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
