walk, Twmbarlwm and Cefn Rhyswg.

A fine sculpture of a heron, just along the path from the Forest Drive visitor centre
Pity about the flower beds!

Along the lake


and up by the stream
to the bottom of the path which goes straight up ...


and up....

to Pegwn y Bwlch (top of the pass) where the chainsaw sculpture stands (no, not a portrait of Himself!)

The Raven from the book, The Mabinogii

and we are at the foot of Twmbarlwm

still more up....



to the fort


looking West and seeing fine rain coming in


and over Newport and the River Severn
Trig point, with grid reference
looking along the main twmp to the separate smaller twmp at the far end

Then looking down from the small twmp along the route I'll follow, straight ahead then round to the left near the skyline

I saw the same group of ponies again. I wonder where all the other mares yearlings and foals are?


just where I rounded the forest and started going left. Then I followed the track which goes off to the left, halfway along.
Instead of going back down towards Rhyswg Fach, which I'd planned in case of heavier rain, I followed the track across Cefn Rhyswg towards Hafod Owen and turned left at the crossroads to follow the lower track to the mountain gate.


Along this track I met two members of Cymdeithas Twmbarlwm Society, who are aiming to research,restore and protect Gwent's most iconic landmark. Such a pity that they never met Col, as he worked towards protecting the whole Common.
You can see them at www.twmbarlwm.co.uk

Looking down Cwm Gwyddon towards Abercarn, and Llanfach to its right hand side


Looking back over the Common from the Mountain Gate


The sheep folds, above, and below, a wall by Rhyswg Ganol


The old road home
trees that were once a hedge
Then back past Col's stables on Rhyswg Fawr Farm fields and down the old road past the back of Rhyswg Fawr farmhouse and on down to enter Cwmcarn by Maes Derwen, the house built for the coal mine manager in Cwmcarn, where Col's grandfather moved to in the early 1930s.

Back to my house with a pair of well used feet- I'll need new walking shoes soon!

I didn't need my waxed jacket, thankfully, and the fine rain stopped me from overheating.