View to the south-west on the descent of Ben Vorlich

Also Known as: Beinn Mhùrlaig
Significance: High Point for the Historic County of Dunbartonshire
Member of: Munros, Marilyns
Parent Peak: xx. NHN = Beinn Ime
Elevation: 943m
Date climbed: September 22nd 2023
Coordinates: 56° 16' 27'' N, 4° 45' 18'' W

Route Start & Finish: Inveruglas Visitor Centre, Inveruglas Farm, A82, Arrochar, G83 7DP
Route Distance: 13.3 km (8.3 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 904m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Loch Lomond and Cowal Way, Three Lochs Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP1309 - Ben Vorlich
Pubs / Cafes on route: Cafe at Inveruglas Visitor Centre at start/finish.
Map: Loch Lomond North Map | Tyndrum, Crianlarich & Arrochar | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL39
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir)
Links: Wikipedia: (Dunbartonshire / Ben Vorlich), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

This was a day hike as a part of a 4-day Scottish County Top trip to bag Ben Lawers, Ben Vorlich, Ben Lomond and the Hill of Stake. After ticking off Ben Lawers we drove south to Balquhidder to stay at the Mhor 84 hotel ahead of tackling Ben Vorlich the next day.

It was during dinner at Mhor 84 that I realised that there was more than one Ben Vorlich and I had planned for the wrong one. Fortunately the correct one was only a 40 minute drive in the direction of our 3rd peak of the trip so we didn’t lose any time overall. Definitely a lesson learned for future trips as I soon found out that there’s also more than one Morven.

With a brand new route plan we arrived at the Inveruglas Visitor Centre for the start of the walk. We often follow Jonny Muir’s guide for the routes but this time decided to take a southern approach to Ben Vorlich instead of the northern route from Ardlui Station that he took.

From the Visitor Centre, head south along the Three Lochs Way following the A82. You’ll pass the Hydroelectric Power Station on your right. After ~900m leave the A82, still following the Three Loch Way along a track now heading west. This track runs parallel to the Inveruglas Water (stream), curving to the north to reach the dam at the southern edge of Loch Stoy.

At ~3km from leaving the A82 and 1 km before the dam you’ll meet a footpath heading steeply up to the right. This is a good place to take a break before the main ascent. Once on the path it’s a further 2.6 km climb to the cairn that marks the summit. You’ll pass the Ben Vorlich Trig Pillar shortly before the high point. For the descent retrace your steps back to the Visitor Centre. As with our Ben Lawers trip the day before, we had a lot of mist, drizzle and wind at the top but much better weather as we descended. Our slog to the top was rewarded by amazing views over both Loch Lomond and Loch Stoy.

Other High Points in the Historic County of Dunbartonshire

Earl's Seat, 578 metres, East Dunbartonshire Present Day County High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
Duncolm. 401 metres, West Dunbartonshire Present Day County High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging

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Richard gower22 September 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, National Park, Dunbartonshire, ScotlandComment

Ben Lawers: Perthshire County Top

Descending Ben Lawyers towards Beinn Ghlas

Also known as: Beinn Labhair
Significance: High Point for the Historic County of Perthshire, Council Top for Perth and Kinross, Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon NSA High Point
Member of: Munros, Marilyns
Parent Peak: Ben Nevis
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Aonach Beag
Elevation: 1,124m
Date climbed: September 21st 2023
Coordinates: 56° 32' 42'' N, 4° 13' 15'' W

Route Start & Finish: National Trust of Scotland Ben Lawers Car Park, Killin, FK21 8TY
Route Distance: 11.4 km (7.1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 838m
Subsidiary tops on route: Beinn Ghlas
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Ben Lawers Trail
OS Trig Pillar: TP1281 - Ben Lawers
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Ben Lawers & Glen Lyon Map | Loch Tay, Killin & Kenmore | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL48
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir)
Links: Wikipedia: (Perthshire / Ben Lawers), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

This was a day hike as a part of a 4-day Scottish County Top trip to bag Ben Lawers, Ben Vorlich, Ben Lomond and the Hill of Stake. First up was Ben Lawers, the 3rd highest UK Historic County Top and the highest of this particular trip.

After a flight from London and a 2 hour drive from Glasgow we arrived at the National Trust car park at the start of the trail. The Ben Lawers Trail is well marked and maintained making navigation very easy. We also had good visibility on the day, although the summit was wet and very windy. The trek to the summit passes over Beinn Ghlas, a 1103 m Munro, followed by a small descent before a steep climb to the Ben Lawers Trig Pillar.

For the return to the car park you can either retrace your steps over Beinn Ghlas or take an alternative path to the west from the col between the two peaks. This alternative route rejoins the main Ben Lawers Trail by a fence at 2.2 km from the car park.

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Richard gower21 September 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, National Trust, Perthshire, ScotlandComment

Walking Mount Etna

View to the South-East Crater from the Boca Nuova crater rim

Significance: Highest Point on the Island of Sicily and Metropolitan City of Catania
Parent Peak: N/A. NHN = Marmolada, Italy
Elevation: 3,342m
Date climbed: August 28th 2023
Coordinates: 37° 45' 1'' N, 14° 59' 41'' E

Route Start: 37°45'49.7"N 14°59'43.4"E
Route Finish: 37°45'55.4"N 15°00'49.7"E
Route Distance: 6.4 km (4 miles)
Route Elevation change: +336m / -540m. Net -204m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Guidebook: Walking in Sicily (Cicerone Guides): 46 walking routes including Mt Etna and the Egadi and Aeolian islands
Links: Wikipedia: (Sicily, Catania, Mount Etna), Peakbagger

When we were talking about where to go for our summer holiday this year I wasn’t as keen as Timea was on Sicily. I always prefer to go somewhere new and we’d done Sicily. I got convinced about going when we researched about the Mount Etna and Stromboli trips. Our last trip had also been nearly 20 years ago and we’d only scratched the surface of exploring the island.

First up was the Mount Etna trip. Having come off a busy time at work, and wanting to minimise the planning, we went with a private tour organised by our hotel. Our guide Angelo and his daughter Fabiana picked us up at 07:30 from our hotel in Risposto and we headed towards the mountain.

We made a quick stop on the drive up to Cappalla Nel Maggio, an old church that had nearly been destroyed by a lava flow. A sign on the chapel tells the story (please excuse the translation): “During the eruption of November 1950 a lava flow, dividing into two arms, threatened simultaneously Milo and Fornazzo. In so much danger a solemn devout procession was promoted from the parish priest of Fornazzo Don Salvatore Fichera. It changed it, deviating to the left, it was channeled into the Cava Grande torrent, sparing the town. Then the commitment to build a chapel was born. In May 1971 another lava flow retraced the same route. The procession ended in a house owned by Mr. Sebastiano Cantarella. This house was overwhelmed by August 3, 1979. Of these there are currently some ruins still visible. The same flow of August 3, 1979 threatened to overwhelm this chapel but it stopped close to its walls penetrating inside the Chapel. The prodigious event is remembered every year on the first Sunday of August with a procession and the celebration of the Holy Mass”

The drive to the Visitor Centre at Piano Provenzana took just over an hour. Here we had a quick stop then transferred to a Unimog, a large off-road bus to take us further up. Piano Provenzana is also has a large car park and several tour agencies if you’re making your own way there. Our guide told us that there’s no limit on numbers of visitors to the mountain but you may be limited by the number of spaces on the Unimogs. An alternative is walking all the way up from Piano Provenzana but you’ve got to be a strong hiker, and prepared for the heat. Also, given the obvious dangers of climbing up an active volcano, I certainly wouldn’t go without an experienced guide.

The Unimog trip took about half an hour to cover 9.7 km and 1,183m of elevation to reach the start of the hiking section at 2,967m. There were a few other groups on the same bus and we let them go heading, preferring a more relaxing ascent. We slowly ascended in a southerly direction to reach the Boca Nuova Crater after 2.2 km.

We were there on a clear but windy day. Not too much wind to blow us off course but enough to blow clouds of sulphur into our faces. My regret here was no packing my Buff to cover my face with. Timea was better prepared as she brought hers so I had to settle with holding a tissue over my mouth and face. You definitely don’t want the sulphur inside you.

