Four intrepids set out on 29th May to do a circumnavigation of Mynydd Machen, near Risca and opposite Twm Barlwm, a walk for another time.
The walk starts at Nine Mile Point car park in the Sirhowy valley, a picturesque cwm which is what the valleys must have been like before coal. We had a quick look at the stone sleepers on a nearby bridge which are what remains of a tramroad, part of the Tredegar estate’s industrial activities in the area. It is called Nine Mile Point because that is the distance from the coal mine here, now long gone, to the docks at Newport.
The first part of the walk was up a series of fairly steep slopes, some with water running down them even though there had been no rain for some time. We passed a mystery stone trough collecting water but with no obvious purpose. It seemed very unlikely that anyone would bring animals to it. We reached the top after about half an hour after which the terrain was gently undulating. We passed a large, long spoil heap, presumably from the Nine Mile colliery. From the channels at the precipitous end of it, it looked as though the local scramblers ride down it. Good luck with that! There is some sort of radio station and a trig stone at the highest point of the mynydd, where there are also panoramic views to the Beacons and over the channel. Someone was camping out in a tent. Going back down we decided not to follow the usual route and went exploring through the bracken but in the same general direction, and eventually came to the forest road leading back to the car park. The distance was about 5½ miles and the climb 1,000 feet, so not over strenuous and a good day out.
