WalkThroughWalesOnCambrianWay

A walk from Cardiff Castle through the length of Wales over the highest peaks to Conwy Castle. Read more

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Trip start
September 10, 2017
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Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 3:05 PM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 46 ft
Wales Cardiff Arms Park 51.48145, -3.1807851°28’53” N 3°10’51” W
Starting from Cardiff Castle - Chck Pnt1
September 10, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Sunday: Beginning my walk through Wales. I am following the Cambrian Way http://cambrianway.org.uk as this route from Cardiff to the East side of the Brecon Beacons, West through the Beacons, then North through the Cambrian Mountains and Snowdonia is what I had in mind saving me planning all the navigation.Read more
TravelerVery impressed. How long do you expect to be away?
9/25/17Reply
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Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 7:14 PM
🌧 14 °C
Altitude: 364 ft
Wales Taff's Well 51.53587, -3.2543251°32’9” N 3°15’16” W
Castell Coch end of 1st day CP2
September 10, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 14 °C
Sunday: After mixed weather day of sunshine and rain end of first day of walking at Castell Coch after 6 miles. Helen kindly pick me up from Tongwynlais so I could recover at home.
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Monday, September 11, 2017 at 3:00 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 171 ft
Wales Maindy 51.50631, -3.2038451°30’23” N 3°12’14” W
Day 2 at home
September 11, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Monday: After initial 6 miles yesterday from Cardiff Castle to Castell Coch added more kit today, made some alterations and repacked everything so day 2 became a rest day. A chance for my shoulders, legs and left foot to recover a little from the aches of yesterday.Read more
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Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 11:46 AM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 164 ft
Wales Radyr 51.53185, -3.251451°31’55” N 3°15’5” W
Restart from Castell Coch
September 12, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Tuesday: Got Bus from home to Tongwynlais pictured here then walked up hill to Castell Coch pictured in the background to restart walk from where I finished walk my first day on Sunday.
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Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 12:46 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 584 ft
Wales Taff's Well 51.54702, -3.2392351°32’49” N 3°14’21” W
Dragon sculpture at Blaengwynlais
September 12, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Tuesday: On way from Castell Coch to Machen near Blaengwynlais off Rhiwbina Hill came across this splendid wooden Dragon sculpture with saddles clearly designed to entertain children.

Shortly after this I made a made a navigational error. I interpreted a sign on a gate worded 'No access' to mean I was not to walk through it. Instead I walked a short distance further south. This took me through dense woodland that made for very slow going, often snagging my Rucksack on branches, brambles etc. I later discovered the 'No access' sign was for motorists and that I had been supposed to walk through the gate to remain on the public footpath.Read more
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Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 3:46 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 833 ft
Wales Craig Llysfaen 51.55949, -3.1939951°33’34” N 3°11’38” W
Disused quarry
September 12, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Tuesday: Photograph taken from top of disused Quarry. Through its entrance is a view over east Cardiff and beyond to Bristol Channel. Quarry is 200 metres West of Llanishen - Caerphilly railway tunnel. The high walls make excellent enclosure for animals meaning the farmer only has to fence the entrance to keep them corralled.Read more
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Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 4:57 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 502 ft
Wales Rudry 51.57162, -3.1569151°34’18” N 3°9’25” W
WWII Bunker
September 12, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Tuesday: Underground WWII bunker built for British resistance forces to use in case of invasion .
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Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 6:00 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 187 ft
Wales Machen 51.59446, -3.1371951°35’40” N 3°8’14” W
Machen end of 2nd day
September 12, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Tuesday: 8.8 miles / 1445 ft of ascent from Tongwynlais/Castell Coch to Machen completed at end of second day of walking. Angharad kindly picked me up from Machen at the end of my second day of walking and took me home. Another pleasant day of sunshine and light showers. Heavy rain and strong winds forecast through the evening and overnight. Heavy rain started just as I was getting in Angharad's car.Read more
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 1:00 PM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 171 ft
Wales Maindy 51.50634, -3.2039251°30’23” N 3°12’14” W
Day 4 at home
September 13, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Wednesday: Pack still far too heavy. Spent day at home emptying Rucksack, recording weights of everything and discarding non essentials. Managed to unload enough to allow Tent to be moved from top of Rucksack to packed inside it. Weight reduced from 14 to 12Kg. After a rainy morning glorious sunshine for the remainder of the day.Read more
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Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 4:47 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 174 ft
Wales Machen 51.59466, -3.1385451°35’41” N 3°8’19” W
Restarting walk from Machen
September 14, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Thursday: Restarting walk from Chestnut Close Machen from where Angharad had collected me on Tuesday.
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Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 6:36 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 696 ft
Wales Machen 51.59965, -3.1288351°35’59” N 3°7’44” W
Felled Forest crossed
September 14, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Thursday: Forest being felled on South west side of Mynydd Machen. Foresters had put up signs to say path across Forest was closed. No diversion route was posted. Map indicated two alternative paths further east. I walked along a very wet track, at places 3" deep in water, to the thresholds of each of them. I found both impenetrable because of Brambles and high Ferns so returned to the original track through the felled Forest as the only practical route. This part if the Cambrian Way is on the Rhymney Valley trail. The stile in the photograph marks the exit from the felled forest section. Going was hard through the felled section. Having to climb over felled trees and branches for 500m took a disproportionate amount of time.Read more
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Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 7:02 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 932 ft
Wales Machen 51.60075, -3.1217451°36’3” N 3°7’18” W
Old tree hosting mushrooms
September 14, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
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Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 7:30 PM
⛅ 11 °C
Altitude: 1,168 ft
Wales Risca 51.60357, -3.1222451°36’13” N 3°7’20” W
Mynydd Machen CP3
September 14, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Trig point atop Mynydd Machen at 1192 ft / 362m. Newport and Bristol Channel in back ground
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Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 8:52 PM
⛅ 10 °C
Altitude: 174 ft
Wales Sirhowy River 51.61638, -3.1194151°36’59” N 3°7’10” W
Crosskeys end of 3rd day
September 14, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Thursday: 3.2 miles / 1325 feet of ascent from Machen to Crosskeys completed at end of third day of walking. Perfect weather with glorious warm sunshine all day and no wind until I got to the top of Mynydd Machen where a keen wind and setting sun made it feel cold. Warm again descending into Ebbw valley once sheltered from breeze despite it being dark. Petzl Tikka 85gm head torch was splendid at allowing me to see clearly in the dark in Coed Waun-fawr Woods even on its lowest power setting of 20 lumens.

There was nowhere obvious to camp and I was not far from home so rang Helen who kindly collected me and drove me home.Read more
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Monday, September 18, 2017 at 2:08 PM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 184 ft
Wales Sirhowy River 51.61624, -3.1196651°36’58” N 3°7’11” W
Restart from Crosskeys
September 18, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Monday: After weekend at home restarting walk today from Crosskeys.
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Monday, September 18, 2017 at 3:43 PM
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 1,014 ft
Wales Crosskeys 51.62959, -3.1026351°37’47” N 3°6’9” W
Castle Valley
September 18, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Monday: Completed section from Risca up north side of valley to Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal where I arrived at Bridge in photograph. Short pleasant walk along Canal to another Bridge with a Tea room (closed Monday's in Winter). Then a steep climb up Castle Valley track to Pegwn y Bwlch. Here the track meet a road and beginning of path up to Twmbarlwm, my next objective and Check Point 4.Read more
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Monday, September 18, 2017 at 4:24 PM
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 1,355 ft
Wales Twm Barlwm 51.62761, -3.0943751°37’39” N 3°5’40” W
Twmbarlwm Check point 4
September 18, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
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Monday, September 18, 2017 at 9:40 PM
⛅ 11 °C
Altitude: 308 ft
Wales Cwmcarn 51.63618, -3.1298951°38’10” N 3°7’48” W
Cwmcarn end of 4th day
September 18, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Monday: 8 miles / 1500 feet of ascent from Risca to Cwmcarn Forest completed at end of fourth day of walking. Weather warm mixture of sunshine and overcast with 15 minute heavy rain shower midday. Pitched my first camped at Cwmcarn Forest Drive. Walked down into Cwmcarn village for pint in The Cwmcarn Hotel. Bought Fish and Chips from local chippy which they were happy for me to eat in pub. Friendly atmosphere in pub which also does rooms aimed at Mountain bikers using the Cwmcarn Drive off road forest trails.Read more
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Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 8:44 AM
☀️ 9 °C
Altitude: 410 ft
Wales Cwmcarn 51.63546, -3.1132851°38’8” N 3°6’48” W
Cwmcarn camp in the morning
September 19, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
Tuesday: My new Terra Nova Wild Country Zephyros 1 tent, Marmot Trestles Elite 30F sleeping bag, Therm-a-rest NeoAir inflatable sleeping mat and ExpedAir UL M pillow all worked splendidly overnight. I was dry, warm and comfortable and had an excellent night's sleep. Woke to a sunny morning.

