luckily we had a dry day with bursts of sunshine throughout the day which gave us some lovely views. The walk was 7.5miles and 110ft climb. Map OL13

 

 

Ascent Of Blorenge

 

Blorenge – To start we drove to Keepers pool, (currently named after the nearby gamekeeper’s house though it was original Forge pond). It is also known as Llyn Pen-ffordd-goch, the pool at the head of the red road, after the sandstone grit of which the road was constructed. A grey day deteriorated into a foggy one as we climbed and we had difficulty seeing the car park. Standing on the edge of Keepers pool we couldn’t see the road let alone the countryside we would be exploring. We had intended to walk our circular route in an anti-clockwise direction heading straight up the mountain but decided to reverse it in the hope that the weather cleared before we gained the summit.

We walked north close to the road peering ahead for the footpath which would take us across the road and slightly downhill to follow Hill’s tramroad. Horse drawn trams containing pig-iron travelled the route from Blaenavon ironworks to Llanfoist and here the tramway contours around the Blorenge mountain, our destination.

The water from Keeper’s pool supplied Garnddyrys forge and rolling mill which, in its heyday, produced 300 tons of wrought iron a week as iron bars, rails and plates. It operated for almost 50 years until production was transferred to the new site at Blaenavon and Garnddyrys closed in 1860. We passed the remains of the forge master’s house and a large mound of dark material. This is a heap of slag which has been shaped by a century of wind and rain. Sadly its ‘head’ has fallen off in recent years so it no longer resembles a ‘ prehistoric Monster’.

Continuing we followed a section called Rhiw Ifor towards Govilon we still had little visibility but now and again the clouds parted and we glimpsed the scenery around us and at times extensive views across the open plains to the north and east. Alongside the tramway we spotted a low tunnel; this was probably constructed to protect the tramroad from slippage due to large quantities of slag produced by the forge.

We continued northeast around the Blorenge towards Pen-y-graig farm. The drifting fog allowed brief glimpses of Sugar Loaf and it wasn’t until we had passed the farm that we could see the Skirrid with its hidden summit. Travelling south we continued to contour around Blorenge until we arrived at Punchbowl. This was an eerie place in the mist, woodland rose over a steep sided hollow and a pond was surrounded by lots of moss. We sat down to eat part of our lunch and were treated to the sounds of sheep bleats echoing around us. It sounded like people at times and it’s easy to see how disorienting this would be if visibility was any worse. Lucky for us the cloud was lifting all the time and we could view the whole area by the time we moved off.

Our route continued south a short way before we turned north once again to start our ascent of the Blorenge. As we climbed the mist cleared at last and we walked along an edge for a while to enjoy extensive views of the countryside and Abergavenny, the Skirrid towering over it. At the summit the sun shone at last and we could see for miles. Taking a rest amongst the rocks we ate the rest of our lunch appreciating the panorama.

Now we headed southwest towards Blorenge aerials and Cefn y Galchen. There is a memorial to Foxhunter, a horse which appeared at the Royal International horseshow jumping in the King George V cup 1948, and winning gold at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Lt Col Harry Llewellyn chose Blorenge mountain as a final resting place for his horse. A car park nearby allows easy access to the summit of Blorenge mountain and Keepers pool, suitable for anyone unable to undertake a long hike.

From here it was a gentle walk west back to Keepers pool. The ground we covered marks the end of the South Wales coalfield as it is formed from Millstone grit, a hard rock that signified to colliers that they had reached the end of the coal measures. Millstones were manufactured in this area from this stone. The rock was affectionately known as ’farewell rock’

Arriving back at Keepers pool we had superb views of the surrounding hills in total contrast to the thick fog which had greeted us only a few hours earlier. We had walked 7.25miles with a 1200ft climb.

