Enjoying a lovely drive from Cogan to Abergavenny in order to catch a bus for the short ride up to Llanvihangel Crucorney, a group of seven walkers including leader Barrie disembarked near the Skirrid Inn at the start of a tramp in the Black Mountains.
In dry weather with good visibility, a descent by road to Pen-y-bont overlooking a tree laden with mistletoe led them over the river and into fields. Climbing uphill and crossing the railway line a huge meadow brought them over a stile and onto a dry dusty track for the climb up onto the hilltop behind Great Llwygy Farm, with its interesting tree sculpture and brilliant views across to Bryn Arw in the south west and Ysgyryd Fawr to the south east.
Descending a quiet country lane passing some colourful but ugly tree art before joining part of the long distance Offa’s Dyke Path, a narrow sunken track brought them uphill through the ditches of an ancient fort onto the open moorland below the southern end of Hatterrall Hill and past a pretty young foal with its mother.
Taking shelter from the breeze behind a drystone wall for morning break, there were views across the Herefordshire countryside to the east with the Malvern Hills on the horizon, as a small group of youngsters taking part in the Silver Duke of Edinburgh scheme tramped uphill, whilst in the distance the echoing sound of the cuckoo.
Heading west past some moss covered stone walls with a red kite swooping overhead and descending gradually into the lower end of the Vale of Ewyas with its lush green meadows containing sheep and lambs, a short and steep climb to Cwmyoy or Cwm Iau meaning ‘The valley of the Yoke’ brought them into the churchyard of St Martin’s Church.
Built on an area following a landslide, this beautiful church is twisted and crooked with strong stone buttresses added during the 1960’s to hold both the nave and especially the leaning tower upright and the interior is simple and peaceful. After visiting the church and leaving the churchyard with its busy swooping swifts catching insects to feed their chicks in a nest in the porch and continuing downhill by road to cross the Afon Honddu, a huge meadow where a deviation had to be made beside a new fence line enclosing sheep, led them to a track into Llanthony Wood.
A large amount of tree felling is taking place within the woodland and a steep path led to a forestry track with neatly piled logs, before another steep track made wider by the use of heavy machinery led up onto the ridgeway for a well-deserved lunch.
Following the ridge south eastwards a climb led up onto the Iron Age hillfort of Twyn y Gaer, simply known as ‘The Gaer’ (or The Fort) its summit marked by a pile of neat stones in a cairn and which was the centre of three forts built to guard the southern approach to the Black Mountains; the others being Crug Hywel overlooking Crickhowell and Pentwyn on the Hatterrall ridge.
There was enough time to revel in the glorious views across the valley to the towering Sugar Loaf, towards the eastern Black Mountains and Partrishow Hill, northwards along the ridge to Garn Wen and across the valley to Hatterrall Hill and the Darren and up through the pretty Vale of Ewyas towards Llanthony.
Descending gradually along grassy tracks through the bracken covered hillside and along paths with crisp autumnal leaved carpets whilst passing beautiful native bluebells adorning the woodlands, an open track leading past a pretty farm pond was a great vantage point to Sugar Loaf which appeared to be getting closer.
A track led on past a field filled with cowslips and descending steeply to arrive at Forest Coal Pit, some road walking led past the Grade II listed 17th century cross-passage dwelling of Pwll hwyaid which is under the care of CADW, with sturdy young lambs frolicking in the opposite field.
Then uphill by road for a conversation with a local resident before entering a narrow track leading to the lower slopes of Sugar Loaf Mountain and the last climb onto the grassy ridgeway of Deri with grand views of Sugar Loaf, Bryn Arw and Ysgyryd Fawr.
Heading due south to overlook Abergavenny nestled in the valley below and overlooked by the mighty Blorenge, a descent through a delightful curly oak wood eventually led to the road.
Passing the gable end of a house there was an interesting but worn terracotta type plaque high up with the emblem ‘Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense’ which translated from the French is ‘Shame on him who thinks evil of it’ and everyone was wondering why it was there.
The words were uttered by King Edward III when he ruled over part of France in the 14th century and the aristocracy, court and clergy were French speakers as it had been since 1066 and William the Conqueror, whilst the uneducated peasants spoke English. In 1348 Edward III founded the Chivalric Order of the Garter which some say derived its name from the fact that when he was preparing for the Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years War, he gave his own garter as a signal and as the English army were armed with the deadly long bow, the French were defeated. But another more frivolous story tells of a chivalrous act when Edward recovered a garter which had slipped from his daughter-in-law’s stocking down to her ankle during a ball. The King is alleged to have slipped the offending garter onto his own leg uttering ‘Honi soir qui mal y pense’ which immediately silenced the tittering bystanders who were making fun of the situation.
Headed by the Queen, the Order of the Garter is a noble order priding itself on honourable and chivalrous acts with St George being its patron saint and any new appointments are announced on 23 April, St George’s Day. It has a maximum of 25- companion members with Supernumery Members and Stranger Knights that include foreign monarchs, members of the British Royal family and the British notability. The Arms of the Order of the Garter feature a shield bearing the red and white Cross of St George together with a garter strap upon which is emblazoned the motto Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense and Knights of the Order wear midnight blue velvet cloaks with the emblem embroidered on their left shoulder.
It is also the motto of a number of senior regiments of the British Army including the Blues and Royals, Coldstream Guards, Grenadier Guards and the Life Guards whose history is steeped in courage and loyalty and have you ever noticed the words also feature on the front of British passports, I can visualise you now all running to check!!!
Dropping gradually by road to the outskirts of town and past an interesting Victorian Gothic style detached house with tall chimneys which is a Grade II listed building having been built in the latter part of the 19th century, it apparently served as St John’s School. It is shown on the OS mapping system in 1880 and presumably the figure of a carved Bishop or priest on the upper part of the house is St John, whilst the house, set in its own secluded grounds is now converted into flats.
Heading back through the streets with evening approaching and lovely smells emanating from some of the food establishments, and arriving back in the car park some of the group headed for a quick coffee to round off the splendid day prior to the homeward journey after a great 15-mile hike including around 4.000 feet of ascent.
