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Bandit country

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Derek Brockway Derek Brockway | 13:55 UK time, Thursday, 8 October 2009

As you may know, I've been out and about recently filming for a new series of Weatherman Walking.

Last week I was in the wild west, travelling through bandit country in Ceredigion.

I was following in the footsteps of the Welsh Robin Hood, Twm Sion Cati who was born in 1609 and it's his 400th anniversary this year.

The walk is 22 miles long and has been designed by Dafydd Morgan, a former teacher who actively promotes walking in the area and sometimes dresses up as the infamous masked highwayman!

Bandit country:
llanddewi_brefi.jpg

We did part of the walk and started at Soar y Mynydd Chapel, Wales' remotest chapel.

From there we hiked about 8 miles, passing through the beautiful Doethie Valley.

The walk then joins an old drovers road passing Ty'n Cornel Youth Hostel, through wild forests and up to to Garn Fawr which was shrouded in fog.

Beautiful fungi on the walk:
fungi_ceredigion.jpg
Finally we ended up in Tregaron and finished the walk at Capel Bwlchgwynt.

This part of Wales doesn't get the walking attention it deserves but this walk is a hidden gem which is definitely worth checking out.

You'll be able to watch it on TV sometime next year, hopefully in February or March 2010.

Derek

Weatherman Walking 2009 on Radio Wales

Weatherman Walking 2008 on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales


Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    For anyone interested in undertaking the walk from Soar-Y-Mynydd to Tregarron, DON'T!!! Please be warned that the walk advertised above does not exist. The first section of the walk is fine to and past the Youth Hostel.

    The route and map then suggest that you pass through wild forests.

    'The walk then joins an old drovers road passing Ty'n Cornel Youth Hostel, through wild forests and up to to Garn Fawr which was shrouded in fog'.

    On attempting this walk it was found to be unpassable and potentially very dangerous. This section is a genuine risk to the general public as there is NO footpath through the forest. There is a gate which might suggest a path however all that transpires are fire roads leading in all directions in dense forestry with rivers, streams and marshy deep bog underfoot. Even with an OS map and compass it would be impossible to navigate a safe way through this forestry. No footpath is marked on an OS map.

    It seems bizare that rules of commenting on this site do not allow comments that may...

    •Describe or encourage activities which could endanger the safety or well-being of others

    ...when walks advertised on ´óÏó´«Ã½ national television are doing just that! This does call in to question whether other walks in this series are actually completed and are safe. I would suggest making sure any walks that you attempt have actually been carried out prior to attempting them.

  • Comment number 2.

    This comment has been referred for further consideration. Explain.

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