/ Sir Fynwy

Whitestone, and the Wye Whitestone, Gwenffrwd a’r Afon Gwy

T ry our ph one app: treadan dtrottr Triwc ails.co. h ein rha uk glen ffo ˆn W wenffrwd hitestone, Whitebrook Whitestone, Gw and the Wye a’’r Afon Gwy awr o ferlota / 5 – 6 awr o gerdded 4 hours riding / 5 - 6 hours walking 4 14 1/2 miles 14 1/2 milltir (yn cynnwys estyniad o 4 milltir ar hyd glan yr (inc. 4 mile riverside extension to Redbrook . This afon i Redbrook). Mae darn cymharol wastad o’r fairly flat, level section along the railway line from hen reilffordd rhwng Gwenffrwd a Redbrook Whitebrook to Redbrook (18a - 20) is suita ble (18a-20) yn addas ar gyfer bygis cryf/cadeiriau for heavy duty buggies/wheelchairs/pushchai rs). olwyn/cadeiriau gwthio. Start: Cychwyn: Whitestone Forestr y Commission Car Park, Maes parcio’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth yn (Map No 1. Parking suita ble for larger trailers and horse boxes) Whitestone, (Rhif 1 ar y map, parcio addas i drelars mwy OR Manor Wood Forestry Commission Car Park o faint a faniau ceffylau) (Nearest Map No. 25. P arking for small horseboxes only) NEU faes parcio’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth yng 5. Parcio i faniau OR Common Forestry Commission Nghoed Maenor (Rhif map agosaf: 2 Car Park ( Map No. 12) ceffylau bach yn unig) NEU faes parcio’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth ar Gomin Tryleg (Rhif 12 ar y map) This is one in a series of three trails designed for walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers Dyma un o gyfres o dair taith a luniwyd er mwyn to explore our fabulous Monmouthshire i gerddwyr, merlotwyr a beicwyr mynydd ddod i countryside. Enjoy riverside views beside the wybod mwy am ardal odidog cefn gwlad Sir Wye and discover hidden heritage along the way. Fynwy. Cewch fwynhau golygfeydd o’r afon Gwy a darganfod olion treftadaeth gudd ar hyd y ffordd.

23 Ceir arwyddion ar hyd y llwybr. Cofiwch edrych am y rhain ar hyd y ffordd. Gallwch ddechrau yn rhywle a mynd i’r naill gyfeiriad neu’r llall, er dylai merlotwyr fynd i gyfeiriad clocwedd (fel yn y daflen hon) am fod y rhan o’r ffordd uwchben Whitestone sy’n arwain at Ben y Fan yn serth. Efallai y bydd hi’n haws i feicwyr ddilyn y llwybr i’r cyfeiriad arall er mwyn osgoi’r rhannau mwyaf serth. Mae’r rhifau ar y map yn cyfateb i’r rhifau yn y testun. The route is waymarked. Look out for these . You can start at any point and go in either Un uchafbwynt i ferlotwyr yw’r ddwy filltir o lwybr direction although we recommend that ceffylau gwastad ar lan yr Afon Gwy i dafarn y riders follow the route in a clockwise Boat yn Redbrook ( 18 - 20 ), gan roi cyfle i fynd direction (as detailed in this leaflet) ar garlam mewn lleoliad prydferth. Gallwch due to the steep road section above ddychwelyd ar yr hen drac trên gerllaw. Cofiwch Whitebrook leading to Pen-y- fan. Cyclists fod yn ystyriol o eraill a pharchu pysgotwyr drwy may find it easier to do this trail in the arafu a rhoi digon o le iddynt. opposite direction to avoid the steepest Mae’r llwybr hwn yn ymuno â llwybr Hanes Cudd sections. Numbers on the map relate to Tyndyrn yn Whitelye, gan wneud taith numbers in the text. o bron 26 milltir (42 cilometr) i gyd. A highlight for horse riders is the 2 mile flat bridle path running beside the Wye to the Boat at Redbrook ( 18 - 20 ), giving the opportunity for an unrestricted canter in a beautiful setting. You can return on the adjacent old railway track. Please be considerate of other users and pass fishermen at a respectful pace and distance. This trail links up with the Hidden History trail at Whitelye, making a total route of nearly 26 miles (42 kms). 4 5 ( 1 ) O’r maes parcio isaf yn Whitestone, dilynwch y prif lwybr coedwigaeth i fyny’r allt, gan gadw i’r 1 ( ) From the lower car park at Whitestone chwith yn yr ail faes parcio a’r maes chwarae take the main forestry track up hill, keeping antur. Dilynwch y llwybr heibio’r rhwystr rhyngoch left at the second car parking area and a’r briffordd, gan ddringo’n raddol. adventure playground. Keep on this track and pass the highway barrier, climbing gently uphill. Mae pobl wedi bod yn mwynhau’r golygfeydd hyn ar draws Dyffryn Gwy ers cannoedd o The views from here across the flynyddoedd. Cawsant eu paentio gan rai o’r have been enjoyed for hundreds of years. ymwelwyr cyntaf â’r ardal, Twristiaid Gwy y Some of the earliest visitors to the area, the ddeunawfed a’r bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg, a Wye Tourists of the 18th and 19th centuries, dywedir mai’r olygfa hon a ysbrydolodd William painted these vistas, whilst the view from this Wordsworth i gyfansoddi: area is said to have inspired William Wordsworth to write: ‘Oh Sylvan Wye! Thou wanderer through the woods, How often has my spirit turned to thee!’ ‘Oh Sylvan Wye! Thou wanderer through the woods, How often has my spirit turned to thee!’

