Author Topic: Walking  (Read 820682 times)

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Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #510 on: November 01, 2011, 09:41:49 pm »
Just before the ground becomes marsh there was a clearing behind a huge split stone, in this clearing is a pile of rocks but positioned around it are large flat leaning stones.  In the distance on top of the next hill are even bigger marker stones (they have to have a name Hugo you'll know) this is when I decided to make use of the mini binoculars with night vision  8) I had to have months ago but never used........they were neither use nor ornament rubbish is what they are, I couldn't see properly in the day so what chance have I got in the dark !!  I decided to take a closer look with my normal eyes at the huge rock behind me, it had a deep crevice running across it and each side was lined with quartz? this was a very significant commodity in pre history people used to put quartz pebbles on buriel sites (according to my very good friend Tony............Robinson that is  :roll:)

I just hope Hugo doesn't say yes Ang it's called Druid Circle  &shake&
The huge stone is called Maen Egsgob and marks the old  boundry for the Bishop of Bangors land.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #511 on: November 01, 2011, 10:03:14 pm »
We remained on the track up towards Maen Canu (the ringing stone) but just before it on the hill behind a bank of bracken Dad pointed out this stone age Cist. A cist is a stone age grave, as the ground in this area is so hard neolithic man would dig a hole approximately 2' deep and the body along with their possessions would be placed in the fetal position (to save space) in the stone lined grave then a large flat stone covered the top, as you can see from the photos below this grave has long since been robbed.  Maen Canu is the huge quartz lined stone I took photos of on my last visit here a few days before so named because due to the huge crack down the middle of the rock if you take a stone and bang the top of the rock where it overlaps you can hear a ringing sound.  It used to sound a lot clearer years ago but debris has over the years filled the crevis and dulled the sound somewhat.  I left the stone on the top of the rock I think you can see it in the last photo.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley


Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #512 on: November 01, 2011, 10:28:02 pm »
Having passed the cist and Maen Canu we took a different track from my last visit and walked up and around Waen Gyrach (pic 1) an old farm that was inhabited up until the 1930s then became derelict.  In the 1940s it was used by the army and the home guard as a firing range and remains of mortar bombs and shells can be found in abundance in the field and around the walls.  My Dad told me of the time he and his friend Dafydd (a staunch Welsh Nationalist in the 1970s) found an intact mortar bomb at Waen Gyrach, my Dad was going to take it home but was a bit concerned as it could be live.  They decided to throw it in the reservoir just to be safe.  Luckily it didn't explode but my dad was laughing today when he remembered Dafydd saying to him "Jesus can you imagine the headlines...Welsh Nationalist charged with blowing up Welsh water supply to village"  :laugh:
Right near Waen Gyrach in the boggy land is this neolithic well (pic 2) I had to take a look but as a rule I do my best to keep away from sodden wet areas such as this because as Mrs Fester will confirm I always end up with one wet leg  :roll: which is another reason I have been promising to buy some gators but as far as my Dad is concerned if your boots are water proof what's the problem.  I don't know if you can see clearly enough from my photo but the walls of the well have been built up with rocks it's quite deep too.  We crossed the marsh with a couple of near misses but I didn't fall in so all was well  $good$
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #513 on: November 01, 2011, 10:51:02 pm »
We walked up to the reservoirs which are thankfully still in one piece  :-X These two reservoirs used to supply the village of Penmaenmawr with water.  The first is a more natural looking site which is now used to rear baby trout (that's not the right term is it?) the other was hand dug in the 1920s and is now out of use.  Kids come camping up here in the summer and it's known as the sheep dip. 
The small stone building in the distance is what's called a Haboti (might have the name wrong and it's a bit late to phone dad now, I'll amend in the morning if it is) Farmers and their families would live in these buildings during the warmer months as their animals grazed on the abundance of food available freely.  When the weather got colder the family would return to their farms on the lower land, a kind of summer house if you like.  Habotis are scattered all over the mountain.  My Dad has a saying "if you find something on the mountain that looks out of place it usually is" in the last photo there is three stones the top one is typical of the stones found in this terrain, the other two are rounded pebbles probably used as sling shot the smaller pebble belonging to a novice and the larger used to kill the game and other wild animals which were found in great numbers hundreds of years ago.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #514 on: November 01, 2011, 11:11:13 pm »
Before long we arrived at the Tal y Fan slate quarry.  This quarry was only in action for about 20 years.    The slate found here is unique and you can identify it by the brown veins running through it.  As you come round the corner you are greeted with the huge slag pile walk up and around this and you come across the blast shelter, a small solid slate structure used as the name implies by the quarry men during the blasting the photos below are of the inside and entrance.  If you look up to your right there's a fence running up follow this path up the scree and you come to a tunnel go through this tunnel and you come out into the quarry.  This is well worth a visit.  I've posted extra photos as I found the place awesome.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #515 on: November 01, 2011, 11:16:08 pm »
The first photo is of the entrance to the quarry by the Blast Hut the second is of the tunnel at the top of the fence, the third is the tunnel as you come out and the last is of the quarry itself.
We sat at the end of the slag heap and ate our sandwiches (well Dads) and I shared his coffee Socs gave her ball a rest and drank water.  Now we were off to see the Peat Hut.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #516 on: November 01, 2011, 11:41:52 pm »
The good thing with ancient structures up here is that they are made of stone and so different stages of history can be seen all around you such as farm steads and sheep traps and this fantastic peat hut which could have been utilized for hundreds of years and still remains on the whole intact.  A peat hut is identified by its construction as having a narrow oblong shape, having gaps all around it and large slabs of stone placed as a roof first one way then the other to keep the rain out but lets the air in to dry out the peat.  Peat has been dug up here for centuries and used as fuel.  Only the rich could afford coal.
We crossed the bridge and walked down to Jubilee walk and followed the path back round to Dwygyfylchi back to the car.
I have had an excellent day today we've probably covered more than 11 miles in all.  I can't wait to go again.  My Dad has told me loads interesting things today and I've learnt a lot.  ;D