Alexander Cordell’s 1959 novel ‘Rape of the Fair Country’ brought people’s attention to the historic importance of Blaenavon. The publicity surrounding the book and sale of the film rights encouraged Blaenavon council to retain the ‘crumbling ruins’ as a possible future film set (unfortunately the film was never made). In the 1990s consideration was given to making Blaenavon a world heritage site. Alexander Cordell commented ’If this could be achieved it would be a fitting epitaph to the people who died making this small town an industrial giant. All that the people of the past have to commend them for the sacrifices they made are the dirt monuments that they left behind.’ Blaenavon Industrial Landscape was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 2000. It covers 3290 hectares and about 45% of it is within the Brecon Beacons National park. (Map OL13)

 

 

 

 

 

September Walks

 

Black Hill Ridge – It was a long drive to the beginning of the walk, the final stretch following winding lanes until we reached the car park at the foot of Black Hill. In the north east of the Black mountains we were in Herefordshire north east of Llanveynoe and Longtown. Little Black Hill was visible to the south and our destination, Black Hill, rose steeply behind us.

Over a stile and we were travelling north along the valley and past Craswall. There was lots of mud but the ground remained mostly firm underfoot. The path was level or downhill so that the ridge we were to walk loomed higher and higher above us.

From the bottom of the valley, in woodland and to our right we could hear hounds baying. After a while the sound came from ahead of us – we guessed in the woodland as there were fields of sheep and cows. Then a large dog came bounding along the trail towards us and up the hill not even glancing at us it was so focussed on its quarry. A second hound followed soon after. Baying sounds could now be heard in several different directions. Passing through a gate we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by the pack, racing backwards and forwards and jumping a barbed wire fence in their quest. They totally ignored us apart from a few who gave us a brief sniff.

Having walked a few miles along the valley we took a path in a north westerly direction. We came onto open land which gradually sloped towards the lower slopes of Hay Bluff and we espied a hang glider. As it was 1pm, we stopped briefly in warming sunshine to eat our 1st lunch of the day (enough to get us to the top of the hill). Extensive views to the northeast spread out before us.

We used part of the Offa’s dyke path to climb Hay Bluff, an excellent path reinforced all the way to the ridge. Here we met our first walkers of the day, a group of girls doing their silver Duke of Edinburgh award.

Ignoring the trig point at the top of Hay Bluff we turned left (south east) to climb to the top of the ridge. Now we could enjoy our 2nd lunch, making our way to a small promontory we settled down. Fabulous views again, this time of the surrounding ridges and Pen y Fan could be seen in the distance. The Olchon valley lay below us.

Refreshed we continued along the top of the ridge; it is peat bog with many acrid pools and a paved pathway had been laid to preserve the habitat – very easy walking thanks to a lot of hard work and investment. As we continued we had to be careful to move left across the moorland and back to the Black Hill ridge as the solid path that is Offa’s Dyke could easily have taken us in the wrong direction. This was the only really rough ground of the whole day.

On reaching the Black Hill ridge our view was mainly the cultivated farmland to the east and the ridge rising above us to the west. One of the hang gliders came in to land on the lower slopes of Hay Bluff and another came very close to us as he veered around, to join his colleague.

As we progressed the ridge looked dauntingly narrow but once we arrived on its craggy section we realised it was at least 3ft wide along its length with a few large rocks to scramble over. Even vertigo sufferers were reassured. We could see the Olchon valley again and the ridge which Offa’s Dyke follows continuing for some miles across the valley.

At the end of the ridge the path went into a steep descent but in places there were steps worn into the hillside which made progress easier. Over the stile (the only one on this walk) which we crossed at the start of our walk and we were back at the car. 8¾ miles walked and 1200ft climbed and we all agreed that it had been fabulous

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August Walks

 

Gower

 

As we drove from the main road to the car park ½ mile north of the Heritage Centre just past Parkmill, the heavens opened. Luckily it stopped as we parked and remained sunny for the rest of the day. We walked south down the road and across the main road to pick up a footpath following the valley to Three Cliffs Bay. Sandy paths meander along a stream, passing the ruins of Pennard castle and Pennard Burrows. Rather than go onto the beach we turned west through the dune system and saw lovely views of the Bay.

