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\u00a0Clytha<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n On a March Day in 2018 we visited Clytha and I opened my write-up of the walk with \u2018snow flurries and hills dusted with white\u2019. It was bitterly cold with icy winds which made us pull hats down to our eyebrows and on that day, we trudged through mud and flooded lanes. Four years on and a month earlier, the weather forecast was blustery with showers and heavy rain after 2pm but still relatively mild.<\/p>\n We travelled to the National Trust car park at Clytha Park. Our route, reverse direction to our previous visit, was described as a \u2018snowdrop walk\u2019 and we were eager to spot the gorgeous flowers which push up through the earth so early in the year and presage the advance of winter and the coming spring.<\/p>\n Our walk was based on a route from the National Trust website and took us on some permissive paths (allowed by a landowner) which are not shown on OS maps. We set off south, along the river Usk which was fairly full and came to a good strong footbridge, crossing a small stream, but it was tilted at about 10\u00b0 – very strange. The river Usk is a designated SSSI, and a special Area of Conservation well known for salmon and trout. Otters, dippers, sand martins, kingfishers and bats live in or near this stretch of the river.<\/p>\n We were pleased to find our first snowdrops, a small clump on the bank of the river. Soon we found a mat of white snowdrops in the undergrowth and a spread of bright blue and pink flowers of lungwort (pulmonaria) glowing in the shade. Lungwort is named after the white splodges on some leaves which resemble diseased appearance of the lungs. It is used by herbalists to treat coughs and bronchitis and can also be used as an astringent. Nearby were tight clumps of pink flowers on bare branches of viburnum. All cheering us on a grey winter\u2019s day, especially when we found a carpet of snowdrops under a hedge which covered about 20ft.<\/p>\n Leaving the river, we followed the road to Bettws Newydd. A small village which boasts a Grade II listed, stone well \u2018Erected by those who love him, to the memory of William Richard Stretton of Brynderwyn, who died 24th March 1868\u2019. The 17th century, Black Bear Inn emanated enticing smells of bacon cooking \u2013 willpower and the threat of rain later kept us walking.<\/p>\n Pretty black faced sheep stood framed by the outlines of the Blorenge, Sugarloaf and Skirrid on the distant horizon, clear at the beginning of the walk but now wreathed in dark black clouds and probably heavy rain.<\/p>\n Coed y Bwnydd beckoned us in. It was presented to the NT by Captain Geoffrey Crawshay in memory of Sgt R.A. Owens, RAF who died aged 21 in World War II. Snowdrops carpeted the whole of the wood, breath-taking! Later in the year you can see bluebells and orchids. We climbed to a hillfort; where human involvement goes back over 2000 years and sat on a tree trunk to enjoy a well-earned lunch.<\/p>\n Now we were on the final stretch. We passed Clytha castle, an C18th folly, in the care of the Landmark trust and available to rent, and the Clytha Arms. It started to rain but we voted to complete the walk rather than dash for the cars which were close by. We skirted Chapel Farm with the remains of Capel Aeddan, a chapel dedicated to St Aythean, thought to be founded in C12th. All that survives is an L-shaped wall footing but we couldn\u2019t spot it. The stone may have been used on Chapel Farm, where a substantial C17th house with stone-mullion windows was added to a C16th stone house with upper crucks.<\/p>\n We went down into woods where one of us was inspired to give us a short excerpt from Hamlet! Then a short walk along Clawdd Brook and we re-joined the river Usk espying a red kite soaring above us and a buzzard being mobbed by crows.<\/p>\n Trees had provided colour all day. Early, yellow, hazel catkins could be spotted hanging and A lovely walk with excellent views and dry weather until after lunch with sunny spells, how lucky we are! Walk 8.7miles, 900ft. Map OL13<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0Clytha On a March Day in 2018 we visited Clytha and I opened my write-up of the walk with \u2018snow flurries and hills dusted with white\u2019. It was bitterly cold with icy winds which made us pull hats down to our eyebrows and on that day, we trudged through mud and flooded lanes. Four years on and a month […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6cWjO-11262","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3035,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=3035","url_meta":{"origin":11262,"position":0},"title":"March Walk Programme","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st March 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 \u00a0MARCH WALKS \u00a0 SATURDAY 1ST APRIL -\u00a0Cwmparc, Treorchy. A 7\u00bd mile walk, \u00a0 \u00a0Ian. (166) \u00a0 \u00a0 THURSDAY 6TH APRIL -\u00a0Taff Trail. A circular walk based around the Taff Trail approx. 5 miles \u00a0Bert \u00a0 \u00a0 SATURDAY 8TH APRIL -\u00a0Llanvihangel and Llangattock Lincoed. 7 miles. \u00a0 \u00a0 Vian (OL13)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Walking Group"","block_context":{"text":"Walking Group","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7005,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=7005","url_meta":{"origin":11262,"position":1},"title":"Christmas Walk.","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st January 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Christmas Walk. - \u00a0 Nine people braved the incessant rain, on voting day, for the annual walk before a Christmas lunch. We started at Victoria Park and were amazed to spot a hedgehog scurrying across the grass along a hedge. We were worried that it should be hibernating but aware\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_1447.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_1447.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_1447.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6739,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6739","url_meta":{"origin":11262,"position":2},"title":"Walking Group November Programme","author":"Alan Williams","date":"30th October 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Walking Group November Programme Walkers meet at the front of the Wenvoe Community Centre. If you are interested in a walk, just turn up; don\u2019t forget your lunch on an all day walk. When transport is required we car share. Contacts for this month\u2019s walks are: Bert-20594418, Mike 01446 742269,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest News"","block_context":{"text":"Latest News","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=70"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2218,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=2218","url_meta":{"origin":11262,"position":3},"title":"January Walk Programme","author":"Alan Williams","date":"6th January 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 JANUARY WALKS \u00a0 Walkers meet at the front of the Wenvoe Community Centre. If you are interested in a walk, just turn up. When transport is required we car share. Contacts for this month\u2019s walks are: Bert-20594418, Mike 01446 742269, V\u2019Iain 20593221 and Ian-20594573 \u00a0 SUNDAY 1STH JANUARY -\u00a0Cosmeston.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Walking Group"","block_context":{"text":"Walking Group","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14966,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14966","url_meta":{"origin":11262,"position":4},"title":"Around The Park Today","author":"Alan Williams","date":"14th December 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"LIVING WITH CANCER STROLLERS Around The Park Today Men at work, horse riders, tree cutting, lots going on to distract the strollers on their walk around the park today.. \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Living With Cancer Strollers"","block_context":{"text":"Living With Cancer Strollers","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=307"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Picture11.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Picture11.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Picture11.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12855,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=12855","url_meta":{"origin":11262,"position":5},"title":"Penarth With Plenty Of Sunshine","author":"Alan Williams","date":"1st February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 THURSDAY WALKERS Penarth Once again Bert managed to pick a Thursday with plenty of sunshine, though there were remnants of ice in places. Eighteen of us started from the cliff top car park. We were led on an undulating route down to the sea front, up through the park\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Valeways Walkers"","block_context":{"text":"Valeways Walkers","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=336"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11262"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11262"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11420,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11262\/revisions\/11420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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A long line of mole hills would suggest a good population of moles here but who knows as\u2026 \u2018Mole activity is usually greatest in late winter and early spring and moles are very territorial and in many cases the mole hills seen in a garden are the activity of just one individual. \u2018<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/footsteps-3.jpg?resize=350%2C302\")
blowing in the breeze. Birch skeletons stood with drooping branches covered in pink\/ purple buds. And most notable, large clumps of Mistletoe had been a constant companion sitting high up in many of the trees. It grows in hawthorn, poplar, and lime as well as the apple trees with which most people associate it.<\/p>\n
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