The Walkers Groups meet at Leisure Centre car park
Every Tuesday at 9-15am
Before setting off to the starting point of the respective walk
HISTORY OF CALDICOT CASTLE
By
Peter Strong
*Click the image above to access a photo slideshown on the Castle & Country park
The castle keep was probably built by Milo Fitzwalter, Earl of Hereford, in the 12th century. In 1158 the Castle passed to the de Bohun family, when Milo's daughter Margaret married Humphrey de Bohun III. He added the curtain walls, the corner towers and the de Bohun gate. The castle remained in the de Bohun hands until 1376 when it passed to Thomas Woodstock, youngest son of King Edward III. When he married Alianore de Bohun, he adds the gatehouse and Woodstock Tower. Thomas was murdered on the orders of Richard II in 1397 and the castle subsequently passed to the Earl of Stafford by virtue of his marriage to Thomas's daughter, Anne. The Staffords held the castle until 1521 when the family fell foul of Henry VIII. The castle then came into royal hands through the Duchy of Lancaster, until it was sold to the Lewis family of St Pierre in 1857. By this time the castle has been decaying for several centuries. In 1885 the ruins were sold to J R Cobb, a wealthy antiquarian, who set about restoring them. In 1963 the Cobbs sold the castle to Chepstow Rural Distict Council. It has been in local Authority hands ever since.
WALKS AROUND CALDICOT CASTLE, COUNTRY PARK AND SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE
*Click the image above to access a larger photograph
Route for the 1½ mile version
From the Lake in the Caldicot Castle Country Park, with your back to the Castle, strike over to the top left hand corner until you reach a gate. Cross the wooden bridge which spans the Neddern. Proceed up the field to the road. Turn right and walk up the right hand side and passing the second children's play area, follow the path behind the houses and go through the gate on the right. Go up to the field diagonally right to the swing gate in the hedge. Then slightly diagonally right to another swing gate. Walk straight on through two more swing gates to the road. (The motorway bridge is on your right). Turn left and enter Wentwood View Estate on your right. Go up an incline and follow the road around to the left. Make your way through the estates to return to the Country Park.
Route for the 3 mile version
Now turn right over motorway bridge, down the hill to a narrow entrance on the left leading to a path with a fingerpost. This path crosses the top of the field and emerges on to a lane. (See route for 4 mile version)Turn left and continue under the motorway bridge. Turn left on to a tarmac path; proceed through the playing fields to the left hand corner. Go through the Church yard and return to the Castle and Country Park.
Route for the 4 mile version
Cross the lane and take the path signposted 'Brockwells' which goes alongside the quarry, emerging onto a road. Turn left, uphill, to Dewstow Golf Course. On the top of the hill there is a house on the left. Take the path on the right of the house and descend through the coppice of trees to a path alongside the practice ground. Follow the path through to the stile on the edge of the Golf Course. Turn left and follow the boundary to the left hand corner, where there is a pond and two stiles. Turn left, then right under the motorway bridge. Follow the directions for the 3 mile version. (The stiles on the Golf Course are the "step through" type).
Route for the 4½ mile version
From the Castle car park, with your back to the Castle, follow the avenue to the left first crossing a bridge over the river Neddern, then along the avenue to the park entrance, to a half-timbered lodge. Head left to a stile at the end of a short lane. Keep to the right going behind a large group of trees.
(On this spot there was a house called 'The Homestead' which was pulled down just prior to the Second World War. The Cobb family, who lived in the Castle, owned it).
Veer left to a gate and continue on the path alongside a railway line, passing a plantation of trees on your left, look for a second break in the line of trees on your right. Go through two gates into a field; veer towards the left to a gate in the boundary. Continue in the same direction to another gate in the right hand boundary.
This path, about 100 yards, runs alongside the railway. Go through the gate at the end and turn left on to a rough track. Walk over the footbridge and up to the road. Follow the directions for the 3 and 4 mile versions.
We hope you enjoy your walks around our Castle, Country Park and Countryside
Access by Bus and Train
The Buses are No's X14 and X74, both stop in the town centre, ¾ mile from the Castle, The railway station is south of the town, a mile from the start.Please Note
The area around the castle is subject to flooding in the winter.
The Crickhowell Skyline
Some of our Striders caught on camera in 2008 by Stan Griffiths, one of their party. The walk was, The Crickhowell Skyline, known as "Angels walking with Angels !"
