Rheidol Waterfalls.

Unlike yesterday evening's torrential rains it has been a bright and sunny day.

This week's walk was along and above the River Rheidol. The instructions were to follow the road (which for the last few miles was a single lane track) right up to the end. One of the group lives nearby and she had invited us to walk up to her place for a cup of tea. But first we went down to the river to look at the waterfalls.

When we got there two families were there taking photos on the large rock just left of centre. We don't usually see other people when we are out so I had to be patient and wait for them to finish before taking my photos, sans groups of people. What did surprise and shock us was seeing one of the fathers carrying his small child across the slippery rocks to stand on a rock in the middle of the fast flowing water just to take a photo.

Leaving the river we walked along the verdant river valley, past a small flock of alpacas and the occasional building.

This chapel, built in the late 1800s is now an artists' studio.

The majority of the houses here are either second homes or holiday rental cottages.

Turning off the road we made the long steep climb through native oak forest almost to the top of the valley side from where we caught our first glimpses of Suzanna's home. (above)

After walking down through the fields to look at a pond we made our way up to the cottage. Suzanna has lived there for over twenty years having restored the derelict cottage and outbuildings herself. The oak lintel above the room sized inglenook which accommodates several armchairs around the wood burning stove has the date 1738 carved into it. We enjoyed chatting while sitting outside in the sun admiring the views right across the valley. And as if on cue along came the steam train making its way up to Devil's Bridge.

After much tea (or in my case coffee), cake and biscuits and a wander round the vegetable garden we took a different route back down to the valley floor through the forest passing yet more waterfalls.

Driving back along the valley road I couldn't resist stopping to take more photos.

Including where the river runs into a reservoir which powers a hydro power station.