The sulphur was a small price to pay for the awesome view of the Boca Nuova Crater, still spewing clouds of steam and gas. Our route took us on a full anticlockwise circuit of the crater and close to the South-East Crater, the current high point of the mountain at 3,357m. We couldn’t get to the top of that one as it’s still dangerous but I was very happy getting to the most accessible high point of 3,317m.

After the Boca Nuova crater we skirted round the south-western edge of the North-East Crater. A circuit of this crater looked tempting but it was also too dangerous so we settled for peering over the top on the southern edge. from here we descended in a north-easterly direction towards the Observatory Etneo where we met the bus to take us back to the Visitor Centre. The fast ski-like descent down the ash fields to the bus was another highlight of the trip.

The adventure wasn’t over yet as there were 2 more interesting stops on the way back down to Riposto. First stop was an “island” of forest created when a lava flow cut off one of the main roads up to the mountain in 2002. A new road has been laid over the lava and you can take a small track down to see the remains of the old road.

Stop 2 was a small cave created by a lava flow. There’s steps at either end making it easy to walk through, although a helmet and torch is essential. The cave was once used as an ice house and is depicted in the painting “La Grotta a La Neige” by Jean-Pierre Houël. According to the information board, the painting is now displayed in The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia.

We were back in our hotel in Rispoto by 16:30 totaling an 8 hour trip. If you’re up for a similar day trip I can highly recommend our guide Angelo at siciliaadventure.it

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Richard gower28 August 2023Trek, Mountain, Island High Points, Sicily, ItalyComment

Liddington Hill: Swindon High Point

Approach to Liddington Hill from The Ridgeway

Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Swindon
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Walbury Hill. NHN = Milk Hill
Elevation: 276m
Date climbed: August 20th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 30' 41'' N, 1° 41' 40'' W

Route Start & Finish: Parking spots on Aldbourne Road (B4192) or on The Ridgeway (Road).
Route Distance: 6 km (3.7 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 98m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: The Ridgeway
OS Trig Pillar: TP0743 - Liddington Castle
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Cirencester & Swindon Map | Fairford & Cricklade | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 169
Links: Wikipedia: (Swindon, Liddington Castle), Peakbagger: (Castle / Hill), Hillbagging

Liddington Hill is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Swindon within the Historic County of Wiltshire. The summit of the hill has the remains of Liddington Castle, a late Bronze Age and early Iron Age hillfort with a prominent Trig Pillar on the north-eastern rim.

Although the Trig Pillar is the highest position on the hill, the natural high point is a little to the south-east in a farmer’s field. There were crops growing at the time and robust fencing around the castle so I decided not to walk to the natural high-point. From the castle it’s hard to spot the highest natural position on a relatively flat summit so tramping through crops to an unmarked position didn’t feel right. At the time I was more interested in finding the remains of the WW2 decoy bunker on the route back to the parking spot. See this video on YouTube for more on the bunker.

Access to the hill is easy and the summit can be bagged in a simple out-and-back from Aldbourne Road or as a minor detour from the Ridgeway. There’s parking space for a few cars at the junction of Aldbourne Road and The Ridgeway (path). These were full when I arrived so I used a layby round the corner on the road called The Ridgeway to the north of the hill.

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Richard gower20 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Wiltshire, EnglandComment

Coety Mountain: Blaenau Gwent & Torfen High Points

Coety Mountain

Also known as: Coity Mountain / Mynydd Coety (Welsh)
Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Blaenau Gwent
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Peak: Pen y Fan. NHN = Sugar Loaf
Elevation: 578m
Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 45' 55'' N, 3° 6' 53'' W
Links: Wikipedia: Blaenau Gwent, Coety Mountain, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Coety Mountain East Slope

Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Torfaen
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Coety Mountain. NHN = Coety Mountain
Elevation: 574m
Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 45' 56'' N, 3° 6' 50'' W
Links: Wikipedia (Torfaen), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

For both peaks:

Route Start & Finish: Parking space before the cattle grid near Varteg Road Cemetery, Varteg Road, Pontypool, NP4, UK
Route Distance: 10.1 km (6.2 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 276m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): N/A
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A but NCN 492 passes very close to the start of the walk.
OS Trig Pillar: TP5042 - Mynydd Varteg Fawr
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Ordnance Survey OS Explorer OL13 Brecon Beacons National Park - Eastern Area Map
Links: Blaenavon, Blaenavon World Heritage Site

Coety Mountain is the high point of the Welsh Principal Areas of Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen within the Historic County of Monmouthshire. The Blaenau Gwent / Torfaen border runs along the ridge of the mountain with the 2 high points very close together.

