Tawe Trekkers Newsletter - 29th Dec 2008

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Happy New Year! Tom is leading the first walk of 2009 up Sugar Loaf Mountain, he's provided thorough details below but if you want to find out more please give him a ring; note the earlier start time.

Later in January we have a newly planned social event, a birthday party in Mumbles with a nautical theme! Read on for more...

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Sugar Loaf Mountain - Sun 4th Jan

Length of walk: 7 Miles

Ascent in feet: 1200.

Grade: Moderate (due to height gain)

Location: Black Mountain, Brecon Beacons.

Start time: leave town hall in Swansea gather at 9am for a 9.15 (not 9.30) departure for 10.30am start at pub. Important given long travel time to leave earlier than normal and on time.

Dog Friendly? A few stiles at start but otherwise is open moor and hillside.

Terrain: Fields, well made paths through grassy and braken enclosed slopes, ascend and descend long ridgelines, exposed in high winds. Highest point is a pronouced rocky ridge at 597 Metres, with panoramic views across the Beacons national park, Usk valley and across to Hay Bluff and Offa's Dyke.

Start point: Grid ref: OL13 Explorer, Map: Beacons East OS map. (REF: SO 281152). Name of pub which has a car park which is the starting point is the lamb and flag, can use car park if we drink there afterwards. Plenty of parking. Here is address of the pub: Brecon Road, Llanwenarth, Abergavenny, Wales NP7 7EW (you can multimap this).

It lies about a mile north of the outskirts of Abergavenny, cantref, on the A40. To get to the pub from Swansea the best route is to take the heads of the valleys road up through the vale of Neath, onto the A465m all the way to Llanfoist then turn onto the A4131 OVER USK BRIDGE IN THE TOWN, proceed for a km and then at major junction turn left, west onto the A40 (signposted Talgarth and Crickhowell) and go past Neville hall hospital and contine for one more km till you reach then pub on the A40 on the right, set back from road and with parking to the front.

There will be an opportunity, for those interested, to visit and sample the delights of the Sugar Loaf vineyard at end of walk, time permitting. The red Rondo variety is a bit weak and acid as a cherry flavoured red but the whites are aromatic and decent, if a bit elderflower-heavy and herbaceous on the nose....I should be able to demonstrate what a "Geneva double curtain" is also in trellising terms if we have the chance to look round the vineyard.

We will ascend the Mynedd Lanwenarth rideg and descend Deri, making a full circuit of the mountain to appreciate its fill and diverse character. Many off us who did the three peaks challenge last year will be relishing the chance to reaquaint ourself with this classic route in hopefully better conditions that on that stormy day! This will also be a great introduction to my own favourite area of the national park, personally, for al those going on the black mountains trip in February who are interested in a little "taster" of the area. Abergavenny itself is a delightful, delectable ancient market town in a commanding situation with mountains enclosing it all around, it has a fantastic market, and ruins if a priory and Norman Castle. Happy New year.

Tom Jack.

Mob: 07980 477164.

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Joint Birthday Party - Salt Bar, Mumbles - 24th Jan (Nautical Theme Fancy Dress!)

Rhidian and Louise are having a joint birthday party in Salt Bar. Everyone is welcome, but there's a catch (excuse the pun); you'll have to come in fancy dress of a nautical nature (or anything to do with the water/sea).

We'll meet in Salt at 7:30, don't worry there's nothing fishy going on, and there's a plaice for everyone. So if you're feeling a bit rudderless on this weekend, take out a few squid and ship yourselves down to Mumbles on the 24th, don't be crabby; if you're wondering what in cod's name it's all about give Rhidian a call on 07534960567.

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See some of you on the new year's trip to Aberystwyth, and the rest of you in 2009.

Cheers,

Doug