Straight after the third bench turn right and follow the path down an old walled track, crossing over another path and the stream above Cleddon Falls, before reaching the metalled road at Cleddon ( 2 ). There is a bench on the right where you can sit and enjoy the sound of the ‘Shoots’ if it has rained recently! This shady woodland, home to many rare moisture loving plants, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

6 7 The view from Lland Yn syth ar ôl y drydedd fainc, trowch i’r dde a dilyn ogo looking up towards Cleddon Sho ots in the 19th century. y llwybr ar hyd hen drac rhwng waliau gan groesi Yr olygfa o Laneuddo llwybr arall a’r nant uwchben Rhaeadr Cleddon, gwy i fyny at ddyfroedd Cleddon yn y bedwa cyn dod i’r ffordd darmac yn Cleddon 2 . redd ganrif ar bymtheg. ( ) Mae mainc ar y dde lle gallwch fwynhau s wˆn y lli os yw hi wedi bwrw glaw’n ddiweddar. Mae’r coetir cysgodol, sy’n gynefin i lawer o blanhigion prin hoff o leithder, yn Safle o Ddiddordeb Gwyddonol Arbennig. Ewch yn syth ar draws y ffordd (i gyfeiriad Pen y Go straight across the road (signposted Pen- Fan a Llwybr Dyffryn Gwy) ar hyd llwybr rhwng y-fan and Wye Valley Walk) along a track Orchard Cottage ar y chwith a Falls Cottage ar y between Orchard Cottage on the left and Falls dde i Goed y Gog. Cottage on the right, and into Cuckoo Wood. Edrychwch am lobynfaen, sef math o dywodfaen, sy’n llawn cerrig gwynion. Ers canrifoedd, fe’i Look out for pudding stone here. A type of defnyddiwyd i adeiladu’r waliau cerrig unigryw ar sandstone, full of quartz pebbles, this stone has ochrau’r llwybrau hynafol hyn, a ffiniau caeau. been used for centuries to build the distinctive stone walls which line these ancient tracks and Ewch yn syth ymlaen gan ddringo’n gyson (ac field boundaries. anwybyddu’r llwybr ar y dde) nes cyrraedd fforch Continue straight on up a steady hill (ignoring yn y llwybr o gwmpas triongl bach o dir. ( 3 ) path to right) until the track forks around a (Mae mainc bicnic ar y chwith). Dilynwch y fforch small triangle of land. ( 3 ) (There is a picnic ar y dde ac ewch yn syth ymlaen ar draws (ail ar bench to the left.) Take the right fork and y dde) ar hyd llwybr gwastad gyda rhes o binwydd immediately go straight across (second on yr Alban a choed ffawydd ar y dde. your right) along a level track which is soon Dyma Duchess Ride. Mae cysylltiadau hanesyddol bounded on the right by an avenue of Scots â Dug Beaufort, perchennog darnau mawr o dir pine and beech trees. yn lleol, i’w gweld mewn llawer o enwau. Dywedir mai’r lôn hon o binwydd oedd hoff rodfa Duges This is Duchess Ride. Historical links with the Beaufort yn ei choets. Ceir llwybr ar y dde sy’n Duke of Beaufort, who owned large tracts of arwain at fainc a golygfan sydd ag un o’r land locally, are reflected in many names. This golygfeydd gorau yn Nyffryn Gwy. avenue of Scots pines is said to have been a favourite carriage ride of the Duchess of Beaufort. There is a path on the right which leads to a bench and view point, giving one of the best views in the Wye Valley.

