After a little rain last night, there were still clouds around when I regained consciousness in the morning. Decamping I quickly reached the summit of Garn Fawr with its pile of stones. After that I had trouble finding the path, if indeed it existed. Following a bearing on my GPS I crossed the tussocky grass to reach a small road, avoiding the many sinkholes that are like a pox on the landscape. Fortunately the weather had been dry recently as otherwise the reeds suggested the land around here would be wet and muddy. A stone column beside the road had a plaque stating that the ashes of Aneurin Bevan and his wife were scattered on these slopes. Bevan, who was responsible for the creation of the National Health Service, so much loved by the British people, was a Member of Parliament for this area.
Quarry called Cwar yr Hendre
Shortly after the path follows the Brinmore Tramway for a little way, once used to carry coal and limestone down to the Brecon canal. A large limestone quarry (Cwar yr Hendre) was visible on the left, but the path skirted around it. As I left the area of quarrying the route became increasingly hazy with eventually no path at all. Following the track on my GPS across tussocks of grass was essential before I joined a track that led along the top of the ridge. From the ridge I could periodically see the Talybont reservoir in the valley to my right and the Pentwyn reservoir to my left. A steep and eroded slope led me down to the Talybont road. As the path over the popular Pen-y-fan area was still closed, I left the Cambrian Way for a few weeks and walked down to Merthyr Tydfil on the Taff Trail, one of the more important long distance routes in South Wales, and from there travelled back home.
View down to Talybont reservoir
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