A week on from our last walk on the Capital Walk around the “city limits” of Cardiff, we spotted the dryest day of the week and set off on the 122 bus back to the bridge over the M4 on Llantrisant Road where we’d finished the previous stage. Alec thought I ought to have taken some pictures of the mud the previous week, so I made a point of capturing some mud right at the beginning, just in case it was going to be a drier walk this week.
Of course I had no need to worry about that – given the amount of rain we’d had – neither did we need to worry about these young rams who were really curious as to why we wanted to walk through their field.
The walk led us through a number of fields – I managed to miss one signpost as we left Tre-wern Farm – and then, a short while later, we decided to divert off the path to walk into Pentyrch along the ridge, which allowed us to see this wonderful view.
Passing on through Pentyrch village we took a road to the right which led us down to the church, only stopping for a while to admire the work of a stonemason working on facing a new house at the top of the hill. The church is in a striking position, nestled at the foot of a valley.
Straight across the road at the church and we climbed out of Pentyrch and towards Cefn Colstyn Farm. Near the top of the fields I was able to take this shot, a lovely tree standing on the edge of a spinney with Garth Hill in the background.
We then meandered around the east of the village before climbing up some more muddy fields, again migrating a little away from the described route.
Then it was up the road and on to Garth Hill. We paused for a long chat with a fellow walker but hit the top and were able to get great views, north and south, from the top of the hill.
Striding away from the trig point, we should have taken a left turn almost immediately, we didn’t, which meant that we had to beat back through the bracken to get to a gate which allowed us to get off the common land. Down a couple of fields and then we entered a lane, and somewhere here we missed another path to the right which would have taken us by a more direct route to Lan Farm.
We navigated our way back to the farm and then started a pathed descent through rough woodland to Gwaelod-y-Garth where we had lunch. The Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn is a favourite of both of us, so it was a wrench to leave.
Descending down the zig zag path to Taff Well, I was persuaded to stop at Fagins. This of course was completely “off piste” and four pints later perhaps I got the spelling of that word wrong. We missed a bus as well, which meant we had to return to the shelter of the pub – what a disaster! The pictures Alec took of me at the bar could be described in the same way – can’t imagine why he couldn’t hold the camera steady …..
A slideshow of the Capital Walk can be seen on Google+ Photos (Picasaweb) here. The OS Map of our 8 mile walk where you can see our various diversions and meanderings off the “proper” path, can be seen below.
You’re making me very envious indeed. Looks and sounds absolutely lovely. Joe
This walk is turning out way, far better than I’d ever have expected. Of course, this last leg, with a bit of elevation, turned out to give us some great views – but the previous two (in their own separate ways) have also been a delight. We’re really blessed, living in Cardiff, to have such wonderful walking, in public transport reach of us, so close to hand.
When Alec and I finish this series of walks, we intend to do the one I did with you – from Coryton to St Fagans and back – I really enjoyed that one too!