On a day when the much awaited Wales versus Ireland game in the Six Nations was taking place and many members of the group were at Cardigan Bay walking part of the Wales Coast Path, five female walkers were lured out to join Geraint and his sheepdog Patch at Pentyrch on a cool overcast but dry morning.
Setting off through a line of kissing gates whilst sharing the fields with sheep and suckling spring lambs, a line of blossoming daffodils beside the fence heralded the start of spring.
Turning south past an old farm building to reach a road, then crossing a stile into more fields, a rather blunt notice advising that it was private land and dogs should be kept on leads or they would be shot, stared them in the face. We get the message but they could have asked nicely!
Rising through fields to the lane at Lon y Goch, and following Star Lane for a short distance before re-entering fields mottled with molehills, there were views down to Parc-y-Justice where apparently the Magistrates Court was held and various warrants were signed by the Justices of the Peace, so wrongdoers could be arrested back in the 1530’s.
Following a rough track into Craig y Parc, through the tall straight conifers they enjoyed glimpses of the stone built lodge overlooking the huge Canada Lake where fly fishing takes place, before the muddy track, marked with horses’ hooves, led them on past a smallholding with a collection of hens, sheep, geese and several very handsome crowing cockerels.
Leaving the woodland and exiting onto Heol Pant y Gored and turning northwest past a row of detached houses, they reached a rough track which led uphill into open meadows with dozens of massive freshly dug molehills.
Entering the outskirts of Creigiau and passing the playing fields by way of a cycle track and heading into woodland beside the dismantled railway line that carried visitors from Pontypridd through to Barry Island, they paused for morning refreshment, whilst Patch contentedly played with a stick.
Continuing along muddy tracks in the wood before crossing a road and deviating into Ty’n y Coed, a huge pile of broken slates and other rubbish that had evidently been fly-tipped lay beside the main entrance to the woods. With only horse riders for company and tramping along a pretty tree-lined path past the old disused quarries, a steep climb up through a forestry plantation led to the open ridgeway.
Views northwards to Efail Isaf and Llantwit Fadre as well as southwards were covered in mist whilst above them the sun was struggling to be seen through the low cloud. Making their way along a road, two of the group who had opted for the shorter walk left to follow the road back to Pentyrch whilst the remainder crossed a stile, climbing steeply to a reservoir before turning northeast for the climb up Garth Hill.
Upon reaching the trig point at 307-metres a stiff breeze hit them as they paused to take in the considerable views. Before leaving they bumped into Beverley Penney, who many members will be familiar with and who was awarded an OBE by the Queen for her services to rambling as director of Ramblers Cymru.
Then continuing along the ridgeway after being ignored by the Welsh Black cattle that were quietly grazing, a descent down a stony muddy track with glorious views across to Craig yr Allt, Treforest, Taff’s Well and Nantgarw led them into the shelter of woodland tracks, which they followed to Gwaelod-y-garth.
Tramping along muddy paths and across boardwalks in Craig Rhiw’r Ceiliog to reach a wooden picnic bench, a well-deserved lunch break beside fungi covered trees followed.
Continuing through the wood where footpaths are well way-marked and descending to a track from where the turrets of Castell Coch were just visible through the trees, they arrived at Georgetown, where several old boots had been placed on top of various waymarker posts as if to welcome walkers, or maybe they just belonged to a rambler who never made it!
Passing through a row of terraced houses and re-entering woodland, after crossing the Nant Cwmllwydrew with its pretty falls, a boardwalk led them up through Coed y Bedw where water was tumbling down the hillside.
Coed y Bedw is woodland with ash, oak, beech, alder and birch trees and designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it is part of a group of natural beech woods on the western side of the Taff Valley. The ruins of Maes yr Haul cottage, once the home of mine owner and poet Morgan Thomas who lived there around one hundred years ago, lie within the reserve and when mining ceased in 1913, the windows were bricked up and the building was used to house the hounds of the Pentyrch Hunt until the 1920’s. Whilst nearby is the old stone entrance to ‘Coidy Beddw’ level which was opened by Thomas in 1827 and iron ore, charcoal and coal was transported in dram carts along tramways which are now used as the main footpaths through the reserve.
Eventually crossing a stile to enter a field, and passing a friendly horse standing in a field behind a gate, then carefully crossing the busy road at Heol Goch, a steep climb up a narrow path led them to the outskirts of Pentyrch and following a path through houses to Georges Corner, it was only a short step back to their start point.
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