Circular town walk and a strenuous mountain trek
ON Saturday, May 21, the Carmarthen Ramblers enjoyed a six-mile circular walk in and around Carmarthen town.
Led by Cyril Phillips they started from the car park at the Bishop’s Palace in Abergwili and walked to town on roads and a good track.
Once in Carmarthen, Cyril led them to some interesting locations where he outlined the history of each one in clear and interesting detail. He explained that the Romans built a fort here in about 75 AD and the town grew up around this military base.
Known as Maridunum, a large Roman amphitheatre was built here in the third century so they walked there to enjoy a morning coffee stop.
The route then took them out of town and they followed paths through woodland and across open fields where they stopped for lunch. After lunch they enjoyed excellent distant views as they made their way back to town, including a clear view of Merlin’s Hill which they have visited on past walks. Once back in town they headed north to pick up a footpath leading them to Glangwili Bridge which they crossed and then made their way back to the Bishop’s Palace.
Then the following day, the Ramblers did a strenuous ninemile circular walk in the Llanddeusant area reaching Carreg Yr Ogof on the Black Mountain.
The walk, led by Richard Leggett, started from the village of Llandeusant. They started out in dry weather, although they couldn’t see the Fans or Carreg Yr Ogof. Very soon it turned wet and windy as they climbed up to Carreg Yr Ogof.
The wind was blowing the rain straight at them, and the visibility was very poor, so they decided not to do the route as first planned (along the Beacons Way to the top of the Sawdde Fechan, and then back along the Sawdde Fechan on the east side) since this would have been another mile and a half straight into the rain with almost no visibility.
Instead, they came down off the open land and then continued on the intended route.
The group’s next walk is on Sunday, May 29, when Carolyn Hills will lead a nine-and-a-halfmile walk in the Pontsian area (between Newcastle Emlyn and Lampeter). See www. carmarthenramblers.org.uk/index. html for further details.