Countryside access and walking VALEWAYS
Cerdded yng nghefn gwlad
Newsletter Summer 2019
W elcome to the Valeways Summer Newsletter and what better way to find out ‘What’s occurring’ this summer than with pictures by the artist Haf Weighton. Having lived and worked in London for many years, exhibiting widely in galleries including Alexandra Palace and The Saatchi Gallery, Haf (literally translated as Summer) recently returned to South Wales and has settled in Penarth. It is no wonder that her recent exhibition at the Penarth Pier Gallery was entitled ‘Adref – Home’.
A dref / Home included the featured artworks entitled ‘Shore Penarth’ and ’Beach Cliff, Penarth’ and are two in a series of four based on Haf’s involvement with a campaign group set up to fight proposals by the Vale of Glamorgan Council to replace all Penarth’s characteristic Victorian lamp posts with modern ones. Although the plans do not include The Esplanade, 21 streets listed, including Railway Terrace, Archer Place and Dingle Road will be affected and Haf has included their names in her work – something to look out for on the next walk around Penarth. We are indebted to Haf for allowing us to reproduce these examples of her work. For more information about Haf and her work please visit hafanhaf.com
What’s in a name? Romilly, Egerton Grey, Llwyneliddon,(St Lythans) Llandochau Fach, Ystradowen, Whitmore and Jackson, Waitrose… and many more are not only names reflecting the Vale’s varied past but also continue to provide rich fodder for our modern day explorations – well, maybe not Waitrose.
I n this ‘Year of Discovery’, the launch of our 10th Vale Walking Festival (May 21 – 26) set the tone for the twenty- seven walks that followed, providing imaginative, informative and varied walks all under a bright blue sky and with the background of some beautiful scenery. Once again the festival was well attended, with over 360 outings recorded. The variety of walks and the Vale landscape attracted walkers from as far afield as Derby, Anglesey and Liverpool! As a result of a number of Valeways walkers taking part in the Chepstow Walking Festival in April, a couple from Chepstow came on a reciprocal visit to the Vale.
1 During the Chepstow Walking Festival, a number of Valeways walkers made the journey along the M4 and apart from witnessing stunning views across the Severn Estuary, were also introduced to some serious (or less than serious?) bell-ringing at St Nicholas Church, Trelech. The exhausted apprentice campanologists then retired to the village hall for tea/ coffee and a fantastic selection of homemade cakes supplied by some of the ladies from the village!
One of the Valeways walkers was chatting to one of the cake ladies and realised they had been in the same class at school 60 years previously and they had a good gossip about the good old days! Many thanks to Huw Allaway for his report, for handing out Vale Walking Festival leaflets and for this stunning photograph of the bluebell field.
Chepstow Walking Festival
Everything from ringing bells to bluebells!
T he Festival launch at Porthkerry Country Park included a walk through the park, skirting the manor house of Egerton Grey before reaching Saint Curig’s Church. The cemetery revealed the grand tomb of John Gaspard Le Marchant Romilly, 3rd Baron Romilly and his wife, Violet Edith Grey-Egerton. Their son, William Gaspard Guy Romilly, 4th Baron Romilly, despite being married three times, died childless and therefore the hereditary lineage ceased. Although the ‘Romilly’ lineage ended, the name remains – a public house in Barry, a park, a road and a school let alone the Coffee Shop Strollers’ favourite watering hole – Romilly’s! Incidentally, the Coffee Shop Strollers often walk along The Parade and have passed a street named Gaspard Place. Ironically, a few feet from the tomb and almost hidden from view is a small stone bearing the simple inscription ‘A SEAFARING MAN FOUND DROWNED 1856’.
Also buried in the cemetery is the renowned artist and a past resident of Porthkerry, Evan Charlton. Evan Charlton spent most of his working life in Wales, firstly as Head of Cardiff School of Art, and subsequently as Schools Inspector for Art. He is buried with his wife and fellow artist, Felicity Ursula Hartland Charlton. To her husband though, as seen in the unusual but highly personal inscription on the grave, she was ‘his FELICITY’.
2 Walkers on the ‘Discovering Barry Dock Offices’ walk, led by Marion Eynon were in for a treat when the walk included a visit around some of the ‘private’ areas of the building’s interior. Many thanks to Mererid Velios for her guided tour which included a visit to the boardroom, stables and even the Gents toilets! A visit to the distinctive clock tower was made even more interesting when a walker and an ex-employee recalled that one of his tasks was to wind the clock!
