31 July 2021

Llandrindod Wells to Shaky Bridge, Mid Wales

Another walk from a collection around Llandrindod Wells. 
The weather was overcast but predominantly dry
This time parking up at the lake near the boat house, before walking back around the perimeter a little way to pick up a well surfaced track into the woods.
The metaled surface soon gave way to a dirt track, however we were still in the popular area as shown by the sculpture trail markers - although we only saw one actual sculpture.
The next section left the trees behind, but the path was swathed in ferns which threatened to engulf the trail.
After a section traversing the side of a slope we turned up back into the woods.
The ferns came even closer to the path on this section, as well as way over our heads.
An ascent through the last of the woods brought us out into the open pasture above, and first sight of todays high point.
Looking back down to Llandod in the valley below and up towards the trig point on the skyline.





The view back towards Newbridge and around to Llandod.

Down the other side of the hill to pick up a lane which we followed down beside a small wood, before taking a lane across the slope  past a very rundown house.

This lane became a farm track between pastures sometimes with a grass surface, sometimes a little more stony. as it headed across and down to meet the road to shaky bridge.
The road dropped steeply down to the river and a carpark where a foot bridge crossed over tot eh other side.
the river Ithon quite calm below, but the evidence of strength in spate all around. Bertie however was not worried as he dropped in for a paddle and cool off.
Across the other side and up a slight rise was the church of St Michael. ...  hidden away in a circle of Yew trees. We arrived just as a shower came over so nipped into the porch for a drink and snack.
Overlooking the church is Castle Bank ...  an historical site of a castle from the marcher lords era., but no not much remains apart from an ideal site and some vague ruins.
We planned to return by a slightly circular route after first crossing the footbridge.
On the other side the path went across the curve in the road by ascending directly across a field. then following the road for a while contouring around the hillside.
The road continued past a large farm, but with the high hedges there was not a lot to see until we cut off up the driveway to Pantpurlais which wound around some bumps in the hillside
Before opening up to the pasture on the top, with views across to the trig point we had been at earlier in the day,.
Continuing along the track as it started to descend on the other side. We left the track follow a more direct path heading to a pine wood.
A strange avenue through an oldish pine wood before the path opened out into rough heathland again, with the deciduous woods above the town below.
In these woods we followed a steep river gulley which came out near the residential outskirts of Llandod.
Cutting through the estate and then back into t he woods and heathland just above the residential areas. Passing close to the outward bound trail we had followed before curving around the other side of the hill to the county hall
The pond outside the county hall was just the right size and depth for a Bertie paddle, before we cut through the carpark and back to the lake and the van.


25 July 2021

Attenborough Nature Reserve, Nottingham


I had picked up a flier for a nature park in Nottingham next to the river Trent. There were a number of trails through the park, but I had my eye on the circumference which merged two of them.
The approach was down a single track road after an retail park, however it opened up to a large carpark, close to a modern centre buildign overlooking a large pond/ lake.
Leaving the car park and heading to the top of the reserve we followed a trail into the woods. This soon opened out on both sides to ponds.

Bertie was keen to jump in but the geese had other ideas, and he had to wait for another opportunity.
The initial impressions of gravel beaches and clear ponds soon changed as we continued along the enclosed track between the wetlands areas, and the next time it opened out the water was full of weed, and very green.  Bertie still had to wait.
This was a vision for the whole walk, where the sides of the track were enclosed with bushes and as you walked along there was occasional glimpses of the ponds. when the shrubs cleared a little.
As if to prove a point the next opening showed clearer water, and also a shelving beach for Bertie to take a dip.
An odd section followed, as we actually left the nature reserve to take a road through Attenborough village, past the cricket pitch, bowling club and various other sports facilities, then back into the wetlands.
Crossing a bridge, moved away from the wetlands into more scrub, and the track cuts up to a main rail line. At the same time it became more of a vehicle track, and met a footpath after it had crossed the rails. The combined trail then dived back into the wetlands.
This trail led across to the river Trent ...  which was glimpsed through the same occasional clearances as with the wetland ponds, on the other side.
At a footbridge where the wetlands connected to the river, Bertie took a chance to clean up from the muddy dips he had taken into the wetlands.

From the bridge we could see an expansive view over the wetlands pond here.

The trail continued along the banks of the river Trent, although there were much more openings to the river than the wetlands on this section, and some good views down to the power station.
the trail wound in and out of the bends in the river, passing an island - there were huge motorway like signs at each end to guide the river traffic around one side of it
At around two thirds way around there was a junction in the trails, and we could have returned to the car park, however we continued along side the river, on the second of the loop trails. 
Another bridge opened out views both sides ...  green slime on one but boat restoration of a Dunkirk rescue boat on the other side of the river.

Continuing along a short stretch to the point where we cut off around the bottom of the nature reserve.
Here the wetlands gave over to fields or open pasture, as we headed back to the railway line.
Following the railway along a vehicle track beside the pasture in an almost straight line. The only change was crossing what looked like an old bailey bridge
The last section alongside the largest of the ponds, and around back to the visitors centre ,,,, visible across the water
Back at the visitors centre  ,,,  one side looked to the power station, the other to the car park - but more interesting especially for Bertie was the ice cream van. Although he had competition from the geese and ducks, clamouring for visitor feeding.