{"id":14749,"date":"2024-10-04T15:28:04","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T14:28:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14749"},"modified":"2024-10-04T15:38:26","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T14:38:26","slug":"14749","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14749","title":{"rendered":"Defynnog\u00a0 and Swansea Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Defynnog\u00a0 and Swansea Valley<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog <\/strong><\/p>\n

We have explored the Brecon Beacons this summer, a big thank you to everyone who has suggested or plotted walks. We have had a veritable feast of wild food finding hazelnuts, bilberries, blackberries, wild strawberries and raspberries, and in one field left fallow, fresh peas (amongst wheat, barley and other old crops) which were so delicious. Here are another two walks in this awesome place.<\/p>\n

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Defynnog<\/strong><\/p>\n

We set off from Defynnog, to make our way around Cwm Treweryn. A road led to Pantymaes where ponies grazed near the footpath, and we approached a quarry. Peregrines have been nesting here and successfully raising young. We saw some adult birds flying above the ridge and heard their screaming cries.<\/p>\n

As we continued a flock of sheep walked in front of us until they ran to their mates in an open area. Shortly after we spotted an ewe which had got itself stuck in the roots of a tree. Its head was under a root, and it couldn\u2019t back up as there was another root behind it. One of us lifted it out and it ran off bleating but not before giving its rescuer a kick.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

To the east we could see the entrance to the valley we had walked last week. We spotted delicate blue harebells, explored the graveyard of a chapel with a hexagonal end and spotted a white chapel on the opposite hillside. We passed Glwydcaenewydd farm and walked through Crai before walking along a flower strewn lane. Needing lunch, we trudged uphill beside a wood to reach a height where we sat on a bank and ate while gazing at the landscape spread in front of us.<\/p>\n

Walking along a road for a while we turned homeward on a good path to another chapel, and we peered through dusty windows to see a small austere space crammed with pews and tiny porches in two corners. One of the stones in the graveyard had a picture of a tractor on it which led to a discussion about what type of tractor it was.<\/p>\n

Views of the surrounding hills diminished as we descended and entered a sunlight dappled path through trees, whose roots reached like long fingers down the bank.<\/p>\n

Returning to Defynnog we were disappointed to find the highly recommended International Rarebit Caf\u00e9 shut so had to be satisfied with a visit to the pub.<\/p>\n

Four of us went to the church to visit the famous Defynnog yew and were mightily impressed. There are several yews all obviously ancient but one is so large we were all able to climb into its centre. Wow! It is thought that the Defynnog tree is between 2000 and 3000 years old. Although we thought we saw several trees it is probable that they were one tree. It may have been used for large gatherings (Cantrefi or hundreds). Between the 12th and 13th centuries Cantref Mawr was the Defynnog Hundred which would have made Defynnog an important centre in Wales rather than the small village it is today. [Walk 8m, 1200ft. Map OL12]<\/p>\n

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Swansea Valley<\/strong><\/p>\n

This was a glorious walk. Starting at Tafarn y Garreg on the A4067, we walked up a rugged valley broadly following a stream, and steadily climbing. Waterfalls, rocks, grassland, wind beaten trees, leaps across streams and a climb across moorland all featured in the morning.<\/p>\n

And then we arrived at the source of the stream, Llyn y Fan Fawr, which is in fact the source of the River Tawe. We were surprised to see several groups of people around the lake, as we had seen hardly anyone all morning \u2013 there is a shorter route from Sennybridge. It was wonderful to see its clear waters and a few of us immediately bared our feet to paddle; so refreshing.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We lunched on its shores and were visited by a red kite swooping down low over us. There were discussions about what we all felt capable of as there was a steep 400ft climb straight after lunch (which we try to avoid). Most of us were up for it, once we realised that it would be flat on the top of the escarpment that towered over us. We were surprised to achieve the climb easily; it is a good path reinforced with large stones. Meanwhile a couple of us walked around the lake and back down the valley.<\/p>\n

The views from the top were fantastic but humidity meant they faded in the distance, producing impressions of mountains. At the end of the escarpment, we seemed to descend forever, quite steeply at times. Until suddenly, we were back near the beginning of the walk with a gentle stroll along a wooded river back to the cars.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A stunning day, it had been ideal for walking, dry and cool with occasional sunshine, and we rounded it off with a drink in the local inn. [Walk 7m, 2050ft. Map OL12]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Defynnog\u00a0 and Swansea Valley Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog We have explored the Brecon Beacons this summer, a big thank you to everyone who has suggested or plotted walks. We have had a veritable feast of wild food finding hazelnuts, bilberries, blackberries, wild strawberries and raspberries, and in one field left fallow, fresh peas (amongst wheat, barley and other old […]<\/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-14749","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14655,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14655","url_meta":{"origin":14749,"position":0},"title":"Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog – Craig Cerrig Gleisiad","author":"Alan Williams","date":"9th September 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog Craig Cerrig Gleisiad\u00a0 We parked near Forest Lodge cottages and set off along Sarn Helen, the 2000-year-old Roman road which runs from North Wales to Neath. The route would take us around Craig Cerrig Gleisiad Nature Reserve, Fan Frynych, climbing\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\/2024\/09\/Picture6.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11888,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=11888","url_meta":{"origin":14749,"position":1},"title":"Bluebells at Wentwood and Brecon Beacons","author":"Alan Williams","date":"8th July 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0Bluebells The appearance of the first spring flowers always has Wenvoe walkers thinking about the arrival of bluebells. Spring this year was cool and we enjoyed wood anemones, daffodils, primula etc. for longer than usual. Then the blue bells arrived. 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Birds sang, the river tinkled, the scent of bluebells\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\/2025\/05\/Footsteps1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14565,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14565","url_meta":{"origin":14749,"position":3},"title":"Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog","author":"Alan Williams","date":"3rd August 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog Brecon Beacons \/ Bannau Brycheiniog Some were a little concerned about the length of this walk as it was billed as 8 miles. A reminder that we had been here before was reassuring. Seed heads of coltsfoot decorated the side of the path. 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A notice stated \u2018In just a few hundred metres you will find yourself enclosed within a shady, atmospheric amphitheatre created by the soaring craggy cliffs of\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\/05\/Sm-mountain.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8557,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=8557","url_meta":{"origin":14749,"position":5},"title":"Pontypool","author":"Alan Williams","date":"31st October 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Footsteps To Pontypool We started from the Pontypool active living centre. Soon we were walking through Pontypool park to climb up to the shell grotto (groto cregyn) and the Folly tower. It was uphill to the grotto. As we climbed, we had good views of Pontypool behind us. 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