Starting from the upper Blaen –y-glyn CP, we headed up towards Craig y Fan Ddu, picked up the Cambrian Way, then followed the route across the glacier-smoothed sandstone tops to Fan y Big. Then down into the bwlch, up to Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Ddu.  Magnificent views continued as we walked south along Graig Fan Ddu to the trig, then down the steep descent to the Taff Trail, where David informed us about a tunnel at the head of the Brecon Mountain Railway.  Despite our many visits to the area, no one else was aware of this tunnel – so some exploring needed on a future visit.  We returned along the road to the cars, with cuckoos calling in the woods. A lovely day with light cloud, warm when sheltered, but a cool NE wind at times.

Leaving Portishead, we walked through Weston Big Wood up to the Iron Age hill fort at Cadbury Camp. From there, we made our way to Clevedon and joined the coastal path for the trek back to the cars. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were treated to some excellent views across the Bristol Channel.

The next section of our Cambrian Way walk started from the Upper Blaen-y-glyn car park, above Talybont reservoir.  The first task was to complete the short CW link from the Pontsticill road to the path heading north to Craig y Fan Ddu. This was to avoid having to do it on the next CW walk. We headed eastwards on the Taff Trail – hearing our first cuckoo of the spring – before cutting off towards Pen Rhiw-calch and then up to the tramway, where Ceridwen pointed out the remains of an old Roman bridge. Down into the Dyffryn Crawnon valley and up Cwm Pyrgad to the Nye Bevan memorial, where we joined the CW. This section of the CW crosses the rough upland to the Pant y Creigiau trig and then down to the cars.  Excellent weather with light cloud and sunshine – but not too warm. 

Leaving the Blaen Onneu car park we rejoined CW where we left it on the last leg. Across the open moorland and up to the trig on Mynydd Llangynidr where the first rain showers came in. From there we continued to Chartist Cave, then on across more open moorland to meet the Trefil Quarry road above Darren Ddu. From there back along to Trefil taking the high route above the quarry. Into Trefil and out along the old railway track. Leaving the track we headed N on a well-marked path to Llangynydr reservoir. The rain came in persistently then. Across even more open moorland following sheep tracks N. Significant dolines apparent, one water filled. Then back to the cars, but with a horrid hailstorm just before the finish. Wonderful moorland walk with lots of weather, again showing the landscape variety of our hills. 

Starting from Brynmawr, we walked along the Clydach Gorge footpath/cycleway, crossed the dual carriageway, headed up Cwm yr Hafod onto Mynydd Llangattock and up to the trig point.  We continued down to Coedcae Uchaf farm, then turned east at Twyn Langwilym to head eastwards and southwards, passing the Lonely Shepherdess and descended to Blackrock, before re-crossing the A465. We climbed back up to the cycleway, headed across the hillside to Clydach to visit the old ironworks and then back up to one of the magnificent viaducts to rejoin the cycleway for our visit to walk through the Gellifelen tunnel (Note: There are two tunnels here because the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway (MTAR) was doubled in 1877 to handle increased traffic flows, necessitating a second, parallel bore, to the south of the original 1862 tunnel).  As the group started to relax (retracing our outward journey), the walk leader had other ideas and took us up (the steep) Cwm Nant-gam to join the Blaenavon cycle track for a short final stage back to the cars. The warmest day of the year – sunny enough to bring some shorts out – good views, but slightly hazy.  

The forecast for the day was pretty grim, with very strong winds, severe wind-chill temperatures and possible snow forecast. Rather than drive to Llanfrynach, for what might have been a curtailed walk, we decided to walk from Abergavenny. Kay had recently been on a lower-level BBPS walk and we walked a similar route - from Abergavenny, up to Home Farm, down to the vineyard and then westward under Llanwearth Breast to the woods of Y Graig (click for more info.), a steep hillside on the south side of Sugarloaf.  We diverted to see the remains of a settlement which existed here in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, stretched out along (what were) terraced clearings on the side of the hill. We were fortunate that CADW/NRW were undertaking some remedial work on an old bakery – a lady from CADW gave us some interesting insights into the history of the settlement.  We continued through the woods and returned at a higher level to Pen-y-graig farm onto open land to the top of St Mary’s Vale and returned via the Rholben.  There were occasional short squally showers, with a snow shower in early afternoon; otherwise sunny intervals in the morning and rather overcast during the afternoon.

Starting from the Llanbedr T junction, we headed through the village, down to and across the Grwyne Fechan and right, onto the bridle path, to Craig-y-bwla. Left from the junction, up Cwm Beusych onto Crug Mawr – a route rarely walked by the Hillwalkers. A large group of young army personnel arrived to their checkpoint, heavily laden, having walked 40km through the night, with an expectation to finish their trek in early-mid afternoon! (note to HW: do we need to up our game!!). The second section of rarely-walked route was through the woods to the east – including a section of very CS Lewis-esque forest track (only missing the snow!). Returning to the open tops, we descended, intending to follow the RoW down the Nant y Gwartheg, but thwarted by fencing around the forest periphery, and only impenetrable forest/undergrowth beyond. Heading east we joined the more familiar track down to Nantyrychain and onto the valley road. Up the permissive path at the ‘quarry’, along the edge of the open-access land towards Table Mountain, then down the hill to the cars. Fine, but overcast, weather all day, with a light to moderate breeze and good temperature for walking. More skylarks this week, heralding spring.  Well done Kay for planning a route with new sections in an area that we walk regularly.

With a forecast very cold wind-chill (-10C), strong easterly winds and snow on the tops, we decided on a lower-level walk from Tintern Wireworks CP. Across the Wye and along the lower-level path to Brockweir (with the final 400m over the fields to avoid the muddy track). Up to the Wye Valley Walk, a loop up to the Whitestone CP entrance and through Bargain Wood, past Cleddon Shoots and on to Trellech Beacon. The return route took the group through some of the muddiest sections of path ever encountered by the HWs (thanks Chris). Over to Catbrook, Wyes Wood Common and Lower Hale Wood and back into Tintern. On an overcast day we were pleased to have no rain, with the chilling wind only really felt at lunch time.

It was a challenge to find a route that didn’t include a chunk of Cambrian Way this week. Walking from Cwmdu Village Hall, we headed across the river and across the always-sodden fields – which set the scene for the day’s walk. After catching up with BBPS group at Pen-yr-heol, we abandoned the track and its deep puddles and headed up the hill to take the level contour path to the Cairn on the Beacons Way. Up to the trig, the left towards Pen Tir, dropping down the eastern slopes at the Cairn. The low-level path up the valley was very wet, muddy and uneven, which encouraged the group to take up Rosemary’s excellent suggestion to head straight up Mynydd Llangorse, rather than take the lower level path to the west of the hill - which was expected to be more mud. Back past the trig and we dropped down from the saddle to Blaen-y-cwm Isaf where we headed onto the path round the nose of Pen Tir – a further stretch of v. muddy path providing good exercise for our lower glutes. There were a few light showers and chilly winds at times, but the day ended with a few, welcome, rays of sunshine. It was wonderful to hear and see the first skylark of the season and have the sight of a red kite at the top.