Heading northeast we crossed the road again and walked over a grassy area towards Long Oaks. The footpath here wasn’t signed and we checked with a local that it was where we thought, as it goes through a garden. A lovely garden too with a homemade dolmen, large pond and weeping copper beech tree as well as a ladder stile into the farm next door. This stile had obviously not been used for some time, the rungs were in good order but the top was rotten and the other side was totally overgrown. Having successfully beaten our way clear, we soon arrived in a field damp underfoot and containing a small herd of horses. Soon the countryside was very similar to the Vale of Glamorgan; we commented that you’d never know you were in the Gower – it could be anywhere in South Wales. We continued north and joined the Gower Way before reaching Cillibion.

The Gower Way is a 35 mile route inaugurated in 1998 by the prince of Wales. It runs from Rhosilli covering the length of the ancient lordship of Gower and ending inland at Penlle’rcastell. 50 way stone markers, inscribed with the Gower Society logo and individually numbered line the route.

We stayed on the Gower way until we turned east about ½ mile north of Cillibion through Cillibion plantation and onto a road at Llethrid bridge. A London bus bedecked for a wedding passed by as we crossed the road and took a footpath through Park Woods. This proved heavy going at times and we were relieved when we joined the main track. Emerging into a more open space we found a restored burial chamber. Now we walked into the campsite near which we had parked. At 10.30am there was hardly anyone around but now there was a substantial scout camp with lots of other people spread around the site which seemed to have very limited facilities.

We changed out of our boots and drove down to the Heritage Centre for welcome refreshment. At the end we had completed 8.5miles and 800ft. Map OL13.

 

 

Skirrid Fawr

We parked in the National Trust car park at the foot of Skirrid and as we set off the first few drops of rain started to fall. A well defined footpath leads in north and north easterly directions up Skirrid, the last outcrop of the Black mountains. You pass through Caer wood and skirt Pant Skirrid wood coming out onto the open hillside. Climbing along Beacons Way, we separated as the fitter people got ahead, and before long were drenched by torrential rain, hitting any bare skin like needles.

A lady wearing trainers, T-shirt and trousers (no waterproofs) passed us at a good speed, followed not long after by a man, similarly clad, and a dog. The rain plastering their clothes to their bodies. Having donned our waterproof trousers we continued and met the lady coming down with the man’s dog. That’s strange we thought! The lady had had a hip replacement 6 months earlier and walked up Skirrid daily as rehabilitation! Her husband and dog were accompanying her at a slower pace.

Looking back we could see the sun over the Bristol Channel and crossed our fingers that it would catch up with us by the time we got to the top. It did. In glorious sunshine we walked through the stone jambs that mark the entrance to St Michael’s Chapel on the summit (the chapel has totally disappeared). We had 360o views of the surrounding hills bathed in threatening black clouds, heavy rain (in England) and a scattering of sunshine. Dramatic! And definitely worth the climb.

Our route now took us east towards the Arwallt, a steep drop and then we were crossing moor land, the remainder of the walk being generally flat. We turned south east towards ’The West’ (of England presumably) and south west towards Llandewi court. On the lower slopes of the Skirrid we could see ‘LIONS‘ cut into the landscape. A road sign on a lane stated ’Wrong Way for Walnut Tree’. I guess there had been a few mishaps.

Continuing south we turned east at Pen-y-flos-goch, towards The Court, then south to Great Blaen-coed. We spent some time on this stretch trying to find our footpath which had been blocked and diverted but with no new signposts, the stiles were not maintained very well either and we got frustrated at times. There was a good example of a gypsy caravan though. Now we turned west towards Green Moors and northeast towards Pontgarreg farm and hence along the road to Brynygwenin, back to the cars. A 6.9miles walk and 1300ft. Map OL13

 

 

 

July Walks

 

Circumnavigation of Partrishow Hill

We started in Llanbedr on a sunny and humid morning, parking near the church and walking a short stretch of road to turn right onto a river side footpath . We climbed in a south easterly direction and followed a path across the road at Gudder, travelling east parallel to the road through Dyffryn which we could see below us. After reaching Llwyn-on we turned left onto a road towards Pen-y-bair. At this point many of us realised that we had been lulled into false expectations by the walk description thinking that circumnavigating a hill would be easier than climbing it. True we were going around the hill but places en route were higher than Partrishow hill!

