This Scrapbook was the winner of the Anglesey Federation entries for the Stepping Out Scrapbook. A walking challenge by the NFWI to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the founding of the W.I.
There were twenty-seven walks in all, making a total distance of one hundred and twenty four miles walked. All walks included at least one WI member.
See the next three pages for examples of the walks.
Walk No…10
Date of Walk…19th March 2005
Distance – Miles…7.0 Total Distance – Miles…44.0
Walkers…Sheila and John Brimecombe
Details:
This morning dawned with the sun blazing down with the promise of a day just right for walking in the mountains so without more ado we packed our bags and lunches and decided to go over to Waunfawr to try Moel Eilio. This was the day of the big rugby match between Wales and Ireland, the final in fact
We started out at quite a good pace (for me), each bunch of walkers that we met were also walking at a good pace. On speaking to various ones it seemed to be that they were all walking early, in order to be back down before the match started. It didn’t seem to matter which side you were supporting the friendly banter was the same.
We were lucky enough to see frogspawn in a shallow pool at a fairly high level, about 300mtrs. This is early in the season. We also saw bumblebees, Peacock butterflies and heard skylarks.
After reaching the peak we stopped for a bite to eat by the sheepfold then we carried on up and down over the ridges, about three we think. Just when you think this is the last one before the steep descent to the valley bottom there is another to climb.
The last time we climbed these particular hills was with our friend Anne and it was deep, deep snow.
To return to our starting point we came down Maesgwm, from where we could see the train of the Snowdon railway, this was only going halfway up the mountain as it was early in the year, on the opposite side of the valley.
Joining the old track that runs between Waunfawr and Llanberis we saw this humorous sign, (The English part had been ‘doctored’ by someone).
This track brought us down back to the car. In all, it is about 7 miles so we were both quite tired after climbing over 2000 ft altogether.
Walk No…14
Date of Walk…21st May 2005
Distance – Miles…4.5 Total Distance – Miles…61.0
Walkers…Sheila (WI) and John Brimecombe
Details:
For this walk we decided to do a figure of eight through the village and surrounding area, so with this in mind we started from Glanrafon, down the hill and through the small copse of trees by the Rhyd pub. We turned up the hill to pass the residential home for the elderly ( Haulfre), then walked across the fields to Ty Mawr farm. Turning toward Coedwig Terrace we went down a small path to reach the Penmon road.
As we did so all the cows in a field opposite started to run, well it looked like a stampede then we saw why, a local farmer had a digger with the bucket full of old bread and was dropping it over the fence, it was obviously a regular thing for the animals. They all seemed to be enjoying it all for their lunch and looked well on it.
We carried on down the coastal path (the tide was in and the rocks were quite slippery) and continued on the road to Lleiniog. Here we could see how invasive the plant known as Himalayan Balsam was becoming, it was really growing everywhere but not yet in flower. We then turned on the path through Llangoed woods.
The ground was covered with wild garlic. As we reached the bridge and turned for Glan-y-Gors it started to rain, also as there were cows and a bull (which can be quite protective towards his harem) in the field we thought better of going that way so we retraced our steps to the bridge, carrying on to the Wern. Turning up the lane to the old school, we passed the church and went along the path across the field to join the Glanrafon top road and so back home. This was a good walk.
Walk No…18
Date of Walk…25th June 2005
Distance – Miles…6.5 Total Distance – Miles…80
Walkers…S Brimecombe (WI) with Talwrn Group
Details:
This was a walk organised by the Talwrn Archaeological Group of Anglesey, of which we are members, along Cwm Anafon to Llyn Anafon behind the village of Abergwyngregyn.
Some of the group had parked in the small parking area at the end of the lane, which starts from the main parking area for the Aber Falls, however John and I chose to park at the bottom and walk up to join the others. In total there were eight walkers plus our guide ‘Cliff’ – who happened to be the brother of our chairman. He had been brought up in the area and knew it like the back of his hand. He told us of the so-called ‘Englishman’s Grave’ – Carreg Saeson, on the hillside and details of a number of iron and Bronze Age round houses in the area. This valley has been inhabited for about four thousand years.
Another interesting point was the explanation of how the various sheep folds were used, the basic idea being that after rounding-up all the sheep into the large centre area, they were then separated into individual groups. We were also shown the remains of an ancient stone pen that was used for goat kids – a ‘cwt min’.
We stopped at the lake, which is now a reservoir, for a rest and a drink.
One of the things, which Cliff is currently studying, is the Otter population in the area and so after a short break he walked around the area looking for Otter ‘spraint’ (droppings). Having found what he was looking for, he was pleased to note that these lovely animals are in this valley.
During our return, we saw what we first thought were Buzzards making a strange noise, however Cliff said that they were Choughs with young, seemingly at this time they do make the same type of call. We got back to the car at the bottom of the hill at about five pm, and after a cup of tea started for home. A very enjoyable and informative afternoon out.
Walk No…27
Date of Walk…31st December
Distance – Miles…4.5 Total Distance – Miles…124
Walkers…Sheila Brimecombe (WI), Susan Ebbens (WI) plus friends, family and dogs.
Details:
We were staying in Suffolk with our two daughters and their families for the Christmas and New Year holidays, so this being the last day of the year I thought it would a good time to go for a jolly good walk on which to finish the scrapbook. This has become a regular walk for our daughter Susan and family to end the year, but we hadn’t done it for years. We were staying at Depden - the village where Susan lives - and started off from her house at about 10.45 a.m. for the Wreathall’s farmhouse, approximately 1mile away, arriving just after 11 o’clock, here we were offered hot punch, snacks and coffee before we all left for the main walk. This is the home of one of the boys, who with our grandson David, came to stay for a holiday earlier in the year – see walk 22.
All the friends, children and dogs had gathered at the farm and so we set off across the fields to walk to one of the lovely Suffolk villages. I must say there was plenty of friendly banter about the hills in Suffolk, however this area is among the highest in East Anglia, being over 400ft above sea level, not as high as Snowdonia but higher than a lot of Anglesey!
Our destination was the Hawkedon ‘Queen’ as the pub is called. It is a lovely old place, not fancy, just an old village pub where we could go in with our boots and wellies on, with a roaring fire in the inglenook, easy chairs, children and dogs. We met up with several people that we hadn’t seen for a long time and it was all very convivial especially after a few warming drinks. After an hour or so we set off once more, back across the fields to meet up at the farmhouse again – the less able had gone by car - where a lovely meal had been prepared for us, it was all very festive. We spent the rest of the day with our friends and walked back to Susan’s house at about 10 p.m. ready for the New Year.