8 9 Keep straight on until you reach a gate ( 4 ). Ewch yn syth ymlaen nes dod at glwyd ( 4 ). Go through the gate and a second gate onto Ewch drwyddi, ac un arall wedyn, i ffordd darmac. a metalled lane. Keep on this lane and take Cerddwch ar hyd y lôn a chymryd y troad cyntaf the first turn on your left ( 5 ). ar y chwith ( 5 ). At the ‘T’ junction ( 6 ) turn left again. Keep Yn y gyffordd ( 6 ) trowch i’r chwith eto. Ewch yn straight on as the road peters out into a syth ymlaen wrth i’r ffordd droi’n llwybr forest track through Cuckoo Wood and stay coedwigaeth drwy Goed y Gog ac arhoswch ar y on this track, ignoring side tracks off until llwybr hwn, gan anwybyddu llwybrau oddi arno reaching a junction with another wide track. nes dod at gyffordd â llwybr llydan arall. Go straight across heading towards a gate ( 7 ). Ewch yn syth ar draws tuag at glwyd ( 7 ). Wrth At the gate turn right along a grassy path. y glwyd trowch i’r dde ar hyd llwybr glaswellt. Wild Welsh Mountain ponies now graze this Bellach, mae merlod mynydd Cymreig gwyllt yn heathland restoration area, which is fenced off on pori’r rhostir adferedig tu ôl i’r ffens ar y chwith. Ar your left. In late summer, once the whimberries derfyn haf, ar ôl i’r llus duon bach orffen, mae grug are over purple heather and yellow gorse porffor ac eithin melyn yn garped. (Os byddwch cover this area. (Should you need water there angen d wˆr mae dau bwll d wˆr ar y rhostir.) are two ponds within the heathland area.) Ewch o gwmpas ochr allan y ffens nes dod at Continue around the outside of the fence line fforch yn y llwybr ( 8 ). Ewch i’r dde i mewn i’r until the track forks ( 8 ). Take the right hand goedwig dywyll a dilyn y llwybr hwn gan fork into the dark wood and keep on this anwybyddu unrhyw lwybrau oddi arno nes track, ignoring any side paths until you reach cyrraedd y ffordd darmac dros Beacon Hill ( 9 ). the metalled road over Beacon Hill ( 9 ).

ill. n Beacon H ain ponies o elsh Mount Hill. W ar Beacon ydd Cymreig Merlod myn

10 11 untain, at 1595 The Skirrid, or Holy Mo t on a clear day. Ar ddiwrnod clir, ceir un o’r feet high, is easy to spo golygfeydd gorau yn yr ardal o ben n 1595 troedfedd o Mae Ysgyryd Fawr, sy’ rnod clir. Beacon Hill (ychydig ar hyd y ffordd hawdd i’w weld ar ddiw uchder, yn i’r chwith), lle gallwch weld Penybegwn, Pen-y-fâl, Ysgyryd Fawr a On a clear day hyd yn oed Pen y Fan, mynydd one of the best uchaf y de. views around is Trowch i’r dde i lawr yr allt. Trowch from the top of i’r chwith yn y gyffordd, nes dod at Beacon Hill (just a arwydd llwybr ceffylau ar y dde i dir short detour along comin Tryleg 10 the road to your left), from where you can see ( ). Hay Bluff, the Sugar Loaf, Skirrid and even Pen- Dilynwch y llwybr drwy’r glwyd ac yn syth ymlaen y-Fan, the highest mountain in south . heibio i lyn bach ar y chwith, gan anwybyddu unrhyw lwybrau oddi arno nes cyrraedd y prif Turn right downhill. At the ‘T’ junction turn lwybr coedwigaeth 11 left for a short distance until you reach a ( ). bridleway sign on the right into Trellech Trowch i’r chwith ac ymlaen ar hyd y llwybr Common ( 10 ). hwn nes cyrraedd y maes parcio ar dir comin Tryleg 12 Take this path through the gate and keep ( ). straight on past a pond on the left, ignoring Trowch i’r dde i’r maes parcio ychydig cyn y any tracks on either side until you reach the rhwystr coedwigaeth, ar hyd llwybr drwy goed main forest track ( 11 ). ffawydd. Ewch yn syth ar draws y llwybr coedwigaeth ac i lawr drwy’r coed. Turn left and stay on this track until you reach the car park at Trellech Common ( 12 ). Ewch yn syth ymlaen, gan anwybyddu llwybr arall sy’n croesi. Cadwch i’r chwith, gan fynd yn syth i Turn right just before the forestry barrier into lawr pan ddowch at lwybr coedwigaeth llydan ar the car park, down a beech-lined path. Go y dde. Pan ddowch at droad sydyn i’r chwith ar y straight across when you meet the forestry prif lwybr coedwigaeth, cadwch i’r dde gan fynd track and head on downhill through the trees. yn syth i lawr a thros nant fach nes cyrraedd y Keep straight on, ignoring a path crossing the ffordd darmac ( 13 ). track. Keep left/going straight on downhill Ewch yn syth ymlaen ac ar hyd yr hen ffordd, when a wide forestry track joins from the drwy ddwy set o folardiau, a throi i’r dde ar y right. When the main forestry track bears gwaelod i ffordd Gwenffrwd 14 sharp left, keep right going straight on ( ).

