Whoop - could have completed this walking challenge today, if I'd only looked at kilometres instead of miles. As of finishing today's 8 mile circular walk we're now at 45 miles which is 72 kilometres. But, we're so close to ticking off the 50 miles that of course we'll keep going. Particularly as the next walk is scheduled for two weeks time and it's the biggie - we'll be walking WITH the weatherman himself, the legendary Welsh national treasure that is Derek Brockway - 'schwmae'!!!!
Anyway, back to todays little expedition, a town and country walk in and around the town of Merthyr Tydfil. We started at Cyfarthfa Castle and would follow a fair amount of the Taff Trail before going off-piste and off up an awfy big hill, Morlais hill.
Merthry Tydfil over the centuries became famous for its ironworks. Cyfarthfa Castle in fact where we started and ended was the former home of the family who owned the ironworks. The first couple of points of interest on the walk were when we crossed the oldest surviving cast iron bridge, pont Y Cafnau and then we visited the site of the original ironworks.
From the ironworks we were on the Taff Trail - unusual for us to do a weatherman walk on a proper walking path - and we headed up to a huge viaduct. We were heading up and out of the town. I liked the viaduct, Cefn Coed it's massive, has 15 arches and we would later be able to see from miles away when we climbed the final summit. I liked the 'feel' of it as we walked across.
From the Taff Trail, Derek takes you on a detour along a really dodgy track - there always has to be an 'off road' dodgy incident and when we hit the really dodgy track we came across a few really dodgy dead trees - directly in the pathway. But, we just had to clamber over them to continue on. Turns out he includes a detour so that you can visit a wee church. Must admit, it was interesting to find a headstone here of a lady who lived to be 106 who was born in the 17th century!
Anyways, after the detour we began the climb of the day. Up through a quarry - it was so high there were youths doing rock climbing, we walked higher than them, and up the summit of Morlais hill which happened to have a castle on it, though only the crypt remains now. Had a wee rest here admiring the views.
We then scrambled our way back down, going down was actually harder than going up, and made our way alongside a riverside path back to Cyfarthfa. The riverside path near the castle was actually one of the prettiest parts of the walk. So, that's it, nearly done with this challenge apart from our expedition up Pen Y Fan in the company of Derek Brockway himself. Can't wait!
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