Cwmcarn has smart modern visitor centre with restaurant serving full breakfast choices. Campsite has plesant warm toilet block with coded lock access. It includes kitchen with sinks, fridge, 2 ring hob, microwave, 2 washing machines, ironing board and iron. Pitches are half grass half gravel. The gravel is an all weather surface which does not get muddy so is suitable for pitching on when wet. I found it hard to drive in pegs but Mandy in visitor Centre assured me they will go in if driven hard enough.Read more
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Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 4:06 PM
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 1,089 ft
Wales Pontnewydd 51.66373, -3.0615151°39’49” N 3°3’41” W
Cwmbran
September 19, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
View East over Cwmbran new town from Mynydd Henllys.
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Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 8:21 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 692 ft
Wales Pontypool 51.70103, -3.05151°42’4” N 3°3’4” W
Pontypool end of 5th day
September 19, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Tuesday: 7 miles / 1300 feet of ascent from Cwmcarn to Pontypool completed at end of fifth day of walking. Weather glorious warm sunshine with occasional cooling breeze. Unable to find campsite or reasonably priced B&B so Helen picked me up and returned me home. Before returning had pint in The Sally, Tranch Road. Pub looked tatty from outside but inside has an excellent oldy worldy look and feel and pleasantly friendly bar maid.

Wondering how best to carry milk. Plastic cartons from shops flimsy and likely to bust in Rucksack. Glass too fragile. Aluminium seems unnecessarily heavy. Tough plastic Acrylic? might be best. Suggestions invited.Read more
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Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 5:35 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 666 ft
Wales Pontypool 51.70357, -3.0240351°42’13” N 3°1’27” W
Pontypool folly
September 20, 2017 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Wednesday: 1 mile north out of Pontypool up onto ridge is this folly which looks quite atmospheric in the mist.
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Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 9:14 PM
🌧 12 °C
Altitude: 1,365 ft
Wales Mamhilad 51.73333, -3.0351°43’60” N 3°1’48” W
Garn wen trig point
September 20, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
Driving rain at Garn wen trig point.
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Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 10:02 PM
🌧 12 °C
Altitude: 807 ft
Wales Llanover 51.75964, -3.0286751°45’35” N 3°1’43” W
Upper Llanover end of 6th day
September 20, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
Wednesday: 5 miles / 1000 feet of ascent from Pontypool to Upper Llanover completed at end of sixth day of walking. Weather continual rain. Was booked to camp at Goose and Cookoo, Upper Llanover but rain and their very reasonable offer of £35 for a room persuaded me to B&B instead.

Goose and Cookoo is a lovely country pub run by friends Rhiannon and Sue and Rhiannon's son Morgan. They lived locally when previous owner was selling up. As it was their local they bought it! When I arrived a local plus his impromptu band of 7 violins, guitar, mandacello, flute and hariscord were playing. What a delight!

And they serve Westons Stowford Press Cider - perfect.Read more
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Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 9:25 AM
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 781 ft
Wales Llanover 51.76, -3.0283351°45’36” N 3°1’42” W
Goose and Cookoo
September 21, 2017 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
The very splendid Goose and Cookoo pub on Thursday morning.
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