Dryham Park and the bluebells
*Click the images below to access a larger photograph
A group of our walkers enjoying Dryham Park and the bluebells
- photo by Norma Shreeve
U3A Walkers walk the Malvern Hills.*Click the images below to access a larger photographs
Instead of their usual local walks last Tuesday over 50 members of Caldicot and District U3A Walking Group boarded a coach to take them to "British Camp" on the Ledbury road out of Malvern.
When the coach proceeded to go over the Severn Bridge rather than the shorter route through Monmouth and Ross on Wye some wondered if the driver's "sat-nav" knew of another Malvern!
At British Camp they were met by members of Malvern U3A who had offered to lead two walks, one of 7 to 8 miles and a shorter one of around 4 miles. The shorter walk started off with views over Herefordshire (it would have been as far as Wales if it had been clearer) before going through the Wyche cutting and, with the sun now out, getting wonderful views over Malvern to beyond. A steeper climb was had by those on the longer walk as they reached the Worcester Beacon which is the highest point of the Malvern Hills. Both walks finished in Great Malvern where there was chance to have a look around before the return journey.
Grey Hill Walk: Tuesday 23th October
From the top of Grey Hill there is a 360-degree view taking in both Severn Bridges, the Bristol Channel, Newport, Usk Mouth, Steep Holme and the Devon Coast in the far distance, with closer views of Wentwood and the reservoir.
*Click the images below to access a larger photographs
Photo of the Striders Group
View from the top of Grey Hill
Photographs taken by Ann Taylor Heard
Grey Hill is located in the outskirts of Wentwood forest just a few miles from Caldicot, the walk involves a steep slope but is well worth the effort. The location which is tranquil, inspirational and will reward you with spectacular panoramic views of the Severn Estuary in one direction, views of Wentwood Forest in the other.
Grey Hill is said to be one of the most important bronze age ritual complexes in western Britain. Its position afforded Bronze Age chieftains enormous social and symbolic prestige as a place of burial. With stone circle, standing stones and five roundbarrows, the site is a complex ritual landscape. Corpses were probably ritually prepared in the stone circle for their journey along a symbolic 'path', marked out by standing stones, to the barrow cemetery. The actual virtual cache location is amongst a small stone circle of thirteen stones, one of which remains standing, there is also a nearby single standing stone.
Walkers Holiday to Cricieth September 2007
*Click the photograph above to access a slide show of the Walkers Holiday to Cricieth
Photographs were taken by Ron LapthornThe Caldicot & District U3A Walking Group has recently enjoyed a five-day holiday in North Wales. This was arranged by their Chairman, Pam Caines with Geraint Roberts sorting out walks and acting as tour guide on the journey through Wales to Criccieth.
SNOWDON CONQUERED
There were forty-seven in the group and twelve of these climbed Snowdon, many for the first time. The weather was most kind and there were walks arranged from Porthmadog around Moel-y-Gest and from Newborough to Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey. On a visit to Llanberis over twenty of the group walked in the woods above Llyn Padarn viewing relics of the slate quarrying industry and some visited the Slate Museum plus other local attractions.
David Evans
These three walks were on our walking holiday while at Cricieth in September 2007
The Photographs on these three walks were taken by Stan Griffiths
Anglesey Walk
*Click the photograph above to access a slide show of the
Anglesey WalkPorthmadog Walk
*Click the photograph above to access a slide show of the
Porthmadog WalkSnowdon Walk
*Click the photograph above to access a slide show of the
Snowdon Walk
Redbrook Village Walk
*Click the photograph above to access a slide show of the Redbrook Village Walk
photograph taken by Ann Taylor-Heard
Walking pictures of the Redbrook Village Walk
It was a combined walk with the Stollers and Stragglers but eating in two
different places, The Rose & Crown,Tintern and the Huntsman, Shirenewton
Walkers Group at Loysey Valley, Nr Trelleck
*Click the image above to access a larger photograph
photograph taken by Ann Taylor-Heard
The walk is full of interest.
There are lovely views as well as a walk through a lovely mixed wood.
It is not an area that is well-walked.
Walkers trip to Llantwit Major by coach on 10 July 2007
*Click the photograph below to access a slide show of the
Walkers trip to Llantwit Major
In the middle of the Vale of Glamorgan lies a small coastal town of Llantwit Major (or, in Welsh, Llanilltud Fawr). Llantwit Major has been often called "the most beautiful of places".It is a quaint old town four and a half miles south-west of Cowbridge.
