Ramblers take in the glorious woodland areas of Sirhowy Valley:
By: Joy Strangward.
Naomi and Meryl from Penarth and District Ramblers were joined by two female walkers in the Full Moon car park at the Sirhowy Valley Country Park for an 8.5 mile walk taking in some of the glorious woodland areas of the valley.
Renowned for being part of the industrial era when coal for the steam engines and blast furnaces was mined, there were mine disasters and the people who flocked to the area for work lived in cramped conditions barely scraping by.
They set off along the disused railway line where autumnal fallen leaves were scattered along the route as they enjoyed views of the Sirhowy River flowing below them. After a gradual climb through woodland they paused beside a ruined building for morning break before continuing their climb to reach fields containing cattle and joining part of the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk they followed it to Mynydd y Grug.
Then on past a wind farm whilst enjoying the surrounding views before passing Coed Cae Hugh where some of the forest had been cleared leaving tree stumps which they utilised as seating for their lunch stop. Refreshed the route went across the open hillside before they began their descent along some muddy paths through woodland containing ancient oak and beech trees. Reaching the valley bottom once more, they made their way back along the old railway track after what had been an enjoyable outing.
Geraint on the other hand slipped in an extra walk at very short notice all the while hoping that the bad weather forecast would not result in a soaking and he was proved right because apart from one heavy downpour the sun came out. Being joined by three walkers they learned the walk had a theme that would involve football and poetry which was a bit of a mystery.
First Geraint treated them to several verses from a poem entitled ‘The Burial of Isis’ informing them it was written by James Carnegie who was the 9th Earl of Southesk, but they had to make their way to St Michael and All Angels Church at Michaelston-le-Pit to see where this clue fitted in. After sheltering from a burst of heavy rain on their journey along the banks of the Cadoxton River, they reached the pretty medieval church that was built by the de Reigny family and moved through the churchyard to view a significant gravestone.
The Reverend Henry Holmes Stewart, a Scottish clergyman was Rector of this church from 1925 to 1935 and he married Lady Beatrice who was the daughter of James Carnegie – hence the connection with the poem. Stewart was a talented footballer and part of the Wanderers team that played in the FA World Cup final in 1873 when they beat Oxford University by 2-0.
They also stopped at the grave of John Crandon Gridley who married Joan Marion Merrett the daughter of Sir Herbert Henry Merrett of Cwrt yr Ala House. He served the Government in both North Africa and Paris and after gaining a CBE; he became the first Marketing Director of the new National Coal Board and concluded his career as Chairman of Mobil Oil.
Enjoying the sunshine they thought they would not see, the group made their way through the Salmon Leaps beside the Wrinstone Brook before returning through Cwm George.
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By: Joy Strangward
— | Ramblers take in the glorious woodland areas of Sirhowy Valley – previous report
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