Four Aircraft crash sites, Two Mountains and One Lake

On another glorious sunny April day 12 walkers set out on a strenuous 11 mile walk in the Western part of the Brecon Beacons. Parking in a layby on a minor road off the A4067 not far from a standing stone. The wind made it feel a lot cooler than when we had set out in our cars. Most of them put on an extra layer of clothing but I thought we would soon warm up as we started, as it was a straight climb up to the top of the hill near Moel Feity. We were on the lookout for bits of wreckage from a wartime crash where the crew unfortunately had not made it over the top of this hill by approx 10 meters. There is very little aircraft wreckage left at this site and we didn’t find any today although we have in the past.

We then proceeded down again heading towards the corner of Glasfynydd forest in a west-north-west direction. The wind was blowing in our faces now and with it being so dry we had no problem walking over what is normally boggy ground. We stopped for a morning break in the deep streambed near the corner of the forest, which has been cut into the peat moor, out of the wind, warming our selves in the sun. After our break we took a compass bearing and headed towards the remains of a Wellington bomber near Bryn Blaen-Wysg. After stopping to read the memorial stone to those who had died at this spot, we then had the long climb up to first Fan Foel and then onto Fan Brycheiniog, at 802 meters our highest spot of the day. The group was well spread out as we made our way slowly up the steep hill. The first walkers had to wait a good five minutes for the rest to make it to the cairn before Fan Foel. We were feeling the effects of the wind at this point; we all put on an extra layer of clothing.

We were hoping to have lunch in a stone shelter near the trig point marking the top of Fan Brycheiniog but when we arrived there a small group were having lunch there. We followed the path along the ridge edge and made our way down hill towards our lunch stop near Bwlch Giedd, unfortunately we couldn’t get out of the wind. This made for a shorter than usual lunch stop.

After lunch we made our way to the next aircraft crash site – the remains of a vampire jet. It’s at grid ref 825199, parts of the tail and jet engine are still there. From here we made our way to where a Wellington bomber crashed above a waterfall and near to unmapped sheep pens at a height of approximately 540m.
Saturday 21st April 2007The group then made its way slowly up to the ridge of Fan Hir and walked along the ridge before dropping back down towards Bwlch Gledd and the steep footpath that leads down from the ridge to the lake below – Llyn y Fan Fawr. The party had become well stretched again so we waited by the lakes edge, in the warm sun out of the wind, for us all to join up again. From the lake we knew we were on the final part of the walk. We followed the footpath down towards the stream from which we then followed the stream back to the cars. The walk was just over 11 miles and we had climbed approximately 900m during it. A tough and enjoyable day out in the hills.

Pant Mawr Moors

Saturday 14th April 2007

On an exceedingly warm April morning 14 walkers left the quarry at Penwyllt to walk what we thought was going to be an 11 mile walk around the Ogaf-Ffynon-Ddu Pant Mawr Nature Reserve. The Western Beacons Mountain Rescue vehicles were parked in the car park when we arrived, we assumed they were out on an exercise. The nature reserve has beneath it the deepest cave system in Britain. There are many shake holes covering the moors here.

We steadily gained height as we left the car park heading up towards the limestone crags breaking through the moorland around us. We were following a public footpath, which is now part of the Beacons Way. The skylarks were singing high up above us. We stopped for a morning break at the boundary wall of the reserve. Carrying on across classic moorland, which was very dry indeed, towards where the footpath met the remains of the Sarn Helen roman road. Just before the this is the remains of an old rabbit farm. The house is now just a couple of walls in a very poor state.

Followed the Sarn Helen track for a couple hours till the road at Cefnwaunhynog. The ground here was boggy in places and had to detour around some fords which 4x4 had made impassable for walkers. We stopped by a stream for lunch, enjoying the hot sun, and all hoping we had brought enough water with us. Slapped on some more sun tan lotion and a sun hat. We were now making our way to the woods at Bryn Bugeiliaid and the wild boar that are bred there. Hoping for some shelter from the sun in the woods, no luck it was along wide forest tracks. We saw the boar with plenty of young in there. Before we exited the wood and made for Saith Maen back in the nature reserve. The ground was harder to walk now as it was a mixture of dry bog and rocky ground hidden amongst the heather. We made our way along to the escarpment of Carreg Lwyd before picking a way down to the quarry where the cars were parked. Most of us had finished all of our water by the time we had got back to the cars 12.8 miles later according to the gps that one of the group had.

Trellech - Cleddon Shoots

Sunday 18 March 2007

Trellech – Cleddon Shoots Walk

On a cold and very windy day 11 walkers and Bronte the dog went on a 9 mile ramble in the countryside around the historic village of Trellech. Leaving the village near the pub we walked across a few fields before entering the Beacon Hill woods. The bridle path through the woods has been cutup badly by motorbikes and we were glad of the recent dry spell, which meant the mud was firm under foot. We proceeded to join the Wye Valley Walk footpath where we stopped for a morning break over looking the river Wye below. It very briefly snowed at this point. We continued on to Cleddon Shoots (Falls), which still had quite a bit of water flowing down the steep hillside to Llandogo below. Walking through Cleddon we came to a very muddy byway which 4 weeks ago had been totally underwater and impassable.

The byway led us into the Ninewells Wood for a short time before entering into 3 well maintained stonewall fields. These fields brought us to the village of Broadstone and its lovely village green. Walking along the road through the village admiring the early spring flowers we saw a purple flowering magnolia tree. We then walked through some more fields towards our lunch stop at the church in Llanishen. We stopped in the porch of the church out of the biting wind with and enjoyed our lunch.

Leaving the church we were on our return leg heading towards Little Penarth farm and also the restored buildings of Pany-glas. From here we walked down a track towards Llyna Wood and Woolpitch Wood. In Woolpitch Wood is the remains of a seventeenth century blast furnace which was covered with trees and brambles. Somebody has been clearing this away and had as a consequence made the narrow footpath through the wood into a wide track of mud. After leaving the wood we were about 15 minutes from Trellech when the skies opened and we were in a hailstorm. The hail and rain had stopped by the time we reached Harold Stones on the edge of the village. We then walked back to our cars.

Brecon Moutain Centre

Sunday 5 November

Today I went to check a walk out that I will be leading shortly. It is a short walk of about 8 miles that starts from the Mountain Centre near Libanus. it is a fairly flat walk with a couple of hills in the middle of it. It has very goods views of the Brecon Beacons mountains but unfortunately the tops of the peaks were in cloud virtually the whole time we were out. Route finding was fairly easy, only missed one turning and that was because I was talking and realised within fifty metres that we should have turned to our right rather than carry straight on. Otherwise well marked for Powys, footpaths with all the stiles and gates in good order.

Looking forward to leading it. No photos, as the day was dull and nothing really stood out apart from spotting a Red Kite and a Heron fishing, both were too far away to capture with my camera.

Vale of Glamorgan Coastline - Llantwit Major to Rhoose

Saturday 4th November

We caught the train to Llantwit Major and walked the coastal path to back to either Rhoose or Barry depending on how tired you felt. We would have gone across country to Rhoose but the rainfall we had had recently would have meant soem very wet conditions underfoot especially one of the valleys that has the river running through it.

The thirteen walkers set out from Llantwit Major station on their 9 or 12 mile walk, by walking through the town towards the beach and the coast path. It was a very easy walk with not many hills. The hardest part was probably walking on the beach at Aberthaw powerstation and on the concrete walkway that goes around the station.

We stopped for lunch at Pleasant Harbour which is an area of salt marsh before walking through the caravan park at Fontagary. As we approached Rhoose the party split into two with those who wanted the longer carrying on the coast path to Barry, while the majority walked up to the train station at Rhoose.

i caught the train as I had done much walking lately and also so that I would be home in time to watch Wales play Australia.

It is a very good walk to do.

