Taking the high ground – and it’s well worth it for the views
ON Sunday, September 19, Cyril Phillips led the Carmarthen Ramblers on a seven-and-a-half-mile ramble that included Dinas Mountain in North Pembrokeshire. The route followed country roads, bridleways and footpaths with some wonderful views.
The morning started with cloudy skies but cleared as the day went on to give long sunny periods with excellent visibility. Temperatures rose to about 17C in the early afternoon with a light north westerly breeze.
The walk started from a parking area near the summit just off the road that runs over Mynydd Dinas from Dinas Cross on the A487 to Pontfaen in the Gwaun Valley. The group headed northwards for about a mile along the country road with views out to sea ahead of them as they gently descended the hillside towards Dinas Cross to reach a viewing point at a road junction. They stopped here a while to appreciate the views out over Dinas Island to Cardigan Bay and Fishguard Harbour, with the incoming ferry manoeuvring around the north breakwater.
They left the road and turned westwards along a lane as they circled around Mynydd Dinas for about a mile to reach Pen-y-mynydd, one of several isolated cottages along the way.
Following a farm track a further half mile, they reached the Llanychaer mountain road and turned eastwards along it for about a quarter of a mile to reach some standing stones just before Trellwyn, where they picked up a bridleway that led to the derelict property of Trellwyn-fach where they stopped to explore the estate and view the old waterwheel.
They turned southwards briefly to reach Trepwll high up on the bank of the Gwaun Valley before starting the ascent on the return journey following a farm track around a series of fields, stopping for lunch just past Clyn Meinog in warm autumn sunshine.
In the afternoon, they continued a further quarter of a mile in the same general direction, passing the entrances to Brwyn-nant and Blaenwaun to cross the mountain road to circle around Mynydd Melyn, with great views over the Gwaun Valley and the Preseli Mountains, gently ascending to return to the starting point of the walk, but that was not the end of the walk; there was a bonus to follow.
From here they now followed a footpath in a westerly direction for half a mile to reach Carn Enoch at a height of 287 metres (941ft), the highest point of the walk for the most breathtaking panoramic views of Cardigan Bay to the north, then Fishguard Harbour, Strumble Head; to the west, the peaks of Carn Perfedd, Carnedd Lleithr and Carn Llidi that overlooks St Davids; to the south, the Gwaun Valley; and to the east Mynydd Preseli. After a photo call, they returned along a footpath to return to the start.
Details of the next walk can be found on the website: www. carmarthenramblers.org.uk