Apart from a comprehensive photographic record of many a walk available on the Valeways website, an exhibition of the Festival and particularly of Walk 11, ‘Llantwit Major through the Lens’, led by Alan Simmonds, was displayed at Llantwit Major Library. Many thanks to Alan for arranging the exhibition.
Walkers reflecting on the Walking Festival
Valeways @ Llantwit Library
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ebecca’s Volunteer Co-ordinator’s Report R
The last three months have been very busy for me and many of our volunteers.
May was a month of Walking Festival frenzy! Huw supported many of the Chepstow Walking Festival events which led to plans for reciprocal events. (see page 2)
Juliette and I headed up to North Wales for the start of the Wales Coast Path Festival, which celebrated
the 7th Anniversary of the opening. We spent the 1st day walking on the Great Orme and the second seek- ing red squirrels (without success).
On our return we visited Bodnant to see the Laburnum Arch but actually the one on the Great Orme had more flowers as you can see from the
photo.
The festival then headed to Porthmadog, Ceredigion, Saundersfoot, Burry Port and ended in Llantwit Major
on 19th May. I took 20 pupils out from Llantwit Major Secondary School to clear the route for one of the Llantwit Major Coast Path Walks as part of their community work for their Welsh Baccalaureate. Prior to this we had a press visit which resulted in articles appearing in the Guardian, Daily Mail, Lonely Planet and others, so great PR for the Vale of Glamorgan.
During the Vale Walking Festival I experienced two big contrasts in the weather which was perfect for the Worney Wood Wander. We were also very grateful to the Sycamore Pub in Colwinston who opened the newly refurbished pub early so we could enjoy refreshments at the end of the walk – definitely a Walkers
Welcome Venue! We weren’t so lucky on the Sunday Iolo Morganwg walk as the weather was against us so we decided to take a short cut for a coffee in the Farmer’s Arms in Aberthin. We were so wet and bedraggled the Sunday diners looked at us as if we had walked off Mars but once over their initial shock everyone was very welcoming.
Rebecca Exley
O ur Summer Walking Programme is again packed with a variety of walks, many visiting old favourites such as Gileston, Cowbridge, St Athan, Tinkinswood and Wick. Some new names spark our curiosity. Look for the intriguing ‘Ticket to Ride’ (25 July) and ‘Surf and Turf’ (8 Sept) and the informative ‘Llantwit Major Blue Plaque Walk’ (15 Sept). Look out also for the mention of a famous person forever associated with Barry Island (21 July). We wonder whose birthday will be celebrated on 26 Sept? This leads us to, dare we mention, ‘The End Of Summer’! (22 Sept)
4 S OS 1 A recent unfortunate incident in North Wales highlights the need for all to be careful whilst enjoying the countryside. Lisa Wells, an experienced mountaineer and a trainee leader was seriously injured when she was attacked by a herd of cattle as she tried to protect her granddaughter. Even though these incidents are thankfully rare, it highlights the need to be vigilant when out in the countryside.
SOS 2 The beauty of the Vale coastline is illustrated in this photograph by Anne Phillips. Having just celebrated seven years since its creation (see Rebecca’s report) there is a growing concern that part of the Wales Coastal Path around Aberystwyth will be lost to the encroaching sea. One possibility being considered by Ceredigion Council is that the path is relocated inland as a preventative measure. Ceredigion might be a hundred miles away but maybe it’s closer than we would like to believe and these decisions will eventually fall on the desk of many a coastal council responsible for the continued upkeep of our beautiful landscape.
E ditorial footnotes:
Welcome to our new Walk Leaders, Alan and Denise Dumbrell who will be leading two walks in the Summer Programme. ‘Trains, Boats and Planes’ on 2nd August and ‘Surf and Turf’ on 8th September.
Those of us whose subscription to Friends of Valeways is due, this is a gentle reminder! Please visit the website www.friendsofvaleways.org.uk
Our current Walks Programme includes the time table for the successful Coffee Shop Strollers groups. However, the number of walkers turning up on the Penarth Coffee Shop Strollers is disappointing. So if you want to enjoy the super coastal views and the attractive parks abundant with summer flowers, the Penarth Strollers is the one for you!
Date for your diaries – Vale of Glamorgan Show , Wednesday 7th August 2019
And finally……..
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