5th May 2018 - Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal walk from Goytre Wharf

Like the starting scene from an episode of casualty.

This week’s walk is through the scenery of the Usk Valley and takes in some of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. The walk started by a small wood near Goytre Wharf. The car park is big enough for about 15 cars and is free. We did a lap of the woods first which took all of about 10 minutes but it is pleasant. We followed the road west towards the Pentre Hill. The road crosses the canal over a lovely old stone bridge. The weather was beginning to get quite warm and the road was getting steeper. In the distance we could see the tower at Arbour in Pontypool Park. It definitely looks like something to check out in the future.

This could be barge but on reflection...

After a steep climb the hill plateaus into a rather pleasant leafy clearing. The tracks become slightly confusing up here. The most obvious path on the map is actually nothing more than an impassable muddy ditch and the main road is marked as a track. After a few hundred metres this became obvious so I knew where we were again. We carried on through the woods and popped out next to The Goose and Cuckoo Inn. However, it was only half ten so it would have been quite a wait to get in.

Steep hills and beaming sunshine. Stay hydrated.

We followed the small road down the hill which crossed a stream at the bottom. This was the perfect opportunity for Chuck to have a cool off. It must be hot under that furry jacket. It was road for the next mile or so but that didn’t matter. They were quiet and afforded views all across Abergavenny. We followed the road to the canal. We decided to get to the point where we had previously walked along the canal just so we didn’t leave any gaps. This involved dropping down through a re-entrant cut by a stream that goes under the canal. It was a beautifully tranquil little part of the world. I could have sat there all day.

Abergavenny nestled between Blorenge and Sugar Loaf.

The canal doubles as a cycle path so keep your eyes open. The more lycra worn, it seems, the less chance they will have a bell on their bike. Chuck was determined to go in the water but the banks have steep sides. Be aware, if you do let your dog in the water, you will be dragging it out again. The going on the canal was flat and easy so we made rapid progress on the way back. Further down the banks flatten out so Chuck finally got to go for his swim.

A glistening pool of tranquility.

Right near to where we parked was Goytre Wharf, a parking area for canal boats. It was packed with young families and seemed to have all the sorts of facilities young families like. Stuff for kids to climb on and a café for grown ups. We took a few pictures and moved on back to the car. This was a great walk of two halves. The first part was hilly and had great views, the second half was very leisurely. Hopefully we can walk some more of the canal and report back on what we find.

The traffic was just awful.

25th February 2018 - Severn Estuary walk from Blakeney

Carrying on from our previous Severn River walk, here, we decided we would do another one further up the river, seeing as we enjoyed the first one so much. This time we parked in Blakeney. This turned out to be a really good idea as there is a free car park next to the doctor’s surgery. The first part of the walk was along the road down to the river. It’s a very quiet road with only the villages of Etloe and Gatcombe down there. Neither has more than a few houses.

Walking into the light.

You would expect a path next to the river would be flat but this was nothing of the sort. There is a considerable rock face which rises and falls along the river. The train line to Gloucester is carved into the rock below, between the rock and the river. The path is in and out of the trees and into the fields. I must confess we were a little distracted by the scenery and playing with Chuck and didn’t notice where the path went in one of the fields. As a consequence, we took quite a large detour. But the views were amazing in the sunlight.

Looking south down the river.

It was still early in the year and quite cold, so I imagine these fields will be full of cattle in the summer. But we were fine for now. We re-joined the path at Little Hagloe, basically a house. The path leads back down to the railway where we crossed. Again, it gets a little confusing here and we ended up going the wrong way down to the water. A quick hop over a fence and through a field and we were back on track.

Daddy. I thought this walk was meant to be flat?

The path heads up to Doulton Court, which isn’t as impressive as it sounds sadly. From here on in it’s all road for the way back. It isn’t a busy road but the cars that do come down are usually going at a decent pace, so watch your four-legged friend closely. Chuck managed to find a stream which runs next to the road, which was good as it was quite warm for the time of year.

The view over towards Gloucester.

I can’t see this being the last walk out of Blakeney. There is still more river to explore. It’s a very tranquil little part of the world. I imagine it hasn’t always been this way and may have been quite industrialised at some points but thankfully now it is a little haven of peace. A highly recommended walk.

Kids, photos like this should only be taken under supervision of a responsible adult.

