Preseli

Good Friday and in fact the weather was good.  Paul had not visited the Preseli area and so off we went.

Route

We parked in Rosebush adjacent to Tafarn Sinc and set off across the fields and up to Foel Cwmcerwyn by which time we were down to our T shirts. Fantastic views from the top where we met a couple from Swindon who were busy bagging various tops in the area in a short space of time.

They have a long wait

Our first destination Foel Cwmcerwyn

Made it.

Looking toward Carn Ingli and Newport

We descended down to the forestry for a lunch break and then off to "bag" Foel Eryr before returning to the forestry (although there has been lots of recent felling) and down to Rosebush passing the various quarry workings

We should be grateful

The top of Foel Eryr

Rosebush resr. to the left and Llys Y Fran to the right

We came from there

Artistic view of Carn Ingli

Unexpected waterfall

Never in the right place

Apparently in this village on Good Friday there is a by law which forbids people leaving before having a drink in Tafarn Sinc!

Tasty

Treffgarne Gorge and Mountain

Paul wanted to visit this area which he passes regularly to visit his family.

I could say it all went well just to prove to the missing "Mr Navigator" that we can do without him, but honesty is the best policy!

Route

The walk started well with coffee and cake in the Nant y Coy cafe. We then walked down the main road and crossed over the Western Cleddau and then the problem started. There were trees down all over the place and the no sign of the expected path and so we headed through the trees following our noses which we have realised are not the best guides.

Western Cleddau

An example of the problem

 Anyway we cut down to the river and eventually came out at the correct place. From then on no problems were encountered and we climbed up to Treffgarne Village and the weird outcrops.

Poll carn

Maiden Castle

Poll Carn

From the top of Great Treffgarne Mountain (somewhat over named) we had extensive 360 degree views of the countryside with the sun shining on the  Preseli Hills.

Preseli in the distance

Too much nitrogen?

Treffgarne Gorge

Same birthday as my better half apart from the year!

We finished the walk with a pot of tea for two back at the cafe. "The Navigator" will think I have gone soft but it was Paul's fault.

Whitesands Bay

It rained all day Saturday, all day Sunday and lo and behold it was pouring down on Monday morning.

However clutching at straws it seemed it may stop around mid day if we headed as far west as we could. Mrs Navigator decided we were mad and stayed home but undeterred we headed west. It continued to rain but by driving slowly and a very late morning coffee parked up by the golf club the rain stopped and the rest of the day turned out fine.

Route

We headed for Carn Perfedd with fine views of Ramsey Island and then down to the coast following the path to Whitesands Bay and eventually back to the car.

carn Llidi

Ramsey Island

Carn Llidi

A rare photo of the "Navigator" 

Coetan Arthur

Whitesands Bay

Heol Senni and Surrounding Hills

"Where are we going tomorrow?" Well the answer was Heol Senni, a small hamlet in the Senni Valley south of Sennybridge.

We parked in the car park of the village hall, hopefully with no irate committee member meeting us on our return.

Route

We walked up the minor road slowly gaining height as the road increased in steepness.

An artistic wheelie bin

Three chaps on cycles came past in what I assume was granny gear as we were having a coffee break.

Looking back down the Senni Valley

We met up again shortly after the zig zag where they were having a well deserved break. We left the road here and struck off below Fan Nedd following a wall to Bwlch y Duwynt where a lunch stop was taken.

Fan Nedd

The route continued following the wall climbing steadily to the trig point at 603 metres - this ridge is not named. This handy wall was followed back downhill to another minor road to Heol Senni.

We had views through the day of Fan Frynych,Fan Nedd, Fan Llia, Fan Gihirych, and in the distance Pen Y Fan and Corn Ddu.

Fan Girhirych

And again

Pen Y Fan and Corn Ddu in the distance

The summit known as 603 with Pen Y Fan and Corn Ddu in the distance

Llangain Circular

Although Paul and I had been enthused by the previous night's showing of various extreme outdoor films presented  at the Banff Mountain Film Festival we decided on a country walk with little hope of danger.

The walk was another by Alan Richards and based on the village of Llangain.

Route

I woke to rain but the web site forecasts insisted it would be a dry day and in fact the rain stopped and the waterproofs remained in the bags.

I will let the photos tell the story.

The following 5 were taken within Green castle Woods one of those owned by the Woodland Trust.

Unusual waymarks

Is this to clean up fallen leaves?

Wood carvings

Sulphur Tufts?

Looking upstream of the Afon Tywi

 We now start to head out to the countryside.

Misty view back to Carmarthen

Not much left of the cromlech

Afon Lydan

We are now about to pass Fernhill the property where Dylan Thomas spent his youthful holidays and the subject of his famous poem.  The house is clearly unoccupied and in need of some care. This seems an odd situation bearing in mind the connection.(c/o Wikipedia -A manor house dating back to 1723 and listed as a grade II building for its architectural and historic connection. Famous as a frequent childhood holiday retreat of the world renowned poet Dylan Thomas (1914–1953), it became immortalised in one of his best-known poems, Fernhill. Fernhill is also known for its association with the notorious county hangman, Robert Rickets Evans who lived there at the turn of the 20th century. His daughter was heiress to a fortune. He imprisoned her in a cell in the courtyard (which can still be seen today) to gain her fortune, but her lover helped her to escape, according to folklore. The story has been confirmed in more recent research, which has also described Thomas' stays at Fernhill and the extent of his family connections in the Llangain area.^[1])

More on Dylan Thomas and area

 We head on towards Llangain

Neat hedge laying

Why the moorings, no where near the sea.

Llangain Church