The Vale of Rheidol.

Another dry and quite sunny day, just right for a walk around the Vale of Rheidol.

The River Rheidol flows westward into the sea from high in the hills beyond Devil's Bridge through a wide valley and then into the sea at Aberystwyth. Our walk today began in the valley next to a footbridge over the river. This was only a few miles up from the stables where the RDA and my lessons take place. 

I arrived early having given myself plenty of 'getting lost' time as I hadn't been there before. There were already cars in the layby but they turned out to belong to a couple of men fly fishing in the river and the river warden (who looked like a policeman) checking on their fishing licences. I had a nice chat with the warden until the rest of my group turned up.

There were eleven of us today including A who more than 30 years ago lived in a cottage we could just see across the valley. Our route took us up through farm buildings and fields on the slope on the northern side of the valley.

Eventually we reached the top of the slope, a sessile oak woodland which according to the govt archeological website is part of the only ancient woodland left in North Ceredigion. We stopped for our lunch at a high point which on the OS map is marked as the site of a fort but I've not been able to find out any more information about the fort.

Part of our route was along tracks which although now only used by farm vehicles and cattle had once been major thoroughfares. In places we could see where the underlying rock had been levelled by hand to allow carts better access. I just love the way the landscape can tell us about local history (with a little help from knowledgeable friends and the internet)

The hill fort was on a promotory jutting out over the river and from there we went a short way down a slope on the far side and then right up to the top of the valley side. That gave us a panoramic view of the Vale of Rheidol looking west towards the sea. After the recent rains the fields were the most vibrant green I've seen in a landscape. 

Before the A44 connecting Aberystwyth with Oxford was built this high track was the main route leading from Aberystwyth to England avoiding the mountains that the main road now climbs with ease. Eventually we turned off the track and went straight down through the woods to the road and our cars.

The sun was still shinning when I returned home and I sat outside watching people walking on the beach and others enjoying a swim.

Bullaces, a variety of wild plum, seen growing in the hedges. A lot of the wild fruit is ripening early and we're already beginning to see mushrooms too.