We fell lucky with the weather for this one with a warm sunny day, but a pity that there were just 3 participants including Val leading, health problems and other commitments having depleted our numbers of late. The other two were Roger and Judith.

We set off from Creigiau, which wasn’t a surprise with Val in charge as she had lived there for 38 years. The walk first took us across undulating fields to Pentrych, where we avoided the village, to have a short but stiff climb on to the side of The Garth. At the top of this sharp ascent, we took advantage of a bench to have our elevenses, already enjoying fabulous views across Cardiff and the Vale.

We did not make the possible detour to the summit, which would have added considerably to our distance, but continued on part of the Ridgeway Walk, to enter Tyn-y-Coed woods, where we had a steep descent, at the bottom of which we ate lunch in a clearing, well furnished with logs to sit on.

We soon passed a bridge over the disused railway which would have taken us back to Creigiau in little more than a mile, but we chose to continue with the proposed route, totalling about 7½ miles.

We were then on country lanes for a while; Val explained that her preferred route would have been footpaths across fields, but she knew that the necessary footbridge across a stream was currently closed for repair, unfortunately.

We eventually got back onto field walking to Groes Faen, and then back to Creigiau, tired but happy to have been out on such a lovely day.

VEM