Walking under relaxed restrictions
ON Saturday, May 1, Cyril Phillips led the Carmarthen Ramblers on a 7.5mile walk in the Abergwili area.
The relaxation of the Covid restrictions meant that the group could get together again out in the open air and a route was planned so as to avoid crossing stiles and gates.
The route followed some local quiet country roads all lined with a profusion of spring flowers. The weather for the day was showery with light winds and the temperature just about reached 12C.
The walk started from outside the museum in Abergwili where Cyril introduced three new walkers, then explained the walking conditions before setting off across the A40 into Bryn Myrddin.
Climbing the hill, they passed Pen-y-gadair to reach Alltfyrddin where the road levelled off for the quarter of a mile stretch to Pantyglien farm where they stopped to appreciate the views over the Towy Valley looking over a farm gate.
There was a gentle half mile downhill stretch next that took them to Capel Gwyn, where they stopped briefly for a refreshment break. The route turned to a north westerly direction as they continued to descend into a valley to reach Pencnwc, where they crossed Nant Penycnwc on the valley floor and passed the entrance to the Hidden Valley to reach a fork in the road.
Here they took the left fork and started a steep climb to reach another fork in the road.
Bearing right here, the climb continued for about half a mile until they reached the highest point of the walk at a height of 480 feet at the crossroads at Penderi.
They continued northwards as a short shower started and the road now descended for the next three quarters of a mile to a road junction at Hengilisaf where they turned left into a southwesterly direction, passing Hen-gil-fach to reach Capel-bach.
Just a short distance further on they took a right fork at a junction following the road that led down into a where lunch.
In the afternoon, suitably refreshed, their route skirted the perimeter of Peniel to Aberdauddwr, from where they headed southwards for about a mile and a half on the return journey, catching views of Carmarthen in the distance from the hillside until they reached Castell Pigyn road. sheltered valley they stopped for
From this point it was a gentle stroll back along the road, crossing the footbridge over the A40 into old Abergwili and back to the museum.
The Covid restrictions are continually changing and are making it very difficult to plan too far ahead.
However, the details of the next walks can be obtained from the website – www.carmarthenramblers.org.uk