IT IS pot luck at the moment weather wise and the two last walks both featured some sun but plenty of wind, with the coastal one at Gower winning the race.
Jan and John from Penarth and District Ramblers shifted their planned walk to a day later because of heavy rain and were rewarded with a dry day, but a cool breeze. The group of eight and Bruno left the neatly planted Physic Garden in Cowbridge and headed by back streets to the River Thaw, after which boardwalks brought them across a boggy area and into fields for the journey to Aberthin.
After following the Nant Aberthin with its pretty bridges, a climb led to morning break overlooking the village before the gradual uphill at Stalling Down, pausing only to view the tall stone erected to the memory of Iolo Morgannwg, who founded the Gorsedd of the Bards.
Muddy tracks led them onto terra firma and another climb led through the bracken to The Clump, where folklore has it that criminals were hanged in public. A waterlogged track led them into St Hilary and a stop for lunch overlooking the village church before they headed past the Bush Inn and through Bluebell Wood, to exit beside New Beaupre.
The pretty valley where new lambs were spotted led them on beside the River Thaw, which they crossed and passed two very docile horses to enter Llanblethian. Another climb brought them into the ruins of St Quentin’s Castle perched on top of Castle Hill with its impressive gatehouse still in situ. Then, descending to walk overlooking the River Thaw once more, they made their way back into Cowbridge after their delightful seven-mile walk.
A sandstorm at Rhossili
Robin and his spaniel Biggles were joined by a group of six keen walkers at Rhossili on the Gower peninsula in glorious sunshine with fantastic views across Rhossili Bay and towards the Worms Head, where the tide was flooding the rocky causeway. They paused at the old Coastguard Station, now an NCI look-out, and on the clifftop, members of the Coastguard rescue team were taking part in a training session.
They headed south eastwards along the clifftop above Fall Bay just as the wind began to pick up and above the pretty Mewslade Bay, they located a hollow to stop for morning break and shelter from the wind. They turned inland to reach Middleton, pausing to choose jam and pickles outside a house before a blue plaque at Middleton Hall Cottage commemorates local boy Edgar Evans. After joining the navy at a very young age, he took part in two expeditions to the Antarctic with Captain Scott, concluding with the fatal one to the South Pole. He died on 17 February 1912 at the age of 44.
Then came a climb up onto Rhossili Down and a huge fight with the wind, which almost lifted Biggles off his feet as they reached the top, where they bent against the strengthening wind that hit them sideways. At the western end of the long ridgeway they were very glad to descend to a rough track, running in water but sheltered from the wind as they made their way to the King’s Head Inn for their promised stop for lunch.
Although it was busy, they enjoyed some fine food and liquid refreshments before they headed back out to skirt the western end of Rhossili Down and through Hillend Caravan Park to Rhossili Bay. The wind meant they faced a sandstorm on their way back across the three-mile stretch of glorious sand on the ebbing tide and, finally reaching the eastern end of the bay, the long climb led them back to the shelter of their cars for the journey home after their 9.5 mile trek.
You can follow the group on www.penarthramblers.wordpress.com or on Facebook.
Joy Strangward
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- Penarth ramblers enjoy their weekend in Sussex
- Ramblers explore Sully Island
- Ramblers celebrate with a picnic in the park
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