12 13 downhill and over a little stream until reaching the metalled road ( 13 ). Go straight across and head down the old road, through two sets of bollards, turning right at the bottom onto road ( 14 ). This is the Whitebrook Valley, a tranquil estate map place with a surprising history. This was Detail from an f Bigswear and once a thriving industrial valley; first wire, of 1787 o rs Farm. and later paper was produced here. From Lindo stâd o 1607, for over a hundred years, the rushing Rhan o fap y Bigswear a waters of the Whitebrook powered 1787 o ors Farm waterwheels which drove the machinery of Lind s ( Archive several wire drawing mills. loyw) / Archifau Swydd Gaer

Dyma Ddyffryn Gwenffrwd, man tawel ag iddo hanes rhyfeddol. Unwaith, roedd y dyffryn yn fwrlwm diwydiannol: cynhyrchwyd gwifrau yma’n gyntaf, wedyn papur. O 1607 ymlaen, am dros ganrif, pwerai dyfroedd cyflym afon Gwenffrwd yr olwynion dwˆr a yrrai beiriant sawl melin wifrau.

at New Mills. Remains of waterwheel yn New Mills. Gweddillion olwyn ddŵr onmouth Museum (Stan Coates Archive, M mgueddfa Trefynwy) / Archif Stan Coates, A

New Mills – one of the paper mills New Mills – un o’r melinau papur

14 15 y paper mill. Inside an 18th centur anrif. ur yn y ddeunawfed g Y tu mewn i felin bap e, 1751) (Diderot's Encylopedi

ebrook. ank note from Whit An unprinted b nk’. Wages account book from ristol Exchange Ba one of the paper mills. Rag watermark reads ‘B pickers The wd. Y had to sort the dirty rags before they argraffu o Gwenffr were soaked in arian papur heb ei water, a job mostly carr Dyma ’. ied out by elderly men and women. tol Exchange Bank dyfrnod yw ‘Bris Llyfr cyflogau un o’r mouth / melinau papur. Gwaith y casg story Centre, Mon lwyr seum and Local Hi rhacs oedd di (Nelson Mu elson, Trefynwy) doli'r carpion cyn eu trochi mew olfan Hanes Lleol N n dŵr, gwaith Amgueddfa a Chan a wnaed yn bennaf gan ddynion a menywod hŷn. ( Archives / Archifau Gwent)

By 1760 a new industry had replaced wire Erbyn 1760, roedd diwydiant newydd, cynhyrchu manufacture - paper making. The paper made papur, wedi disodli’r diwydiant gwifrau. Defnyddid here was used for £5 notes, as well as printing, y papur a wnaed yma i wneud papurau £5, yn cartridge, writing and brown wrapping papers. ogystal â phapur argraffu, papur cetris, papur As the quality of British-made paper improved ysgrifennu a phapur lapio brown. Wrth i ansawdd in the 1770s exports to Europe rose and by papur a wnaed ym Mhrydain wella yn y 1770au, 1793 there were 5 or 6 paper mills along the cynyddodd allforion i Ewrop ac erbyn 1793 roedd Valley. Until the early 1800s paper was made 5 neu 6 o felinau papur yn y dyffryn. Tan by hand in single sheets. Sunnyside Mill had ddechrau’r 1800au gwnaed papur â llaw mewn huge pans for boiling up Esparto grass. This was dalennau unigol. Câi hen garpion eu rhwygo a’u imported from Spain as a substitute for the curo’n fwydion mewn d wˆr i wahanu’r ffibrau. Yn rags which had traditionally been used to make ddiweddarach, defnyddiwyd peiriannau mawr i paper. Later large paper making machines were wneud papur. Parhaodd y gwaith tan oddeutu introduced. Paper making continued here until 1880 pan gaeodd yr olaf o’r melinau. about 1880 when the last of the mills closed.

16 17 As you follow the Whitebrook down to the Wrth i chi ddilyn afon Gwenffrwd i lawr at y Gwy, Wye you’ll pass grand houses built by the mill byddwch yn mynd heibio i dai crand a adeiladwyd owners, the ruins of several paper mills, and gan berchnogion y melinau, adfeilion sawl melin large ponds which stored the water needed to bapur, a phyllau d wˆr mawr i bweru’r melinau. power the mills. Many of the cottages were Adeiladwyd llawer o’r bythynnod yn gartrefi i rai o’r built to house some of the six hundred or so chwe chant a mwy o ddynion a menywod a men and women who worked here in the weithiai yma yn ystod y bedwaredd ganrif ar nineteenth century. Tradition has it that the bymtheg. Yn ôl y sôn, arferai’r menywod a’r women and girls who worked in the mills sang merched ganu wrth dorri’r carpion â’u sisyrnau. as they cut the rags into small pieces with Ewch ymlaen i lawr y dyffryn am hanner milltir scissors. nes dod at arwydd Whitebrook i’r chwith ( 15 ). Continue down the valley for half a mile until Dilynwch y llwybr hwn dros afon Gwenffrwd ac you see a sign for Whitebrook off to the left ymlaen i lawr yr allt. 15 ( ). Take this path over the Whitebrook Drwy’r coed, mae modd gweld simdde fawr, and carry on downhill. dyddiedig 1870, a rhan o felin Sunnyside lle'r oedd pedyll mawr ar gyfer berwi glaswellt Esparto. Câi hwn ei fewnforio o Sbaen yn lle’r carpion a ddefnyddid yn draddodiadol i wneud papur.