12th February 2018 - Severn Estuary from Lydney

Today’s walk is along the Severn Estuary. The sun was well and truly out despite it being quite cold. We parked in Lydney on a housing estate and walked out of town south along Naas Lane. This crosses the A48 and heads down to Lydney Golf Club. Thankfully we didn’t need to go as far as the golf course. The fields were damp from all the previous rain and were shimmering in the sun. It was boggy yet beautiful.

That amazing combo of sun and puddles.

The path then heads into the trees. The view of the river is somewhat obscured here but we could still see the sun glinting through. You can’t follow the river for long however as the path heads north across the fields and then crosses over the railway track. From here however you enter out into the fields and you have a spectacular view across the whole estuary. It looks like this is usually a field full of cows but thankfully it was too early in the year for them to be out.

The view that awaits on the estuary on a sunny day.

The path then heads down under an old railway bridge. From the field, you can see where there used to be a bridge across the river. Several of the pillars are still visible in the shallows. Walking past Ward’s Farm, we headed north along a narrow road. This road eventually headed back across the fields. At this point the sun decided it had had enough and disappeared for the remainder of the day. After crossing the A48 again, we thought we were just a few minutes from the car. However, Bellway Homes had different ideas.   

Under the old railway across the river.

   

The footpath emerged straight into a building site. There was no way around. To make matters worse, the site was locked and we were trapped inside. Someone from the showroom then came out to tell us we were trespassing. We informed her that we really didn’t want to be and if she’d kindly let us out we’d leave. She didn’t have the key however and told us we would have to go back the way we came. Seeing as that would have been another two miles we looked for another way out.

Looking arty next to the water.

We found a gap in the fence and scrambled through. Annoyingly we both managed to rip our clothing. This incident had put a dampener on what had been a nice walk. I cannot believe this company managed to get planning permission to build right on top of a public footpath. And then to not put in any diversion is pretty scandalous. I have tried getting in touch with Bellway Homes but nothing has come back from them. I was going to write to the council but unfortunately I haven’t had the time and it slipped my mind. Still, it was a lovely walk and thankfully there is still plenty of Severn River to explore.

14th April 2018 - The Elan Valley walk with overnight bothy stay - Part 2

Last week we had just arrived at Lluest Cwmbatch bothy, see here if you have no idea what I’m talking about. The bothy looked idyllic from the outside. Set on the edge of the reservoir with a babbling brook next to it. Going inside however revealed the true horror of what we were entering in to. Every surface inside had a beer can or wine bottle on it. It was clear our friends waving on the hill were in full party mode and were here to stay. To make matters worse, they had three friends on their way too.

A drink of wine in the setting sun to celebrate our arrival.

The bothy had three wooden benches to sleep on. We claimed one and left the 24 hour party people to fight over the other two. We couldn’t really take many pictures of the inside of the bothy as it was quite dark already and also it was an absolute tip. We had a quick chat with the soberest of the party who gave us a bit of their wine, which was one thing at least. Then we decided to try and get our heads down. The benches are not comfortable. The party people had lit some candles so it was fairly light inside. Then, to add to the chaos, three more people turned up to stay the night. Chuck decided that the party was too much for him and climbed up onto the bench to sleep with his Mummy and Daddy. 35kg of German Shepherd in between us left very little room.

A much gloomier day awaited us when we got up the next morning.

At around 3am the party finally died down. Around 6am the light started pouring through the window. We decided to carry out our morning admin outside as it was still quite dark in the bothy. After a nice breakfast and some mocha pot coffee brewed up on a camping stove we headed out back towards Rhayader. The weather was markedly different to the previous day. It was cold and damp and soon started to rain. There was no path and the only way was through a hilltop bog on a compass bearing, so make sure you can use a compass. We eventually got back to a reasonable track to follow. Again, there were sheep dotted about so Chuck needed to be on a lead. He was in one of those boisterous moods from lack of sleep.

After three hours sleep, filter coffee was a godsend.

After crossing the main road, the path climbed up again before dropping steeply down into Rhayader. There really isn’t much to report as the weather was so bad. There was very little to see. I’m sure it would have been very pretty in the sunshine. We returned to the car which was thankfully in one piece. We looked around Rhayader for coffee. The only place open this early on a Sunday is the Co-op, which has a Costa machine which is quite decent.

Smiles all round despite the weather and lack of sleep.

We were tired but had a feeling of immense accomplishment. We went into the bothy with an open mind. The party people had as much right to be there as we did so I didn’t feel it right to kick off with them as I normally would. That is the beauty of a bothy. You have no idea what you are going to get. We have decided we would definitely like to stay in another one but next time, one that’s further from a road, to prevent party people and also probably not on a Saturday night, also to mitigate against party people.