At Pen-y-bair we turned north towards Partrishow crossing a small stream. We came upon a holy well where people had left offerings and soon after arrived at the remote mountain church of St Issui, Partrishow. Knowing that we had a climb ahead of us we took a short stop here and found a Duke of Edinburgh group with the same idea.

St Issui was a 6th C saint and this church was dedicated to him in about1060.The inscription on the font(circa 1050) reads ‘Menhir made me in the time of Genillin’. A figure of ‘Time’ on the wall is a skeleton bearing an hourglass, scythe and spade. There is also a beautiful oak Catholic rood screen dating from 16thC, one of the finest in Britain.

After some light refreshments we set out to tackle the hill which would take us to the highest point of our day, taking a path that led us towards Crug Mawr(550m). After touching the trig point we relaxed over lunch admiring the 360o views. It was amazing, the day was so sunny and clear it was as if we could see forever. Lunch was slightly longer than usual to allow us to enjoy peace and quiet of this special place.

Now we headed along Blaen-yr-Henbant continuing in a south westerly direction and skirted the next hill at 498m before starting to lose height quite quickly as we turned south towards Hen Blant. From here we followed a stream for a while and descended to Llanbedr village. Here we crossed the Grwynne Fechan river and returned to our starting point.

A lovely walk, with good paths, on a glorious day we had enjoyed fantastic views of the surrounding hills, including Sugarloaf, almost all day and walked 8.2miles and 1550ft. Map OL13

 

 

The Llanfrynach Horseshoe – a Wenvoe walkers sponsored walk in aid of prostate cancer

As this was a sponsored walk we were promised sponsorship and paying to participate. Five people set out from Llanfrynach but a 6th person joined us later after watching the Lions play the All Blacks. We parked as recommended outside the public toilets, provided by the local community they were spotlessly clean, supplying not just soap and water but also hairspray and air freshener in the Ladies. The village itself is very pretty – full of small terraced cottages with pretty front gardens.

From the off the route was uphill, south along the along a lane then after crossing a stream we headed up the hillside in a south easterly direction, at this stage it was pretty steep! We crossed Clawdd Coch, followed a path which kept us below the top of Bryn, and proceeded along Gist Wen in a south westerly direction.

Luckily the weather was excellent for walking – warm (about18oC) but with a good breeze to keep us cool as we climbed. Once we reached the ridge we could see cloud clinging to the tops of the mountains, Pen y fan occasionally coming into partial view as the clouds shifted.

Continuing to climb we came to a junction of paths, Gist Wen meets 3 other paths – Graig Fan Las ahead, and 2 others heading east and south west. All of a sudden we were amidst several groups of people and then as we proceeded south west, we came across a sign ‘Brutal Events’ and saw many more people going in the opposite direction to us, including one man who looked as if he was on his last legs. Talking to some of them we discovered they were on a 50 mile walk!

Passing along Craig Gwareu we crossed the Beacons way and our path gradually turned to a northerly direction past Craig Cwm Oergwm and on to Fan y Big (719m).

At times we were surrounded by cloud which wafted away to give beautiful blue skies and then came back, occasionally shielding us from the sight of a steep drop. The paths were excellent, having been reinforced with stone to protect the surrounding land.

Continuing Northeast the route took in Cefn Cyff, the going was easier as we started to descend. Clouds dispersed and the views were clearer but still extensive. As the gradient increased across grassland at least one person (me!) adopted a zigzag route to save their knees. We used a short stretch of road at Rhiwiau and then resumed our north easterly progress back to Llanfrynach via Tynllwyn and Maesderwen, walking through fields of long grass. We thoroughly enjoyed our refreshment at the local hostelry and sat for longer than usual recovering from quite a hard walk. At the end we had completed 10.5 miles and 2200ft. Map OL13.

A big Thank you to everyone that sponsored us £500 was raised for prostate cancer.