Old Paper Mills Whitebroo k, c. 1902 trees? Hen felina 1870, through the u papur Gwenf his chimney, dated frwd, tua 1902 Can you spot t coed? (Neil Par 1870, drwy'r khouse Collecti hon, dyddiedig on / Casgliad N i weld y simdde eil Parkhouse) Allwch ch

18 19 Looking up the Whitebrook Valley ( 16 ) Pass to towards the old Youth Hostel. ( 16 ) Ewch heibio ochr chwith y the left of I fyny Dyffryn Gwenffrwd tuag at some cottages, yr hen hostel ieuenctid. bythynnod, gyda’r with the brook (Dean Heritage Museum Trust / nant a neuadd y and village hall Ymddiriedolaeth Amgueddfa Dreftadaeth pentref ar y dde. Dean) on your right. Nôl yn y 1930au, Back in the hostel ieuenctid oedd 1930s the next old cottage y bwthyn nesaf; dim was a youth hostel; you ond cerddwyr neu could only stay there if you feicwyr a gâi aros arrived on foot or bicycle yno, a rhwng y Pasg and between Easter and a mis Hydref, roedd October at least 1200 people o leiaf 1200 o bobl did! During WWII the youth yn gwneud hynny. Yn ystod yr Ail Ryfel Byd, hostel was requisitioned for evacuees. defnyddiwyd yr hostel ieuenctid ar gyfer faciwîs. Keep on past these cottages, until the path Ewch ymlaen heibio i’r bythynnod, nes i’r llwybr bears right over the brook and onto the road. wyro i’r dde dros y nant ac i’r ffordd. Peidiwch â Don’t go right, but take the track to the left mynd i’r dde, ond dilynwch y llwybr i fyny i’r uphill, signposted Tregagle ( 17 ). A steep track chwith i gyfeiriad Tregagle ( 17 ). Fe welwch drac joins on the left, but stay on this path through serth oddi ar y llwybr i’r chwith, ond arhoswch ar the lovely beech and oak trees of Hale Wood. y llwybr drwy goed ffawydd a derw hyfryd Coed Where the path forks take the right hand Hale. Pan ddowch at fforch yn y llwybr, ewch i route downhill to meet the gravelled track lawr i’r dde at y llwybr graeanog ar hyd glan yr running along the river bank ( 18 ). afon ( 18 ). Can you imagine riding along in a carriage as A allwch chi ddychmygu teithio’r ffordd yma wrth the steam train chugged along this most scenic i’r trên stêm bwffian ar hyd y rheilffordd hardd? of railway lines? The path now follows the Yma mae’r llwybr yn dilyn rheilffordd Dyffryn Gwy route of the which ran a arferai redeg rhwng Trefynwy a Chas-gwent between and , from 1876 rhwng 1875 a 1959. I rai, roedd dyfodiad y until its closure in 1959. For some, the arrival of rheilffordd yn ddiwedd ar ffordd o fyw. Ni allai’r the railway meant the end of a way of life. The llongwyr a oedd wedi defnyddio’r afon Gwy fel trowmen and mariners who had used the priffordd dd wˆr drwy’r dyffryn gystadlu â’r as a watery highway through the rheilffordd. Valley couldn’t compete.

20 21 At this point ( 18 ) you can make a detour to Yma ( 18 ) gallwch ddargyfeirio i’r chwith ar hyd your left along the old railway line (passing a yr hen reilffordd (gan basio mainc â cherflun eog lovely sculpted salmon bench) or bridle path trawiadol arni) neu ddilyn llwybr ceffyl ar lan yr beside the river as far as the Boat Inn at afon i’r Boat Inn yn Gwenffrwd ( 20 ) a mwynhau Redbrook ( 20 ) and enjoy a drink beside the llymaid ger yr afon cyn dychwelyd yr un ffordd. river before retracing your steps.

before you ’t have to look far You won es, roken circular ston find unfinished or b an 100 years ago. abandoned more th es quite literally Some finished ston they were loaded! 'missed the boat' as ymhell cyn gweld Ni fydd raid edrych anorffenedig neu cylch o gerrig crwn yma dros gan doredig, a adawyd hu’r cwch, yn mlynedd yn ôl. Met s rhai o’r cerrig llythrennol, fu hane el eu llwytho! gorffenedig wrth ga Trodd y brigiadau o rut melinfaen ar y llechwedd uwchben yr afon (sef puddingstone yn lleol) y coed hyn ( 19 ) yn ddrysfa o chwareli, lle câi meini Outcrops of a hard millstone grit on the hillside melinau eu naddu o’r graig. Câi’r cerrig eu rholio i above the river (known locally as puddingstone), lawr y bryn i’w llwytho i gychod a’u cludo ar hyd yr turned these woods ( 19 ) into a maze of afon i gwsmeriaid mor bell i ffwrdd â Ffrainc. quarries, where millstones were hewn out of Pan adeiladwyd Rheilffordd Dyffryn Gwy ym the rock. Stones were rolled down the hill to 1876, codwyd twnnel i fynd o’r chwarel i’r man be loaded into trows and transported along llwytho ar lan yr afon. Roedd llawer o ddynion lleol the river to customers as far away as France. yn seiri maen a chwarelwyr yn ogystal â gweithio When the Wye Valley Railway was built in 1876 ar yr afon, neu yn y gweithfeydd tun a’r bragdy yn a tunnel was constructed to allow access from Redbrook. the quarry to the loading point on the river bank. Many local men were stone masons and quarrymen, combining this with working trows on the river, or jobs in the tin works and brewery at Redbrook.