14th April 2018 - The Elan Valley walk with overnight bothy stay - Part 1

Another mini overnight adventure for you this week and next. Through some friends we discovered the existence of Bothys. These are decrepit or derelict buildings which have been rendered habitable by the Mountain Bothys Association. They are usually free to stay in and have no electric, heating or running water. They also have no booking system and operate on a first come first serve basis, more on which later. More information can be found here: Mountain Bothys Association. This week’s post will focus on the walk to the Bothy and next week will be about the Bothy and the route back, which was much shorter. The Bothy we were aiming for was Lluest Cwmbatch overlooking the beautiful Cronfa Ddwr Craig Goch reservoir. As you probably guessed from the lack of vowels, it’s in Wales. The Elan Valley to be precise.

Raring and ready to go.

We parked up in the village of Rhayader in a layby. It’s free and easy to find but can be busy as it is right at the start of the Number 8 cycle route to Aberystwyth. We locked the car and waved goodbye to it for 24 hours. The weather had promised to be cold and miserable however we noticed it was quite mild as soon as we got out of the car. The way was easy going along the cycle path but the view made clear how hilly and arduous this would be. Although we weren’t camping per se, there was no bedding and no food or water replens, so we were carrying absolutely everything we might need. Rhayader was the only civilisation for miles around and we were going to be at least two hours from it at most points.

The rickety bridge. Chuck refused to cross it.

The first hour or so was along tracks and small roads. This ended as we got to the Wye River. A river we know well but had not crossed this far up stream. There was a fantastic rickety suspension bridge across that wobbled like crazy. Chuck flatly refused to cross it and went through the river. This was probably good as it was starting to get really warm now. Something we hadn’t planned on.

Our first glimpse of the reservoirs.

The next stage was up onto the moor land. This was a very steep climb but offered some cracking views back across where we had walked. Up on top of the moor were some cows who looked heavily pregnant. We thought one of them might actually be about to give birth. She was definitely in some discomfort. We waited around for a little while but nothing really happened so we continued.

The small church next to the dam.

We dropped down through a small farm into a valley. Then it was back up onto the moorland. Sadly, for Chuck there were sheep everywhere, so he was on the lead a lot here. The was however lots of streams for him to cool down in. Despite being quite close to the reservoir we couldn’t really see much as we were behind a forest. As the forest gives way to the farmland you do get an impressive view across the most southerly of the four connected reservoirs. We crossed the river at its southern tip. The only way here was along the road.

Not sure if this is a natural gap or cleaved out for the path.

The road proved to be quite busy so we headed upwards again into the woods. This afforded a good view over where we had walked on the other side of the reservoir. A sharp path out of the woods brought us out to Garreg Ddu Dam, a very impressive structure and a crossing point for the reservoir. We still had a long way to go but we decided to take the slightly more scenic western route around Garreg Ddu Reservoir. The path runs along the waters edge for the most part and this allowed Chuck to cool off as it really was sweltering by now. The path does get slightly confusing at one point and doesn’t really match the map. Top tip, head north west when you see the information board and you’ll pick up the footpath markers.

An island in the reservoir.

The next place of interest is the Pen Y Garreg Dam. Despite the map not showing one there is a footpath straight up the hill here, which saves you having to go half a mile back down the road. Then it’s back on nice even flat cycle path all the way to the final dam. Be aware, there are sheep hiding in the trees. We only just managed to stop Chuck chasing them as they caught us by surprise. The Craig Goch Dam is the final one on the journey and is the most impressive. There are lots of cars parked here. I think people come here for picnics as the views are gorgeous.

Craig Goch. The most impressive of all the dams.

Entering our final reservoir valley, I was hoping to see the bothy. Sadly, it was still quite tucked away. But what made up for it was the view. It was one of the most spectacular vistas I have ever seen. The stillness of the water made it feel like you were inside a painting. Nothing moved. No trees to sway. No grass to move. Total tranquillity. There are no footpaths leading to the bothy but there were some obvious tracks. They cross some craggy re-entrant streams and our tired legs struggled to climb the rocks with the weight of our packs.

The stunning tranquility and beauty of Lluest Cwmbatch.

We were now within spitting distance of the bothy but it was tucked deep in a re-entrant and we didn’t see it until we were right on top of it. There were three people sitting on the hill above the bothy who waved to us as we went down. Would we have some company for the night? At this point we didn’t really care. We had walked nearly 18 miles and had been constantly walking for 8 hours. All three of us were ready to eat something and then just get our heads down. But would this actually happen? Find out next week.

