Grongar Hill

 Grongar Hill is described as a "favourite Carmarthenshire picnic site with remarkable views," by William Spurrell in 1860. But its real claim to fame is a poem of the same name by John Dyer in 1726 and considered one of the better known poems of its day.

Grongar Hill from Cilsan Bridge.

"Grongar Hill invites my song,
Draw the landskip bright and strong;
Grongar, in whose mossy cells,     
Sweetly musing, Quiet dwells;
Grongar, in whose silent shade,
For the modest Muses made"





Today's reality however is not quite so poetic. A rather unkempt right of way leads most of the way up the hill, if you don't mind clambering over a few gates. But mud, fences and more locked gates make the last 100 yards or so far from inviting. Besides the hilltop has been left to go and is now covered with scrub and trees.

The Towy Valley from Grongaer Hill.

The view over the Tywi valley from near the top however is still as remarkable as Spurrell mentioned, and is there to be enjoyed. But no more so perhaps than the same view from the battlements of Dryslwyn Castle, a short way down the river, which has far easier access. Maybe John Dyer went there as well but couldn't find any words to rhyme.

Kymer's Quay and Canal, Kidwelly.

 Today, standing high above the Gwendraeth Fach, the stone ramparts of Kidwelly Quay resemble a medieval castle, proudly guarding the town against maritime invaders. Yet in the 1950s everything lay in ruins. The stonework had crumbled away, the dock had filled in and the canal emptied of water. The whole place was a  fly-tippers dream. Many came from miles around as it was their location of choice for dumping their old fridges, bedsteads and worn-out tyres. It seemed a tragic end to an enterprise that had such a long and proud history. It dated back to 1766 when Thomas Kymer wanted to find a more efficient way of bringing  coal to the coast from his collieries inland. It survived the tribulations of a silting river and competition from Pembrey, but the last ship docked here in 1920 and so began its long and ruinous decline.

Thankfully in the late 1980s, somebody realised its potential, and had the foresight to see and understand what could still be offered to the community and visitors alike.  The dock was cleared of rubbish, the walls of the Quay have been repaired, and the canal with its towpaths and bridges all tastefully restored.

Kidwelly Quay and Kymer's canal have been reincarnated as a premier wildlife haven, a tribute to Kidwelly's industrial past and one of the nicest waterside walks in Carmarthenshire.

The Bogwood Boardwalk at Dynevor Park.

Dynevor Castle stands on an outcrop overlooking the majesty of the Tywi valley and is deservedly one of the major tourist attractions in Carmarthenshire. Those visiting the castle however, should consider a slight diversion along the boardwalk at the lower end of the deer-park.

A section of the Bogwood Boardwalk.

A gate in the high stone wall on the route to the castle leads on to the boardwalk - a fine wooden walkway taking you across a large area of partly submerged trees and marshy plants, appropriately known as Bog Wood. It is not often that you can enjoy such a place without being up to your kness in body-groping mud.

Mill pond and ancient trees at Dynevor Park.

As you walk you will pass Castle Oak, a huge oak tree that must surely be a contender for Carmarthenshire's oldest oak tree.  Eventually the boardwalk will take you around the old estate mill pond with stunning views over the other ancient trees in the Deer-park - a spectacle that gets even better in the autumn. At the end of the boardwalk your water-world interlude will be over and you can exit through a gate and continue on with your visit to the castle.

Horeb Brickworks.

Horeb Brickwork's Chimney Stack, from a distance.

The impressive chimney stack of the old Horeb brickworks is 30 metres high and can be seen from miles around, high above the tree canopy like a Nelson's column standing above a raging sea. The Brickworks were opened in 1907 alongside the old  Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr railway line, (which is now the Swiss Valley Cycle track). It began as the Blackthorn Brick company, later becoming the Eclipse Brick Company and finally closing in 1967 when it was known as the Horeb Brick Company.

Since its closure nature has gradually taken back its own, covering the spoil heaps and piles of discarded ash and gradually merging the works back into the countryside. So much so that although the chimney can be see from far away, in the summer you can stand on the cycle track 10 metres away  and not know its there. Apart from the chimney, which is a listed monument, the site is also industrially important because of its Hoffman Kiln, used to bake the bricks.  This still survives almost intact and is thought to be the only example of such a kiln in Wales.

Inside the kiln. Horeb's own Caves of Mordor.

Visiting any deserted industrial site has evocative overtones, as you can image the general hustle and bustle that was a part of life there many years ago. Horeb Brickworks is no exception. The loading platform and its railway siding are more or less alongside the cycle track and there is a short improvised pathway from the cycle track into the site itself. It is not recommended to enter the kiln because of health and safety issues but if you did I've heard it is a surreal experience standing inside as the sunlight streams through its many entrances.

Pont Rhyd Felin.

There is a wonderful country road that leads from Pumpsaint, through Cwrt-y-cadno and eventually on to Cilycwm. It follows the course of the river up the Cothi valley high into a mountain wilderness, before crossing over to come down into the Tywi valley, not far from the river's source at Llyn Brianne.  The area is timeless and around every bend you can almost expect  a drover, complete with his corgis, to be driving his animals along the road towards you. Sometimes in winter this route may very well become impassable, but in summer, with the mountainsides green with leaves and purple with heather, it is an experience not to be missed.

Pont Rhyd Felin.

A highlight on this journey is Pont Rhy Felin. When driving across it seems like an ordinary sort of bridge, but if you take the time to stop and look around, you'll find it is one of the prettiest bridges in the whole of Carmarthenshire. A small stream, Nant Melyn, cascades down the mountainside, creating waterfalls on either side of the arch, before continuing its journey down a rocky wooded valley to join forces with the Gwenffrwd and a short distance later, the mighty Tywi itself.

Troserch Woods, Llangennech.

The Green Flag Community Award® is a national award that recognises high quality green spaces in the UK that are managed by voluntary and community groups. The Award is part of the Green Flag Award® scheme, the national standard for quality parks and green spaces.  Recently this award has been won by Troserch Woods in Llangennech, reflecting the hard work the volunteers of the local woodland society have put in, creating a wildlife haven and an amenity area full of trails and riverside walks for all to enjoy.

Bridge crossing the Morlais in Troserch Woods.

Slightly off the beaten track, Troserch Woods now lies quietly and peacefully in its rural landscape, side-stepped and almost forgotten in a busy world. Yet along its pathways, between the stands of oaks and conifers, lies evidence that previously the Wood may have been a busier part of the locality than it is today.

The Round-house under construction, now a central part of the wood.

Quarried cliffs overgrown with trees line the river and everywhere the hillsides are scarred with man's frantic search for an elusive fortune in coal.  The ruins of buildings, some only a pile of rubble covered in ivy are visible on either side of the valley and in autumn when the undergrowth subsides, wagon trails appear that cross and recross the river numerous times on their journey to who knows where?  Helpfully Troserch Woodlands Society have prepared a booklet entitled "A stroll through the history of Troserch Woods" which can be downloaded free and is an excellent accompaniment to a peaceful afternoon walk.