Llandrindod Wells - Shakey Bridge

Ventured up to Mid Wales today for a short walk of around 6 miles. Left the car park near Llandrindod Wells railway station to walk to the Lake on the outskirts of the town. Walked through the wood on its eastern side to come out just below a golf club, clubhouse. Followed the road for few minutes before rejoining the footpath that would lead to a trig point and cairn. Stopped at the cairn to admire the views all around it. From the cairn walked to the minor road that leads to Bank House. It was a lovely sunny day with a bit of an edge to the wind that was blowing from the north.

Walked down the hill towards Bank House and took another path where the road turns into an unlaid road. The path runs through mixed woods before joining pine forests at Shaky Bridge. Shaky bridge is a footbridge that crosses the river Ithon so that you can reach a small church and the ruins of Cefnllys castle on the other side. As I crossed the footbridge a flash of blue streaked under the bridge, wonder if it was a Kingfisher. Stopped in the churchyard for a breather and food and water. Wanted to walk up to the castle on the Castle Bank but couldn't see a clear path through the bracken. Followed the footpath around the western side of the hill but still no way up. So made my way back towards the Shaky Bridge and the nature reserve in Bailey Einon Wood. Walked part of the nature trail in the wood hoping to see some wildlife. Not very successful, too much cover unlike the last time I was here in April. Walked back to the edge of the wood and rejoined the footpath that would take me to the road after climbing a short steep hill. Looking back towards the castle from this hillside I could see the path through the bracken, I needed to walk anti-clockwise around the base.

Following the road towards Bailey Einon farm a Common Hawker dragonfly landed in a bush in front of me, quickly got my camera out to take a photograph but it wouldn't settle and flew off. At the farm, left the road via a path opposite the entrance to the farm, this led on to the Cairns at Bongam Bank.

After walking some open ground you walk into a small pine copse, which has a multitude of paths running through it. The path I wanted leads us down hill now towards a housing estate, after walking through the estate and picking the footpath that I wanted back up I walked through the woods that lead you back to the Lake. Stopped at the lake before making my way back to the car and walks end.

Barry Castle - East Aberthaw

Ten walkers set off from Barry Castle for an 11.5 mile walk around the Vale of Glamorgan. The first part of the walk led us into Porthkerry Country Park where we followed a footpath that runs alongside the railway tracks through a small wood. Someone had been out cutting a way through this path, as the last time I tried to walk it I didn't get very far before being forced to turn back. After walking through a few fields some in the group were wondering what the footpath would be like where it crosses a stream after the recent rainfall that we have had. The path where it crosses the stream is normally very muddy especially outside of the summer months, the rain had made the mud soft but it was still walkable.

We now started walking uphill through a couple of pasture fields to the main road that goes to the airport. After crossing the road we then made our way to Penmark. At Penmark we stopped in the churchyard for a break. Walked through the village and left it on footpath that took us towards Rhoose before we swung away from Rhoose. After some road walking we followed a path at the bottom of the Kenson valley that takes us towards Fommon Castle. The valley unfortunately has 2 sets of major power lines running through it, which spoils this wild forgotten place. It was full of young cattle that were inquisitive of us. Fortunately the most inquisitive cattle were the other side of the Kenson River that flows through here and they therefore couldn't reach us. We crossed a metal footbridge over the river that led up into the fields where they had recently held the Vale of Glamorgan show. After leaving the Fommon Castle estate we had some more road walking to do to reach East Aberthaw.

At East Aberthaw we walked towards the sea at Pleasant Harbour where we would take lunch on the sea wall behind the salt marsh. This used to be an important harbour for the surrounding area. It is now a nature reserve with a power station attached and plenty of signs warning of snakes. After lunch we trekked up to the top of the cliffs to follow the coast path all the way back to Barry. The first part is contained with Fontygary caravan park, decking has made its impact even here, with most of the static caravans having their own decking. From Fontygary we pass some disused quarries to reach Rhoose point the southern most part of Wales. The quarry here has been turned over to housing.

After Rhoose point the path leads into another caravan park, which takes us to Porthkerry country park. The party split at this point between those who wanted ice cream and those who didn't. We made our separate ways back to the start point.