Garway Hill

Garway Hill

The walk started in Kentchurch near a lodge gate and we were going to be following part of the Herefordshire trail, which meanders the Wales/England border. Nearby Kentchurch Court is a stately home which has been in the Scudamore family for over 1000 years. There is a deer park plus extensive gardens and which are open to the public during summer months. Ralph Scudamore (recorded in the area in 1042) is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, a Norman stonemason he was employed by Edward the Confessor to build the castle in Ewyas Harold.

Travelling north we passed through farm land. Two quite isolated glamping huts were on our route, each had a main hut containing sleeping and dining spaces, with a separate bathroom across a stretch of wooden decking. Surrounded by woodland they looked cosy and even had a BBQ area.

We spotted a vineyard, walked through a huge field of oil seed rape (gone to seed), a crop of peas and then the distinctive heaped up rows of a potato field.

Next we found an outdoor gym and one person volunteered to demonstrate his skills – particularly impressive when walking across narrow branches.

We arrived at a road and travelled along it towards Cross Llyde and Bagwyllydiart in an easterly direction cutting off a corner of the Herefordshire trail. Rejoining the trail we passed under Garway hill crossing Garway hill Common in a southerly direction towards White Rock.

At White Rock we turned northwest in the general direction of Kentchurch. We took in a view of the River Monnow where we passed a footbridge – a plaque in the centre of the bridge remembers Marius Gray, a chartered accountant, who served on the boards of the Daily Mail and a number of health charities he was made CVO in 2011.

An avenue of limes lined the road to a pet crematorium at Barton hill with a delightful stream nearby.

This was a relaxing late spring walk through lovely countryside. Views in this area are excellent the Skirrid, Sugar loaf and the Black Mountains are all visible from Garway hill and, even though we didn’t climb to the top, we enjoyed the panorama.

We had achieved 7¾ miles and 1100ft.

 

 

 

Llanbradach and Ystrad Mynach

Llanbradach and Ystrad Mynach

We started in Llanbradach on a cloudy morning, after a night of thunderstorms, but the forecast was for a dry day. We crossed the railway and climbed through the woods to the west of Llanbradach. On the side of the path were large benches made from stone, placed there by the Llanbradach Community Council some of them having dedications to late council members.

As we climbed further a mist started to surround us and then we entered the clouds. Fir trees, soaked from heavy rain last night, edged the path and brushed against us as we walked. Even though we wore gaiters, trouser legs were soon wet and to some extent our arms. Still it was pleasant to walk in the mist in warm weather.

Emerging onto the open common we found rubbish dumped in many places spoiling the area. A field of cows was invisible until we were very close to them but plants were clear – a lovely rowan in full bloom, and gorgeous yellow gorse and irises.

A wide track was packed with stones and after we’d walked a while we heard a lorry coming – it was bringing hardcore up the track and dumping it to lengthen the reinforced section.

Until now we had resisted putting on our waterproofs as we were sure the weather was improving and we’d soon dry out but suddenly the rain fell heavily so we put jackets on. Our route headed northwest across Nant Cwm Sarn. To the east there were slag heaps appearing and disappearing in the gloom, and then the clouds parted a little and we could see a pair of pyramid shaped hills.

The rain hadn’t eased off as we continued across the moor following a wall in the hope it would protect us a little. Water had begun to trickle inside gaiters and down into our boots as the wind blew harder. It was time to accept that the weather was set for the day and don our waterproof trousers.

Our path continued through a high sided green lane so we decided to stop and eat lunch while we had some shelter from the elements. We had passed our highest point of the day and looked forward to less climbing in the second half of the walk as we continued east towards Ystrad Mynach and then down the Rhymney valley back towards Llanbradach.

Unfortunately, the footpath down the valley was severely overgrown with brambles and bracken and after making slow progress we decided to try and climb above the blockage. This took a while but proved to be a good decision. We approached another green lane, access was again difficult but we climbed down onto it, now our way was clear and we made good time back to Llanbradach. At last we were below the cloud and could see the river in the valley and lakes which looked like fishing ponds.

We had walked 9 miles and climbed 1200ft. Apart from the overgrown stretch it was a good walk but the views, which would have been good, were totally hidden by the clouds an unlucky day but still very enjoyable.

 

 

 

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