22 23 Like Whitebrook , Redbrook was a heavily industr ialised village too. Fe l Gwenffrwd, roed d Redbrook hefyd yn bentref diwydiannol iawn. (D ean Heritage Mus eum Trust / Ymdd Amgueddfa D iriedolaeth reftadaeth Dean)

T wo paper warehouses beside the river (far left) c. 1925. Raw materials were unloaded here and finished paper loaded onto trows bound for Bristol. Dau warws papur yng nghei Gwenffrwd (pellaf ar y Return along the river bank back to map chwith), tua 1925. Byd 17 dai deunyddiau crai’n cael eu point ( ). Turn left and after a short dadlwytho a phapur yn cael ei lwytho ar y cychod i’w distance turn right, where two lanes join the cludo i Fryste. road, just before the phone box. Take the right (Neil Parkhouse Collection / Casgliad Neil Parkhouse) hand lane which runs uphill alongside the old pub, The Bell.

Dychwelwch ar hyd glan yr afon i bwynt ( 17 ) ar you’ll Look carefully and y map. Trowch i’r chwith ac ymhen ychydig trowch says find the sign which i’r dde, lle mae dwy lôn yn ymuno â’r ffordd, cyn y as Herbert Probert w blwch ffôn. Trowch i’r lôn ar y dde sy’n mynd i fyny ll spirits here. licensed to se gydag ochr yr hen dafarn, The Bell. us ac fe Edrychwch yn ofal sy’n . welwch yr arwydd dweud fod Herbert ddedu i Probert wedi’i drwy ma. werthu gwirodydd y

24 25 ng c. 1913. istrict Choir Outi Whitebrook and D Keep left where a 1913. ffrwd a'r Cylch tu the road forks, Trip Côr Gwen with the old (Roger Brown) Baptist chapel 21 Cadwch i’r chwith lle mae fforch yn y ( ) on your left ffordd, gyda hen gapel y Bedyddwyr ( 21 ) and continue up ar y chwith, ac ymlaen i fyny’r lôn serth. this very steep Ychydig cyn y t yˆ, cadwch i’r chwith gan section of lane. ddilyn y llwybr serth i’r chwith heibio’r t yˆ. Just before the (Efallai y bydd angen i ferlotwyr a beicwyr house keep left, ddod oddi ar geffylau a beiciau! Byddwch taking the steep track to the yn ystyriol o eraill sy’n defnyddio’r llwybr a left of the house. (Riders and cyclists may gadewch i bobl eich pasio.) have to dismount! Please be considerate of other users and allow others to pass.) Dyma un o sawl lôn werdd yn yr ardal – llwybrau traddodiadol a gysylltai breswylwyr y Narth a This is just one of many green lanes in this area, Phen y Fan â’r afon, â gwaith yn y melinau gwifrau traditional routes which connected residents a phapur, â’r capel a’r eglwys yn Gwenffrwd, ac yn of ddiweddarach, and Pen-y-fan Looking up the Whitebrook Valley. â’r rheilffordd with the river, I fyny Dyffryn Gwenffrwd. yn Whitebrook with jobs in the (Dean Heritage Museum Trust / Halt. h wire and paper Ymddiriedolaeth Amgueddfa Dreftadaet mills, with the Dean) ( 22 ) Ar ben church and ucha’r llwybr, chapel in trowch i’r Whitebrook, and later with the chwith. Cyn railway station at Whitebrook Holt. hir, mae’r 22 llwybr yn ( ) At the top of this track turn troi’n lôn left. Before long the track darmac, gan becomes a tarmac road, bearing wyro i’r dde to the right and uphill past a ac i fyny heibio i fwthyn ar y dde. cottage on the right. Dyma ran serth arall felly cymerwch hoe i This is another steep section so take a breather fwynhau’r olygfa ychydig ymhellach i fyny ar y and enjoy the view a little further up on the chwith, gan edrych allan dros yr afon a thuag at left, looking out over the river and towards The The Florence, hen gaban hela yn Lloegr! Florence, an old hunting lodge in !

26 27 There’s one more steep section along the lane Mae un rhan serth arall ar y lôn cyn i chi before you reach the open grassed area at gyrraedd y man gwyrdd agored ym Mhen y Fan, Pen-y-fan, known locally as ‘The Green’ ( 23 ). sef ‘The Green’ yn lleol ( 23 ). After the climb there’s a very welcome bench Ar ôl dringo, mae mainc gyfleus ar y dde, lle on the right, from where you can take in the gallwch edrych i gyfeiriad Pont Bigsweir. Y tu ôl i’r view towards . Behind the fainc ac i’r dde gallwch gerdded rhwng y ddau d yˆ bench and to the right you can walk between ar ochr dde’r man gwyrdd. Fe ddowch at bawl haf the two houses on the right of the Green. This Pen y Fan y byddai pobl yn arfer dawnsio o’i takes you to the maypole which traditionally, on gwmpas ar Galan Mai. May Day, was danced around.