Much excitement at finally arriving.

3rd February 2018 - Sudbrook and Portskewett

After last week’s ‘walk turned into pub review’ blog, we return with a real walk. A rather lovely one too. As mentioned last week I wanted to get maximum use of the small section of map that I had paid for. So, this week we walked around Sudbrook and Portskewett. This is the Welsh side of the Severn Estuary between the two motorway bridges. Don’t worry, it’s nicer than it sounds.

The new Severn Bridge.

We parked up next to the level-crossing through Caldicot industrial estate. This is quite a common dog walking spot. Be careful though. The locals don’t seem to like picking up after their dogs. Watch your step. The path follows the water northwards up to Sudbrook. The weather was a bit grey but the vista was still fairly nice. Avonmouth industrial estate is clearly visible across the water.  

VICTORY!

Sudbrook itself has a few oddities and follies of interest despite its small size. There is the small ruined Trinity Presbyterian church which is sadly fenced off. Also of interest is the pumping station. This was built in Victorian times to pump water out of the Severn Tunnel. Amazingly it’s still going today. Hopefully it’s had a few upgrades since then. There are plenty of information boards dotted about which amazingly haven’t been vandalised.

Enjoying a quick break.

The next stop is Black Rock Picnic Site. This is a great spot to view the estuary from. Both bridges are clearly visible and there are plenty of information boards about the area. My favourite was the board describing the local fishermen who go out into the mud and shallow waters at low tide to collect their catch. You really do need some local knowledge to even think about venturing out into the estuary. Its waters are lethal.  

Checking out the local information.

The path continues up to next bridge but as we live right next to it we decided to head back through the fields to Portskewett. Not much to see here so we followed the path back over the railway lines into some more fields. There is another small ruined building here but not much else to see. This is a great shorter walk. Although we did find ourselves stopping a lot to look at things of interest. So, it’s not far distance wise but it still ended up taking over three hours. It probably would have been over four if we’d read all the information in Sudbrook. I highly recommended walk for history and geology buffs.

A rare chance to check out the world underneath you.

10th February 2018 - The Rose Inn Redwick

Apologies for the absence of several weeks but holiday and injury has kept us from you (a dislocated shoulder since you ask). Today’s walk started out as a walking blog but has now become a pub review due to the honking state of the weather. There is a small area of Severn Estuary on the Welsh side which requires you to buy the map which shows almost entirely the English side on the south, which is annoying as I had to buy a map of somewhere else to get a tiny bit of where I am. Anyway, since begrudgingly forking out for this map we have been making maximum use of it. Today we planned to walk the section from near Summerleaze to Goldcliff. However, the aforementioned weather made other plans. 

Lamb shank. Drool.

We parked at the end of a narrow lane that leads to a sewage treatment plant just past Pill Farm. There are usually several cars parked here so arrive early, unless of course the weather is awful. We followed the track down to the water and scrambled up onto the bank. We were hit in the face with a howling wind blowing freezing rain straight at us, so back down again we went. Out of the wind it was just dreary rather than completely miserable. Why we didn’t bring waterproof trousers I’ll never know. 

Every pub should be decorated like this. 

We decided to cut it short at Redcliff where The Rose Inn is situated. This is a great old fashioned pub. No brewery association as far as I could tell. The walls were covered in various brass objects like pubs used to be. It had a large car park and despite being in the middle of nowhere it seemed quite popular. Obviously, Chuck was made to feel very welcome and was fussed over quite a lot. The drinks selection was pretty good. Prices were reasonable too. But they cater to the ale drinker rather than the connoisseur spirit drinker. 

Specials board. And the lamb shank was very special.

After a few we decided time was cracking on and dinner wasn’t going to cook itself. So we decided to stay and eat in the pub. The food was home-cooked fayre of a good standard. It wasn’t going to win any Michelin stars but that isn’t the idea here. It was tasty, well cooked and there was plenty of it for the price. The menu was extensive and there was a specials board too, so plenty of choice. 

Can we go yet? Chuck getting excited over the pub stop as usual.

When we saw a gap in the rain we set off back for the car along the road. It hadn’t been much of a walk but at least we got out for a bit. We still did 90 odd minutes in the wet stuff, so not a bad effort. Anyway, The Rose Inn, Redcliff is highly recommended for both food and drink. I’d certainly head back there.