Martha's Bluebell Wood

We have been here for 37 years now, and until a few weeks ago I thought I had got to know the area pretty well.  But then I discovered a new footpath, just a few hundred metres from the house.  It's an established public path, shown on the 1:25,000 map -- but because the upper part of it is boggy and overgrown, and was blocked by a very large fallen tree near Gelli-deg, I had not penetrated very far along it.  But now the National Park rangers have cleared the obstruction -- and the path is opened up for all to enjoy.  It runs from near Yet-y-Rhos and then follows the valley side more or less southwards for about a kilometre, emerging out onto the Gwaun Valley road near Blaencwm.  It passes through a mixed woodland at first, opening up gradually into a gorgeous woodland of tall beech trees and with (at this time of year) a carpet of bluebells.  In places the path is defined by stone banks -- so at one time it may well have been usable by carts and other wheeled vehicles.  So it must have been a key part of the local footpath network in the days of Mistress Martha and her family.

I have missed a trick there.  It should have featured in at least one of the stories of the saga, given that it is only about a kilometre away from the site of Plas Ingli...........

Spring on the mountain

Up on the slopes of the mountain spring has sprung.  The cuckoo has been at it for almost a month now; the skylarks and swallows are back in residence; and the bracken is beginning to push up those strange curled stalks.........  And that wonderful fresh yellow-green colour is beginning to appear on the bilberry patches on the highest slopes, amongst the rocky outcrops.

I took this photo the other day -- Earth Goddess snoozing quietly on the far horizon.