Bigsweir Bridg e was built in 1827 as part of the new road through the Wye Valley linking Chep stow and Monmouth. Adeiladwyd Pont Bigsweir ym 1827 fel rhan o’r ffordd n ewydd drwy Ddyffryn Gwy a gysylltai Gas -gwent a Threfynwy. (C hepstow Museum / A mgueddfa Cas-gwent)

Dilynwch y llwybr yn ôl i’r man gwyrdd ac at yr Retrace your steps to ‘The Green’ and esgynfaen yn y canol. head for a mounting block in the middle of Roedd cryn ddefnydd ar the grassed area. hwn yn y gorffennol fel lle hawdd i ail-esgyn ar This was well-used in the past, providing an easy eich ceffyl ar ôl dringo’r allt serth o Gwenffrwd. place to remount after the steep climb up from Ewch heibio i ochr chwith yr esgynfaen ac ychydig Whitebrook. Keep to the left of the mounting cyn i’r ffyrdd ymuno, trowch i’r lôn ar y chwith block and just before the roads join take the (gydag arwydd Llwybr Dyffryn Gwy). Arferai lane on your left (also marked Wye Valley perllannau afalau a gellyg orchuddio’r Walk). Apple and pear orchards used to hug llechweddau hyn ac roedd gwasg seidr yn yr the hillsides all around here and the small barn ysgubor fach ( 24 ) ar y dde. ( 24 ) on the right used to house a cider press.

28 29 Continue along this track until the path forks. Ewch yn eich blaen nes dod at fforch yn y llwybr. Take the right hand fork, ignore the track on Ewch i’r dde, gan anwybyddu’r llwybr ar y chwith 20 the left and keep right up an enclosed track a chadwch i’r dde ar hyd llwybr caeedig nes dod until you reach a metalled road ( 25 ). Turn at ffordd darmac ( 25 ). Trowch i’r chwith a’i dilyn left and continue along this road until nes cyrraedd y glwyd lle mae’r ffordd yn troi’n reaching the gate where the road becomes a llwybr at Duchess Ride ( 5 ). 19 5 path leading to Duchess Ride ( ). Oddi yma gallwch ddilyn y llwybr yn ôl ar hyd y From here you can re-trace your steps along llwybrau coedwigaeth i Cleddon a maes parcio the forestry track and paths back to Cleddon Whitestone ( 1 ). 1 and Whitestone car park ( ). I gysylltu â llwybr Hanes Cudd Tyndyrn dilynwch y llwybr drwy Goed Creigiau (ochr draw i'r ffordd o'r To link with Tintern's Hidden History trail take Alternative the path through Creigiau Wood (on the maes parcio), i ymuno â'r llwybr i Whitelye. Start and opposite side of the road from the car park), Parking 14 Man cychwyn to join the route at Whitelye. amgen a 13 15 pharcio 16 18 18a Alternative Start 17 Man cychwyn 21 22 12 11 amgen 23 10 P 24 9 25 8 6 7 5 4

3

2

k and white print gwyn o'r For a blac Am fersiwn print du a this leaflet please os gwelwch version of daflen hon cysylltwch dventa. contact a yn dda â adventa. Start .adventa.org.uk uk Cychwyn www www.adventa.org. 1 Link to Tintern Hidden History Route Cysylltu â llwybr Hanes Cudd Tyndyrn