The quickest way to bag the high points is an out-and-back from the Whistle Inn Halt at the north-western end of Blaenavon. Instead I chose a longer circular route from the south-eastern end of town to include the Mynydd Farteg Fawr Trig Pillar. There’s a parking space for a couple of cars near the cattle grid by the cemetary on Varteg Road, or, if not available you can also park along Forge Side Road.

From Varteg Road follow Forge Side Road in a north-westerly direction until you reach a footpath on the left by an old access road to a mine. Follow the path to the left of the mine as it curves up the hill towards the south-east. At a path junction take the path that leads to the north-west and follow that for about 250m. There’s no direct path from here to access the top of the ridge so I found a safe spot and headed up through the bracken. When you reach the top of the ridge take a left to follow the path to the Trig Pillar.

After the Trig Pillar retrace your steps to where you reached the top and continue following the path for ~2.4 km to the top of Coety Mountain. Keep an eye on the GPS though as the path disappears before the summit. The top of Coety Mountain is obvious but you’ll need to follow the GPS to reach the East Slope which is the high point of Torfaen.

After the high points make your way down to a track that leads to an old mine. Around 100m to the north-west of the mine you can pick up a path that leads to the south-east. Follow this for ~3.6km until you reach the point where you left the path earlier to reach the Trig Pillar. From here retrace your steps to the start of the walk at Varteg Road.

While in Blaenavon it’s worth spending a bit more time there to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site attractions and the Historic Railway. I completed the walk just in time to take a ride on the old steam train that follows the track connecting the Whistle Inn Halt and Varteg Road. You’ll get a great view of Coety Mountain and Mynydd Farteg Fawr on the trip.

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway

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Richard gower20 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Monmouthshire, Wales, UNESCOComment

Wentwood: Newport High Point

Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Newport
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Peak: TBC. NHN = Mynydd Twyn-glas
Elevation: 309m
Date climbed: August 20th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 38' 40'' N, 2° 51' 8'' W

Route Start & Finish: Cadeira Beeches car park, Usk Road, Llanvaches, Newport, NP26 3AZ
Route Distance: 2.6 km (1.6 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 37m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: N/A
OS Trig Pillar: TP6796 - Wentwood
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Newport & Pontypool/Casnewydd a Pont-y-Pŵl Map | Caerleon & Usk | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 152
Links: Wikipedia: Newport / Wentwood, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Wentwood is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Newport within the Historic County of Monmouthshire. The Trig Pillar that marks the summit can be reached on a 2.6km out-and-back walk from the Cadeira Beeches car park. There’s an even closer parking spot just to the east of the Trig Pillar accessible from the north/south road that connects the A48 with Usk Road. I was there early on a Sunday morning and there was plenty of room to park so I made this one a very quick drive-by on the way to the more interesting Coety Mountain.

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Richard gower20 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Monmouthshire, WalesComment

Merthyr Common & Pen March: Merthyr Tydfill & Caerphilly High Points

Pontsticill Reservoir and view to the Brecon Beacons

Merthyr Common

Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Merthyr Tydfil
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cefn yr Ystrad. NHN = Pen March
Elevation: 531m
Coordinates: 51° 47' 25'' N, 3° 20' 6'' W
Links: Wikipedia (Merthyr Tydfil), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Pen March

Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Caerphilly
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Cefn yr Ystrad. NHN = Cefn yr Ystrad
Elevation: 535m
Coordinates: 51° 47' 27'' N, 3° 19' 56'' W
Links: Wikipedia (Caerphilly), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

For both peaks:

Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Route Start & Finish: Red Cow Inn, Main Road, Pontsticill, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 2UN
Route Distance: 6.6 km (4.1 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 284m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Taff Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 8
Pubs / Cafes on route: Red Cow Inn at start and finish
Map: Brecon Beacons National Park / Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog Map | Western Area | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL12
Links: Pontisticill, Pontsticill Reservoir, Brecon Beacons National Park

This walk covers the high points of both the Welsh Principal Areas of Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly.