It possesses a medieval town hall the ruins of a manor house, and a historic church as well as the foundations of a Roman Villa.
Llantwit Major is an excellent location for exploring South Wales and the cosmopolitan capital city of Cardiff, as well as the splendid area of the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Gower Peninsula to the west, and the historic valleys.
Evidence has been found of domestic seaside settlement at Llantwit Major, dating as far back as the Neolithic period. For 350 years, the area was ruled by the Romans, Roman villas have been found, with bathrooms and the mosaic pavements dating from the mid 2nd century. However, Llantwit came to the prominence after the Romans had left, with the foundation of a monastery by St Illtud in the late 5th century. This rapidly became as a seat of learning as much as religion, attracting students from all over the world, and was reputed to have had seven halls, 400 houses and 2000 pupils.
It attracted royalty as well as St David himself, and is named as a royal burial place. It was also a busy mission centre for founding new churches, yet nothing solid remains to show where the monastery was sited or what it looked like.
The Church Halls and individual cells were probably made of timber, and this would account for the lack of remains. Traditionally, the site of the monastery is supposed to be just north of the present church of St Illtud, and maybe the ancient foundations still lie buried beneath later houses. Nothingcan now be seen of the monastery apart from a small collection of 9th century in St illtud's church.
St Illtud's church is a mixture of different periods of building strung out, in line, one behind the other. The Western (or old) church was the original parish church built on pre-Norman foundations. A tall, slim tower was built onto the eastern end in the 13th century and was followed by a new Eastern (or monastic) church and chancel at the far western end of the original building. The now ruined Lady chapel (or Galilee), was added later. There are traces of a number of medieval wall paintaings, and in the Western Church, a remarkable collection of carved Celtic crosses and carved memorial stones, bear moving testimony to the renown of this hallowed centre of Welsh Christianity.
Llantwit has grown considerably in recent years, but the winding narrow and high-walled streets of the town centre still preserve its ancient character. The town also retains a number of fine old buildings, including a 15th century town hall, a medieval gatehouse and a circular dovecote near the church, and some 16th century inns and houses. A mile to the south, near Colhugh Beach, there are ditches and earthworks belonging to an early Iron Age fort.
St Donat's Castle, a couple of miles to the west of Llantwit, is a 13th century fortress which has been lived in since the time it was built.
To meet the needs of its inhabitants, the castle has continually undergone alteration and extension, most notably in the early part of this century when it was bought by Randolph Hearst, an American newspaper magnate, and completely modernized. The castle is now the home of Atlantic College, an international sixth form school.
Stroller's walk - April 17th 2007
Tidenham Church
Oilseed rape field*please click on any photo above to access a larger image
Gil led the Strollers on a circular walk from Boughspring with a stop at Tidenham for a coffee break. The walk went through a field of oilseed rape but luckily the farmer had cut a path otherwise some of us might still be trying to find the way out!
Stroller's walk - March 13th 2007
The Stroller's walk on Tuesday 13th March took the group from the Nature Reserve on the St. Briavels road above Bigsweir Bridge along the Offa's Dyke path. We walked through woodland initially above the river in the direction of Redbrook.
*please click photo below for a larger image
It was good to see signs of Spring along the path with wood anemones starting to flower and bluebells pushing their way through the ground. During the walk we encountered a gentleman flying the hawk in the photograph, a South American Harris Hawk, a beautiful bird. Later we could hear woodpeckers busy in the woods. Another sign of Spring? Continuing on our way in beautiful sunny weather we retraced our steps and returned to the car park bringing to an end a very pleasant walk.
Walkers Holiday - 2006
On a sunny morning on Monday the 2nd October 2006, 45 members of the Walking groups, Striders, Strollers and Stragglers, set off on their annual walking holiday to Gwbert-on-Sea, Cardigan. Following a comfort stop just outside Carmarthen, the coach took us across country to Aberaeron in time for lunch where everyone made their own way round and took in the sights of this lovely little market town between Newquay and Aberystwyth. We then made our way to The Cliff Hotel at Gwbert-on-Sea that was to be 'home' for the next four nights. The Hotel was situated on the headland and most rooms had either sea or estuary views and also boasted an adjoining golf course.
*Click the photograph below to access a slide show of the The
Walkers Holiday 2006
Day two and the coach took The Striders down to Parrog where Geraint lead a 12 mile walk from Parrog along the cliff tops to Old Fishguard where we had arranged for the coach to pick them up later in the afternoon. The weather was ideal and the scenery was beautiful. Many of the walkers had arranged with the Hotel for packed lunches for their half hour break before striding out once again. Meanwhile twenty-one people left at the Hotel walked to the Cardigan Bay Farm Park, which was approximately two miles from the Hotel. There were plenty of animals to feed such as pot-bellied pigs, donkeys, llamas, ostriches and so on. Further along the cliff top they did some seal spotting and some were lucky to catch these delightful sea creatures on camera. On returning to the Hotel we were then despatched to Fishguard where a spot of sightseeing was done while we awaited the Striders return.
Day Three and the coach dropped some walkers off at Cardigan to walk through the Nature Reserve to Llanechryd (5/6miles in all). The remainder walked part of the Nature Reserve and the coach then took them to the Carpenters Arms at Llanechryd where we all met for lunch. Following this everyone was then despatched to Cenarth Falls where we were in luck to see the salmon jumping the falls. Unfortunately one of the group had a nasty fall on the rocks and was taken to Cardigan hospital for stitches to her face. I am pleased to say she has recovered with no long-term damage.
Day Four and the weather turned against us so the planned walk was postponed and Geraint decided to lead a five mile walk from St. Davids to Solva while the remainder voted to visit a Woollen Mill and then return to Solva for lunch and to pick up the Striders. We never got to see the Woollen Mill but we did see parts of the countryside that probably no other coach had ever taken anyone before. Ah well, we saved our money and walked around Solva instead. When we were all back on the coach we then took a trip to Porthgain to The Sloop Inn (which we had visited last year but were unable to walk through due to bad weather). The rain had stopped now and some did sightseeing as this little harbour town was once renowned for brick and tile making and the remains of the vast furnaces are still visible.
Alas the day had dawned for our return home and this we did by a different route. Our first stop was Llandeilo where we stopped for elevenses, then on to Brecon where we stopped for lunch and a few hours roaming around. We arrived back at Caldicot at 5:30pm and all agreed it had been a good holiday. The Hotel was excellent, the food was excellent, the weather was good (biggest part of the time), the walks were great, the coach driver (Eddie) was an absolute marvel at manoeuvring in tight spots.So here's to the next one.
Thanks go to Geraint for leading the walks and to Pam for organising the holiday.
Pam CAINES
Suckstone at Staunton
*please click photos below for a larger image
The Strollers were led on a walk in June by Glenice and Adrian to the Suckstone at Staunton - thanks to Noreen for the picture.
Portskewett Standing Stones
The Strollers take a welcome break on a very hot day at the Portskewett Standing Stones whilst on a walk led by Tony and Angela Hirst.
Members of the Stragglers also stop for a coffee break on a recent walk at Brockweir.
The Skirrid - May 2006
For their walk on Tuesday, 9th May the Striders were led up the Skirrid Fawr (near Abergavenny) by Geraint assisted by Jim. After a wet start when we were dropped off the coach at Llanvihangel Crucorney the day improved but conditions were quite cloudy when we reached the summit (488 metres - 1600 feet) so unfortunately we were unable to enjoy the more distant views. A picnic was enjoyed on the descent and the sun came out before we reached the coach for our homeward journey.*Click the photograph below to access a slide show of the The Skirrid Walk
The Strollers also started off from The Skirrid Inn but under the expert leadership of our Chairman, Glenice did a shorter walk around the mountain so that they were back to the Inn for lunch. As the Skirrid Inn is reputed to be the oldest pub in Wales and also where the last hanging took place they had an interesting tour of it in the afternoon.
Snow scene at Little Mill
*Click the photograph below to access a larger image
The walkers had a bonus added to their regular Tuesday walk in 2006, when
they came across a snow scene at Little Mill, Usk.
We now have three Convenors for the walking group. Details as follows.
Group 1. The Striders. Convenor Jim Clift.
Distance 4-7miles.
Mod & Strenuous. Leave car park 9-15am.
(this group will aim for a brisker walk)
Group 2. The Strollers. Convenor Marion Guppy.
Distance 3-4miles.
"Easy and Moderate" . Leave car park at 9-15am.
Group 3. The Stragglers. Convenor Sheila Ford.
Distance 3-4miles.
Easy & Moderate. Leave car park at 9-15am.
© Caldicot and District U3A mmvii
