A group of eight walkers joined Terry and Marion for a circular walk of nine and a half miles in the beautiful Gwent Levels beginning from the Newport Wetlands Visitor Centre which was created in 2000 to compensate for the loss of the mud flats in Cardiff. The pattern of the drainage ditches in the area where the reserve was to be sited kept the land dry, so new waterways had to be constructed in the reserve to keep the land flooded with fresh water and footbridges have been installed across the new waterways.
The history of the Gwent Levels begins after the Severn Estuary and the Bristol Channel were formed and as the temperature rose after the Ice Age, the low lying wetland formed tidal mud flats, creeks, saltmarsh, peat bogs, reed swamps and wet woodland which was home to wild boar, cranes, red deer, otters, wolves and aurochs, the fearsome ancestors of modern cattle. Around 8000 years ago small groups of humans began to exploit the area and later during the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age, there is evidence of more settled activities, including the building of more permanent structures, small settlements and trackways which were navigated by using tidal filled creeks along with streams. Following the arrival of the Romans in the 1st Century AD they reclaimed the land using embankments, ditches, drains and sluices, but the levels as we see them today were largely created in the medieval period by the monks of Goldcliff Priory.
Setting off in sunshine along the Sculpture Trail and the Orchid Trail and on past the reed beds they joined part of the Wales Coast Path journeying on to the East Usk Lighthouse built in 1893 and standing thirteen metres high, which originally stood on legs that were eventually covered up due to the fly tipping of ash from Uskmouth Power Station. It was originally lit by 12 gas cylinders which would only last for one year but was converted to electricity in 1972.
The more substantial decommissioned West Usk Lighthouse which was built in 1821 by the esteemed Scottish architect James Walker is currently operating as a hotel and standing on the opposite west bank on the Cardiff side of the river Usk it can be viewed from the reserve.
Leaving the Wales Coast Path they made their way through a lane towards Nash, which was originally a farming village and derives its name from an ash tree and a large part of the village was lost when Uskmouth Power Station was constructed.
Constant efforts throughout the centuries have been made to reclaim the levels from the encroaching sea and whilst natural drainage occurs at the River Usk, Rhymney and Goldcliff Pill, a series of channels carry the surface water from fields into gullies and the water drains into reens or ditches, which then flow into the sea through gouts.
Crossing small bridges over some of the many waterways in the area before pausing for morning refreshments in a field whilst soaking up the very welcome autumnal sunshine, it was soon time to move on to Goldcliff and a visit to the church dedicated to St Mary Magdalene.
The nave and the chancel date to 1424 when Goldcliff Priory, which was situated on the coast, was destroyed by a storm and possibly some of the limestone blocks from the priory were used to build this church. Its churchyard is enclosed by drainage ditches and inside the church is a plaque stating that 22 people were drowned when a tidal wave caused flooding in 1607, which sadly they were unable to view as the porch was padlocked.
Following the Goldcliff Road they arrived at the Goldcliff Pill and re-entering fields and crossing more small bridges over the reens, a sunny bank made a perfect stopping place for lunch.
Refreshed and continuing on past cattle they joined the Wales Coast Path once again, making their way back towards the reserve, passing a bird hide and a small wood and reaching the Visitors Centre enjoyed their reward of tea and cake prior to the homeward journey.