30 31 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved (100023415) (2011) © Hawlfraint y Goron. Cedwir pob hawl (100023415) (2011) The Coun tryside Code: Respect - Pro tect - Enjoy Visitor Information Disclaimer • Be Safe - plan a head and follow any signs Whilst all due care was taken in the preparation of the • L eav For details of accommodation see: e gates and property as y information contained in this leaflet, neither adventa, ou find them www.visitwyevalley.com • P rotect plants an Monmouthshire County Council, nor their agents or d animals, and take your For details of cycle hire and repair, horse stabling, • litter home servants accept any responsibility for any inaccuracies K eep dogs under close control grazing, farriers, vets and much more see which might occur. • C onsider other people www.treadandtrottrails.co.uk This leaflet has been funded by adventa, • T his route is for walke For help in planning your visit call: Monmouth Visitor rs, cyclists and horse ride Monmouthshire’s Rural Development Programme please show consi rs, Information at the Shire Hall on 01600 775257. deration for other users. funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural For details of public transport visit: Development, the Welsh Assembly Government and Monmouthshire/ Sir Fynwy Cod Cefn Gwlad: P www.traveline-cymru.info archu - Diogelu - Mwynhau Monmouthshire County Council. For more • B yddwch yn ddiogel – information visit www.adventa.org.uk. cynlluniwch o flaen llaw a d Gwybodaeth i ymwelwyr unrhyw arwyddion ilynwch I gael manylion am lety ewch i: www.visitwyevalley.com • G adewch glwydi ac eidd Ymwadiad o fel rydych yn eu cael nhw I gael manylion am hurio a thrwsio beiciau, stablau ceffylau, • D iogelwch Gwnaed pob ymdrech i baratoi'r wybodaeth yn y daflen fywyd gwyllt ac ewch â’ch tiroedd pori, ffariers, milfeddygon a llawer mwy, ewch i sbwriel gartref hon yn ofalus. Nid yw adventa, Cyngor Sir Fynwy, na’u Whitestone, Whitebrook • C adwch eich ci dan reo www.treadandtrottrails.co.uk laeth hasiantau na'r sawl sy'n gweithio iddynt yn derbyn • B yddwc h yn ystyriol o bobl eraill Am help i gynllunio eich ymweliad ffoniwch: Canolfan unrhyw gyfrifoldeb am unrhyw wallau a allai ymddangos. and the Wye • M ae’r llwybr hwn ar gy Groeso Trefynwy yn Neuadd y Sir ar 01600 775257. fer cerddwyr, beicwyr a marc Noddwyd y daflen hon gan adventa, Rhaglen Datblygu felly byddwch yn y hogwyr, Am fanylion trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ewch i: styriol o ddefnyddwyr eraill. Gwledig Sir Fynwy a ariannir gan Gronfa Amaethyddol www.traveline-cymru.info Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig, Llywodraeth Cymru Whitestone, Gwenffrwd Additional Information Parking a Chyngor Sir Fynwy. Am ragor o wybodaeth ewch i www.adventa.org.uk. a’r Afon Gwy • Please ride with care on road sections, wear high There is parking for vehicles and trailers at Whitestone Forestry Commission car park visibility aids, and acknowledge consideration 1 shown by drivers of motor vehicles. (Grid Reference 524 028). Closest route marker ( ) • Keep to the line of bridleways as shown when Parking is also available for vehicles and trailers at crossing farmland and remember hooves can Vicars Allotment Forestry Commission car park damage surfaces especially during winter months. (Grid Reference 507063). Closest route marker ( 12 ) • There is limited water available along the route for and Manor Wood Forestry Commission car park horses. (Grid Reference 528058).Nearest route marker ( 25 ) • Landmarks and conditions change over time; use an Cronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig: Ewrop yn Buddsoddi Please ensure trailers and boxes are securely and mewn Ardaloedd Gwledig The European Agricultural Fund for OS map, compass or GPS. Mobile phone coverage Rural Development: Europe Investing in may not be reliable along all sections of this trail. considerately parked. Rural Areas Parcio Credits: Gwybodaeth Ychwanegol Photos reproduced courtesy of Nelson Museum and Local Mae lle parcio ar gyfer cerbydau a threlars ym maes History Centre Monmouth, Gage Library, Dean Heritage • Cymerwch ofal wrth farchogaeth ar y ffordd, gwisgwch parcio’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth yn Whitestone (Cyfeirnod Museum Trust, Roger Brown, Neil Parkhouse Collection, T rywbeth llachar, a chofiwch gydnabod gyrwyr ystyriol. ry our ph Grid 524 028). Marciwr llwybr agosaf ( 1 ). Chepstow Museum, Gwent Archives, Monmouthshire County one app: • Cadwch at y llwybrau marchogaeth wrth groesi tir Council, Harry Williams, Gloucestershire Archives. trea fferm, a chofiwch y gall carnau ddifrodi arwynebau yn Mae lle parcio ar gael hefyd i gerbydau a threlars ym dandt Clodrestr: rottra enwedig yn ystod misoedd y gaeaf. maes parcio’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth yn Vicars Allotment Triwch ils.co.uk (Cyfeirnod Grid 507063). Marciwr llwybr agosaf ( 12 ) a Atgynhyrchwyd y lluniau drwy garedigrwydd Amgueddfa a ein rha • Does dim llawer o dd wˆr ar gael i geffylau ar hyd y glen ffo ˆn llwybr. maes parcio’r Comisiwn Coedwigaeth yng Nghoed Chanolfan Hanes Lleol Nelson, Trefynwy, Llyfrgell Gage, Canolfan Maenor (Cyfeirnod Grid 528058) ( 25 ). Treftadaeth Dean, Roger Brown, Casgliad Neil Parkhouse, • Mae tirnodau ac amodau yn newid gydag amser; Amgueddfa Cas-gwent. Archifau Gwent, Cyngor Sir Fynwy, Harry defnyddiwch fap OS, cwmpawd neu GPS. Nid yw Gwnewch yn si r eich bod yn parcio trelars a faniau Williams, Archifau Swydd Gaerloyw. derbyniad ffonau symudol yn ddibynadwy ym mhobman ceffylau yn ddioŵgel ac yn ystyriol. ar y llwybr. © Published by adventa and Monmouthshire County Council 2011 © Cyhoeddwyd gan adventa a Chyngor Sir Fynwy 2011