Sunday 14th July 2024
On the day before this walk I started the Cambrian Way on an epic three hundred mile trek across Wales from Cardiff to Conwy, however, rather than starting from the gates of Cardiff Castle, as the official route describes, I started from Penarth beside the mouth of the River Severn and weaved a course around Cardiff Bay before heading into the city centre to reach the castle. Consequently, by the end of the day I had completed less than half the distance of the first stage of the Cambrian Way, so to re-start the trail I caught a train back to Taff’s Well and climbed the hill back onto the Cambrian Way to rejoin at the point where I had left it the previous day. Due to the way that trains run on a Sunday morning it was almost eleven o’clock by the time I rejoined the Cambrian Way, which didn’t help with the long distance I had to travel this day, which was more than half of stage one and all of stage two, so I set off at a brisk pace on a wide, level path that took me through the woodland of Fforest-fawr. Sunny weather had brought out many people for a walk this Sunday morning so I was not alone, though there was nothing to see except willowherb and trees until I reached the popular attraction of Three Bears Caves, which was fenced off so I couldn’t look inside. Beyond, after reaching a car park, the crowds disappeared and the path narrowed across the northern tip of Fforestganol. Although the path kept to the top of the ridge, I had no views besides trees, so the walk at this point was simply a navigation exercise through various turns on the path.
My first views appeared on the edge of a small, disused quarry where the town of Caerphilly filled the valley to the north while the Severn Estuary could be seen south, but that was yesterday and on the Cambrian Way my eyes were turned ever northward. I had never done any walking in this area before and was struck by the contrast between the heavily industrialised valleys of South Wales and the high ridges that separate them. Beyond the small quarry the path climbed up to the first named hill on the Cambrian Way, Cefn Onn, where the views into the Rhymney Valley continued and from there the steady descent enabled me to maintain a rapid pace, through the woodland of Coed Cefn-pwll-du and down to the Rhymney River at the bottom of the valley. When I entered the large village of Machen I had finished stage one of the Cambrian Way and since it was lunchtime I stopped on a bench beside St John’s Church for something to eat. After the rest I resumed the trail with a steep climb out of the valley through overgrown bracken lined by heather, while as I climbed the views developed around me. The Severn Estuary dominated the view, reminding me of where I had walked the day before, though high humidity made this an exhausting climb until I had mercifully climbed high enough for a little wind to dry the sweat that covered my body.
As the views behind me towards the Severn Estuary continued to improve I completed the climb all the way up to the top of Mynydd Machen where a trig point confirmed that this is the first proper hill on the Cambrian Way. My route down took me past an old slag heap and into woodland where I had difficulty navigating a complicated series of very short paths that could have been avoided by staying on the road, and eventually brought me to the Ebbw River. After crossing the valley I climbed up to the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal where I enjoyed walking along the towpath, but this was all too brief and soon I turned left away from the canal and up the side of the hill on an unrelenting climb. The sun came out at this point to ensure that I was soon worn out and drenched in sweat. Slowly, I toiled away up the hillside until eventually I reached the pass of Pegwn-y-bwlch where I had hoped I would find a breeze to cool me down, but no wind was blowing and the ascent continued all the way up to the top of Twmbarlwm. This excruciating climb did not end until I passed through the outer fortification of the Celtic hillfort but when I reached the trig point in the middle I was rewarded for all my efforts with stunning views south across the Severn Estuary from the bridges all the way to the mouth of the Severn just beyond Penarth where I had started my walk the day before.
The view took in the city of Newport, where I was staying, and past Cardiff all the way out to the Bristol Channel while to the north clouds shrouded the hills I was heading towards that I would walk over when I resumed the Cambrian Way the following month. I was mesmerised by the view, taking in the scenery before eventually descending steeply off the hillfort and onto a level, broad ridge where I was finally able to cool down and get my strength back. The relaxing stroll provided me with extensive views across the valley to my right and the town of Cwmbran which continued later when I came off the clear track to keep to the eastern slopes of Mynydd Maen. Eventually I began to descend steeply swinging, briefly, slightly to the south before a sharp turn brought me heading again in the right direction for the Cambrian Way, north. A seemingly unnecessary diversion took me through the Blaen Bran Community Woodland, which I could not have been done if my rucksack had been much larger as the kissing gates into and out of the woodland were very narrow. Soon after emerging from the wood I reached a mountain road where I had views across the valley towards Llandegfedd Reservoir and on leaving the road I slowly descended a narrow, stony track that finally brought me into Pontypool where the second stage of the Cambrian Way ends.
The weather on this walk was always good and especially after leaving the canal in the Ebbw Valley which left me with some fabulous walking for the final stretch of the walk over Twmbarlwm and into Pontypool. Another highlight was the view from beside a small quarry which was my first of the day where the wildflowers underfoot were almost as spellbinding at the views. I didn’t reach the end of the stage until half six in the evening, which reflects the long day I had set for myself with about twenty miles walked and showed me that it would be best if for the rest of the Cambrian Way I would keep to the recommended schedule, which was my plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment