Ramblers search for dry land in the aftermath of Storm Darragh

Penarth and District Ramblers

Glamorgan Star news 18/12/2024

2 minutes read

FOLLOWING the worst of Storm Darragh, the hunt was on by Geraint from Penarth and District Ramblers for a short walk that was a mud and water-free zone. At short notice, he put a local walk on that fitted that criteria, starting from Penarth Leisure Centre.

With the wind strongest on the coast, they set off inland by pavement and up through Dingle Park to join Windsor Road and walk past the site of the now converted old Billy Banks site, with its fantastic views out over Cardiff Bay.

They followed a zig zag path downhill to Penarth Marina and across Pont y Werin over the River Ely to follow it upstream into Grangemoor Park, more commonly known as ‘Asda Mountain’ after the old waste site was converted into parkland. Following the Taff path to Penarth Road, they overlooked the magnificent old Pumping Station before heading through Llandough Industrial Estate to climb through woodland to reach Llandough.

At the churchyard of the 19th Century St Dochdwy’s Church, which stands on the site of an earlier church, they examined the Irbic Cross, a Celtic pillar cross from the early 9th Century with its intricate carvings. After learning that nearby there was a Celtic Christian monastery and missionary, plus evidence that a Roman villa was sited in the village centre, they descended via Cogan Pill Road to return to their start, almost mud free after their five-mile trek.

A few days later William embarked on a railway ramble, meeting up with seven companions in the concourse of Cardiff Central Railway Station at the start of their 12-mile hike to try and spot a Kingfisher. They set off along the west bank of the River Taff, passing below the Castle Street Bridge into Sophia Gardens, named after the widow of the 2nd Marquess of Bute from Cardiff Castle.

The canal path at Forest Farm Nature Reserve. — **| The River Taff at Blackweir.**

They walked on past Blackweir and across a footbridge over the busy Western Avenue to pass near the majestic Llandaff Cathedral to Llandaff Weir, where there was still debris from the recent storms littering the banks. After chatting to some fishermen at Hermit Wood they crossed to the eastern bank of the river and made for the refurbished Melingriffith Water Pump, which pumped water from the Melingriffith Tinplate Works feeder into the Glamorgan Canal. They stopped there for morning break.

They passed the flowing Radyr Weir to reach Forest Farm Nature Reserve, with a stop for lunch break sitting on chopped logs. Then moving on, luckily their reward was a sighting of a Kingfisher perched on a nearby tree, which took to flight at their arrival, but William’s Kingfisher badge was presented to Marilyn, before they returned via Hailey and Bute Park to make their way back home by bus and train.

You can follow the group on www.penarthramblers.wordpress.com or on Facebook.

Joy Strangward

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