Walking to Work, May 2015

On sunny days when I'm organised enough to leave the house early, I like nothing more than walking to work instead of travelling by bus.

I still catch the bus on those days, but only for the first part of the journey, jumping off at the gates of Thompson's Park in Canton.

This is one of the oldest parks in the city. It was opened to the public in 1891 by the landowner, Mr Charles Thompson, who gave it to the Cardiff Council in 1912 and continued to develop it as a public park at his own expense. Here we see the southern end with the pond, fountain and the bronze sculpture 'Joyance' by Goscombe John - or, rather, a replica thereof, as the original was removed to St Fagans a few years ago after being stolen multiple times.

I walk through the park, which takes me up the hill and across the top field, passing this Paulownia tree.

I exit the park onto the main road and cross to enter Llandaff Fields...

...cross the field, past the children's play area, and through into Pontcanna Fields

From here I can either pick up the Taff Trail on the western bank of the river and follow the path into town, or cross the Taff at Blackweir to pick up the trail on the eastern bank. I usually cross at Blackweir.

Here, there are about three or four different paths I can take into town - there's the towpath along the Mill Stream, the main paths around into Bute Park and Cooper's Field, or my personal favourite: the nature trail along the river bank. Early in the morning with only the occasional runner or dog walker to disturb the peace, I always love this quiet, beautiful walk - it's so soothing to the soul.

Along the way, I pass the Secret Garden Cafe and the Summerhouse Cafe, the other footbridge and various waterfowl

And further along I again have a choice: continue along the riverside, through the formal gardens of Bute Park, or drift across into the arboretum and Cooper's Field. This latter route takes me past the remains of the old Blackfriar's Abbey

Blackfriars Friary is the site of a former Dominican friary established in 1256 and occupied for 288 years until it was dissolved and handed over to the crown in 1538 during the rule of Henry the VIII.
In 1404 the site was sacked and burnt by Owain Glyndwr during his campaign against English rule, but damaged parts of the building were re-built. Following its closure as a friary, much of the building’s fabric was lost and the extent of the site was not revealed until it was excavated in 1887 on request of the third Marquess of Bute. The architect William Frame was then tasked with interpreting the site as an ornamental garden feature. At this time the site lay within the private grounds of Cardiff Castle - since donated by the Bute family to the city of Cardiff. The Victorian scheme was partially restored in 2013 using reclaimed bricks to match the originals.

From here I continue past the gorsedd stones and Cardiff Castle, on into town and to work. The entire journey takes around an hour, all told.

Cardiff Bay, May 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is walking distance from my office, a short bus ride from home. Absolutely glorious. It’s weird now to remember what it used to look like, less than 20 years ago, before the barrage was built across the mouth of the bay to create this freshwater lake. Before that the bay was open to the Bristol Channel, which has the second greatest tidal range in the world - when the tide was out, all this was just mud flats, ringed with derelict docks and warehouses. Once upon a time, my forebears worked down here as sailors and labourers and engineers. They wouldn’t recognise it now. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay has been an amazing success, blending the new with the relics of the industrial past on which this city was built. I love it.

Pen y Fan, September 2014

Today it is pouring with rain, so I've decided to remember a much sunnier day back last September, when I walked up Pen y Fan and Corn Du, the two highest peaks in South Wales.

Here are the two peaks, viewed from the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre at Libanus.

Mountain stream, just off the A470 a little south of Storey Arms - this is where you park up to begin the upward climb.

Destination sighted - Corn Du, with Pen-y-Fan hidden behind - this is zoomed in, it's a lot further than it looks!

Leaving the A470 far behind - and yet still so far to go

The Brecon Beacons are always glorious - so open and exposed

 

Onward and upward!

We've almost made it to Corn Du!

 

But we're skirting behind Corn Du for the present - heading for Pen-y-Fan, here pictured with Cribyn just beyond

The valley behind the mountains, with the Upper Neuadd Reservoir just in sight, the Blaen Taf Fechan feeding into it

The last push up to the top of Pen-y-Fan

 The cairn on top of Pen-y-Fan

 

On top of Pen-y-Fan, looking back to Corn Du

Views from the top of Pen-y-Fan

Looking across the saddle to Cribyn

Heading back down and across to Corn Du

On Corn Du, looking across to Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn

Looking down toward Cwm Llyn Llwch

The Blaen Taf Fechan and Upper Neuadd Reservoir as seen from Corn Du

Looking north-west toward Libanus

Glider over Cwm Llyn Llwch

Up close and personal - glider over Corn Du

And then the long path back down again

What a beautiful day!