To top it all Gezzy text earlier and said he had a pressie for me.  He'd bought me gators.....chuffed to bits I am, what a Darlin'.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Walking
« Reply #517 on: November 02, 2011, 02:14:43 pm »
Thanks, Pendragon, and you your Dad too, I've really enjoyed reading this and have learnt so much.
 &well&

Offline suepp

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Re: Walking
« Reply #518 on: November 02, 2011, 02:27:26 pm »
Yes thanks Pendragon, another one to add to my list of places to explore  $thanx$

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #519 on: November 02, 2011, 03:37:03 pm »
  Your probably bored with photos of the ponies but these are special ponies........the smaller grey/white one is a rare Caernarddau pony...... how do I know?  Well as always my Dad told me  :D A Caernarddau pony is white/grey, has a much smaller squat nose with an exceptionally long mane and tail.  Many of the ponies are now crossed with the Exmore variety hence the rarity of the thorough bred.  I never knew that.

I would never be bored with pictures of ponies especially foals. I love your previous foal photo and I have learnt something about the Caernarddau pony.
Glad you had such a lovely day weatherwise yesterday. Your photos came out well.

Offline Haulfre

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Re: Walking
« Reply #520 on: November 02, 2011, 04:14:56 pm »
Pendragon...i love the stories and photo's from your walks! You have such a good way with words, and given me some laughs too! Thank you so much, and keep them coming....  :)

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #521 on: November 02, 2011, 10:24:32 pm »
Ah your all very kind.  Thank you  :-*
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline snowcap

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Re: Walking
« Reply #522 on: November 02, 2011, 11:14:40 pm »
your very kind for keeping us informed on your great walks, thank you

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #523 on: November 05, 2011, 10:42:56 pm »
Monday Socs and I walked along the A55 cycle path to Penmaenmawr.  I wasn't going to risk going over the mountain as the weather was looking a bit murky and besides it took me hours last time.  I remember this road as a kid, traffic would wind around the bends on the single file A road and then the four of us kids in the back of my dads Ford Cortina would hassle my Dad to beep his horn in the tunnel he always did and it always made me smile  ;D  It's funny as it seems most people did.  Some people say that the ritual first started as a mark of respect to the men who died building the 1938 tunnel.  We decided to walk along the old Telford road which passes around the tunnel.  When you look down on the rocks beneath you it brings home just how dangerous this road must have been in the past.  I remember the days when we used to walk to Conwy as kids through the tunnel for a laugh  :o it was really dangerous then imagine doing it now.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #524 on: November 05, 2011, 10:56:39 pm »
One of my favourite places is along this road just by where the old Ship Cottages used to be before they were knocked down to accommodate the road, now all that left is a small tin shed.  There's a little railway bridge which passes over the entrance to a small beach.  The people living in the Ship cottages must have considered it theirs, it's a lovely place to sit if you want a bit of piece and quiet as nobody ever seems to be there  $walesflag$ I think living in a city would drive me nuts, everywhere you go there's somebody and the only scenery is man made....nah not me at all.  Today was a bit of a disappointment though as the sea couldn't have been any higher and two blokes seemed to be doing my walk at the same time :roll: pic 3 is the view to the right from the tunnel entrance and pic 4 is to the left.
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley