Slate Trail maintenance

I hadn't seen Kate for a while, what with all my recent travelling. So when she was available on the Saturday after my dad's visit, I was glad. She suggested we walk part of the Slate Trail. We had, of course, already done the entire thing, but she had recently become one of the volunteers who maintains it, or rather, a dedicated part of it. So we were going to walk that!

The forecast was rain all morning, then a nice afternoon, and then rain again in the late afternoon. So I got to her place at around lunchtime. And we decided to have lunch first.

After lunch we set off, and parked in the valley of Afon Cynfal. Bryn was keen to get started! Unfortunately, he was also very keen to eat as much sheep poo as he could. And human poo as well, unfortunately. Kate had to keep a close eye on him.

Near the start

She also kept a close eye on the route. She photographed all the way markers. Were they in good condition? If they weren't, she would be the person to replace them. And on a stretch that I remembered as being really awful with regard to the bracken, she cut some down. The dog noticed and started helping. He ate any inconvenient grass that got in the way!

Later in a field with high grass he had an absolute whale over time. Most of the time he is just trotting along, or focused on any sheep poo he can eat, but here he was so busy running around like a headless chicken he didn't seem to think of anything else. It was very cute.

We also got to a bit of an ambivalent crossing over a fence. The signage seemed to direct you to an uncomfortable crossing with barbed wire, while 2 m away, but a bit hidden, was a better crossing without. Kate added a way marker, and chopped down some of the bracken that obscured the view.

When we were near the hillfort we had a little snack break. That bit of the route is also very beautiful! All the way until you have to be on asphalt for a while, on road to the Manod Quarry. And in order to get there, you have to lift the dog over a stile. He can do ladder stiles on his own, and some other stiles, but this one had too much of a step over a wire fence. He is 35 kg but we did it. 

The road to Manod

Kate & Bryn framed by mining relics

When you reach the end of the quarry road you're back on an old and pretty tramway. That's lovely again! After descending into Cwm Penmachno we had to walk on the road for about half a mile, and then we were back on paths through fields. And we found out comfortable time was up. The rain predicted for the late afternoon was making its appearance! That was a bit sub-ideal. But not the end of the world.

Bryn & Cwm Penmachno 

It is a fair distance on a gravel road, and then a short stretch on asphalt, and then you are back in the village. We weren't even that wet, but we were still wet enough to want to change into dry socks, shoes and trousers. Which we did! Festooned with a cup of tea.

It was already dinner time, and I was hungry, but I first brought Kate back to her car, which was still towering over Afon Cynfal. And then I drove home, to quickly dive into the fridge.

It has been a pleasant afternoon! And I could imagine that looking after a stretch of Slate Trail is quite nice. Maybe I should check if they need more volunteers. It comes through my village as well, after all!