IT seems that Geraint from Penarth and District Ramblers is the man to beat for numbers so far this year, as 23 walkers turned out to meet up with him at the Millfields entrance in Dinas Powys on a rather grey morning but in dry conditions.
Setting off along a narrow path they made their way through the bare but beautiful copper beech wood and into Cwm George for a choice of pathways. One was steep and one muddy and the steep won the vote as they headed uphill via steps set into the wooded hillside to circumnavigate Park Wood. Veering off the main path, they stopped by an overgrown but still visible track running through the wood and downhill, learning it was used by the family from Cwrt yr Ala House to gain access to their summerhouse, perched on the hillside overlooking their estate and manor house.
Then continuing along a muddy well-trodden pathway they arrived at a viewpoint created by volunteers from the Woodland Trust, who own the woodland, with a sturdy bench at Jenny’s Grove. Descending and joining the Beauville Lane they crossed fields at the Dinas Powys ridgeway with misty views towards Barry Waterfront and Barry Island before heading downhill by lane past St Andrews House and South Lodge, to reach the Church of St Andrew.
After some refreshments and a peek inside this immaculate pretty church, they entered empty fields opposite Glebe Farm and made their way to the Westra before crossing part of what had formed the St Andrews Golf Course. More boggy meadows led them to Southra and a return by means of Dinas Powys Common.
William on the other hand, decided on a no stile, no mud, pavement and green spaces walk in the capital city of Wales and was joined at the start of his 12-mile route by a group of nine walkers. They set off from Central Square on a bright crisp morning, following the route of the old Glamorganshire Canal. They walked down to Cardiff Bay and Mount Stuart Square into the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Nature Reserve where they paused for their morning break before heading through Hamadryad Park, named after the ship that served seamen as a floating hospital and over Clarence Road Bridge to follow the River Taff to Sophia Gardens.
Crossing a footbridge over the River Taff, the lovely parkland created by the Bute family from Cardiff Castle lay before them and, arriving at Blackweir Bridge, they headed out through leafy city suburbs to enter Cathays Cemetery. A memorial to the famous Cardiff boxer Peerless Jim Driscoll gathered their attention before they moved on to Roath Park, with its memorial to Captain Scott in the shape of a lighthouse on the lake.
Then, after a lunch break they headed onward beside the Roath Brook before making their way to the impressive Civic Centre with its collection of fine historic buildings, before passing through Womanby Lane and Westgate Street in order to return to their start point
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Joy Strangward
Previous reports:
- Penarth ramblers enjoy their weekend in Sussex
Penarth and District Ramblers organised a long weekend to visit their old stomping ground of the South Downs in East Sussex. - Ramblers explore Sully Island
A GROUP of 16 walkers plus Molly the dog joined Joy and Tuppence from Penarth and District Ramblers at Sully Primary School for the ninth in a series of evening rambles. - Ramblers celebrate with a picnic in the park
THE Penarth and District Ramblers chose to celebrate summer with a picnic in the park and hired the Forest Lodge at Porthkerry Country Park just in case it rained. - Penarth ramblers take a liking to Lydney
A group of eight Penartrh and District Ramblers set off from Dinas Road in Penarth and made their way into Cosmeston Lakes Country Park. - Ramblers explore two sections of the Heritage Coast
SHEILA from Penarth and District Ramblers played host to a group of 12 walkers plus dogs Bruno and Tuppence when they met on a very cold but dry morning at the village of Wick.
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