The Sirhowy River runs from Tredegar through a beautiful valley where originally the steep slopes either side of the river were thickly wooded and continues southwards to Cross Keys where it joins the River Ebbw.
The area was mainly farmland with a few iron ore workings in the north with various quarry sites working minerals in the shape of sandstone, millstone and shale. Charcoal of course was supplied from woodland and crushed limestone was used in the smelting of iron ore. During the early 19th century the fairly quiet valley became industrialised in the north at first, then as the coal industry expanded more pits were opened in the southern half of the valley and served by the Sirhowy railway that conveyed minerals to Newport.
Coal was required to power the new steam engines and in the form of coke for the blast furnaces as the demand for iron and steel grew. The Tredegar Iron Company was set up in 1800 and the first deep mine which was called ‘The Duke’s Pit’ (after the Duke of Beaufort who owned the land) was sunk in Tredegar in 1806.
During 1837-1927 a total of 3,508 miners lost their lives in colliery disasters and a total of 359 died in pits in the Sirhowy Valley in recorded disasters, accidents in the smaller mines often went un-recorded and these figures do not account for the miners whose lives were lost through lung diseases or infections due to the poor working conditions and sheer poverty of the workforce.
The Sirhowy Valley Ridgeway Walk which is 26-miles long (42km) runs from Newport north to Tredegar and through the Sirhowy Country Park and is managed by Caerphilly Council.
Fourteen walkers including Lorna from the Caerphilly group joined Rachel and Clive just inside the Sirhowy Country Park on a dry but overcast morning and immediately began to climb up a fairly steep leaf-strewn path where streams were tumbling down the hillside following recent heavy rainfall. Following a wide forestry track and passing a picnic area with cows and sheep in a field behind a magnificent dry stone wall, the group were able to catch glimpses of the villages of Wattsville, Brynawel, Cwmfelinfach and Ynysddu on the opposite side of the Sirhowy River through openings in the trees.
At Cwmfelinfach (valley of the little mill) which is slightly north of Wattsville – Nine Mile Point colliery was worked from 1905 to 1964 and Ynysddu whose name was derived from a farm of the same name translates as ‘black river meadow’. The village was built by a colliery owner John Hodder Moggridge who sympathised with the terrible living and working conditions of the miners. He founded ‘The Ranks’ which allowed workers to lease a plot of land on which to build a cottage with an allotment to grow fresh food. Moggridge also founded Blackwood and built houses to form a model village.
Joining part of the Sirhowy Valley Walk and reaching Ynys-Hywel it was interesting to note this overnight camping barn that was opened on 7 November 1988 by Meuric Rees, Chairman of the Countryside Commission Committee for Wales was the first of its kind in south Wales and was financed by the Countryside Commission and Manpower Services Commission.
Following a narrow track the group meandered downhill noting the trees were still very green with only a few autumnal tints here and there before they reached the old disused railway line which is now a cycle and pedestrian trail. Stopping for coffee beside a fast flowing stream with mountain bikers hurtling through the trees and on the track just below them, before refreshed the group continued by climbing up muddy pathways towards the ridgeway.
Zig-zagging their way uphill through Coed Cae-Hugh, a steep narrow track took on the form of a riverbed as water cascaded down making it slippery and tricky underfoot and up ahead several large trees which were blocking the paths had to be climbed over. At the top it was a relief to reach the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Path near Twyn Cae-Hugh the remains of a large round barrow. Situated very close to the forestry plantation the cairn is 25m in diameter and 2.5m high but there is no trace left of the surrounding ditch. At Mynydd y Grug the group could see the traces of disused mine workings and the area is used by off-road motor cycles fortunately not in action on this particular day!
In glorious sunshine but with a cool breeze the group took lunch sitting on a grassy bank below trees before continuing along the open moorland pausing to enjoy the stunning views up the valley to Blackwood and across the Sirhowy Valley to the great shape of Mynydd y Lan. Leaving the Rhymney Ridgeway Path and descending gradually to reach a lane between high hedges the temperature suddenly shot up and following the undulating lane body temperatures soon rose. Tramping a wide muddy track through an avenue of spectacular beech trees to Ty’n-y-ffynon farm where the resident farm dogs barked out a warning the group re-entered a forestry plantation. A slippery path led steeply downhill to a forestry track and following a really dark pathway carpeted with brown pine needles to descend through the trees to the valley floor their enjoyable trek through a variety of woodland in what is now a beautiful green reclaimed area came to an end.
Making the short journey by car to Pontymister, liquid refreshments and friendly banter in glorious warm afternoon sunshine in the beer garden at the Royal Oak pub made for an enjoyable interlude before the journey home.
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