Llandegley Rocks

July 2007

10 miles circular walk in quiet mid-Wales hill country

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No, it's not a description! As I drove to collect my companion for the walk, the BBC's "Today" programme was reviewing a play based on the last 10 years of politics - the expression "government rocks" had been used to describe Mr Blair's approach...

Llandegley's little church  Starting to climb  Lamb on the ridge

I had noted Llandegley Rocks a couple of months previously, on a trip out to Rhayader to see the red kites. We had driven through Knighton and over the hills, and as we joined the A44 at Pen-y-bont, I glanced to the left, and wondered what that rugged and interesting-looking ridge might be. Hence today's trip - and yes, as we donned boots beside Llandegley's little church (of St. Tecla), a red kite wheeled overhead. We would see several more (or perhaps we would see the same one several times...) on this fine walk.

Looking back to Llandegley  Approaching the summit cairn  Ridge view

View to the west with balesLlandegley Rocks is the north-eastern extremity of a ridge which runs from near Llandrindod Wells, and marks the highest point, which isn't saying a lot at about 1430'. The 2000' plus bulk of Radnor Forest looms just a mile or two to the east - but, despite its height, looks a lot less interesting. The village is about 800' above sea level, so we didn't have to exert much effort to reach the top. Here begins an interesting exercise in route-finding - these hills see few visitors, so there are no clear paths, though the general direction is pretty obvious. There aren't many waymarkers or public footpath signs either...

South-west - the ridge in prospect  Trig point and view to the Brecon Beacons  Summit Cairn

We had begun the walk heading south-west; at Bwlch-llwyn Bank, a minor road crosses the ridge, and a clear track heads westwards towards Llandrindod. A small lake catches the light a mile or two away, more or less beside the path - scope for one or two photos perhaps.

A field day for mushrooms  Sheep, Pawl-hir  Looking back along the ridge

Llandegley Rocks and Radnor Forest  Pines on Pawl-hir  The lake and the view to Radnor Forest

Lake and pineThe lake - view from Pawl-hir pinesEventually the track starts to descend, and our route turns to the north to drop down to the river Ithon and the delightfully-named "Shaky Bridge" (it's not very shaky now, but photos from the turn of the last century reveal an altogether less stable construction). Across the bridge is the little church at Cefnllys - which can only be visited by walking across the fields, there being no direct road access.

Shaky Bridge  St Michael's church at Cefnllys  Back at Llandegley - the rain held off until we were in the car!

The most interesting part of the walk is now over. The remainder was a pleasant stroll along very quiet lanes and field paths - more interesting navigational problems, and no shortage of mud on this beautiful dry, pleasantly warm and breezy day, a scarce commodity in this somewhat soggy summer (as I write this, the day after the walk, I hear yet another rumble of thunder - more rain to come...)

Books and Maps:- a slightly awkward one for the 1:50000. Most of the walk is on sheet 148; the westernmost extremity is on 147. The "Explorer" sheet is the one to go for - this walk's right in the middle of it (I don't actually possess it - hence the navigational fun...)

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