To start the walk I parked outside the Red Cow Inn at Pontsticill and followed the road down the hill to cross over Taff Fechan (river) to meet the Taff Trail. Cross the road opposite the water treatment plant to join a footpath that leads up the hill in a north-easterly direction. The path crosses under the Brecon Mountain Railway to meet a path junction at the 350m contour line. Take a right and keep to the path now heading south-east. At the 440m contour line, approximately 1.4km into the walk, leave the path and cross open land towards the high points. This is where I found it essential to follow my GPX track as it’s easy to get lost up there.

The route to the high point roughly follows the border of Merthyr Tydfil and Powys until you reach a dry pond that marks the Merthyr / Powys / Caerphilly county tri-point. The Merthyr Common high point is to the west of the pond and Pen March to the east. There’s nothing to mark either and neither feels like an achieved summit as the ground in Powys to the north of the border is higher.

My original plan for this walk was to include the Trig Point at the summit of Cefn Yr Ystrad. It was now late in a full day of high-point bagging, getting cold and the route to the Trig Pillar was boggy. I decided to leave Cefn Yr Ystrad for another day, return to Pontsticill and rest for more high-points the next day.

2 Peaks and a County Tri-point

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Richard gower19 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Brecon Beacons, National Park, Brecknockshire, Glamorganshire, WalesComment

Mynydd y Betws: Swansea High Point

Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Swansea
Member of: Marilyns
Parent Peak: TBC. NHN = Garreg Lwyd
Elevation: 373m
Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 46' 2'' N, 3° 56' 15'' W

Route Start & Finish: Parking spot at junction of 2 small roads at marker 48 of the Gower Way
Route Distance: 1.3 km (>1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 55m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Gower Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP5000 - Mynydd Bettws
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Swansea/Abertawe Map | Neath/Castell-Nedd & Port Talbot | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 165
Links: Wikipedia: (Swansea / Mynydd y Betws / Penlle'r Castell), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Mynydd y Betws is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Swansea within the Historic County of Glamorganshire.

It’s a misleading name as the Swansea high point is at Penlle'r Castel, an historic ruin on the summit of Mynydd y Gwair. There’s a nearby Trig Pillar called Mynydd Betws and, according to the map I was using, another summit called Mynydd y Betws with an elevation of 341m. I decided to bag them all just to be sure. My plan was to do them in a circular walk from the start of the access road to the farm near the Trig Pillar. It was wet and windy when I arrived so I decided to bag the Trig Pillar and the 341m peak first, then drive closer to the path to Penlle'r Castel.

The best place to park for access to Penlle'r Castel is at a path junction by marker 48 of The Gower Way on the east side of the hill. If you’re driving there from the south you’ll likely come up the Rhydypandy Road. This passes very close to the western side of the summit shortly before a sharp bend in the road and a steep descent. There’s no safe parking space here, so continue down the hill, then take a right at the first junction to find the parking spot at Gower Way marker 48. Note that the road junction you will have just taken is the tri-point of the counties of Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot.

From the parking spot follow the Gower Way to the remains of Penlle'r Castel. My map had the 371m point a little further to the south-west so I continued along the path, almost to the Rhydypandy Road. Retrace your steps to return to the parking spot.

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Richard gower19 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Mountain, Glamorganshire, WalesComment

Tair Onnen: Vale of Glamorgan High Point

Also known as: Tair Onen (Pantylladron)
Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Vale of Glamorgan
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Craig y Llyn. NHN = Garth Hill
Elevation: 137m
Date “climbed”: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 27' 24'' N, 3° 23' 17'' W

Route Start & Finish: Parking space near entrance of ConeMasters Limited, St Hilary Offices & Depot, Tair Onen, St Hilary, CF71 7UA
Route Distance: 1.2 km (>1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 5m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: N/A
OS Trig Pillar: TP6301 - Tair Onen
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Cardiff & Bridgend / Caerdydd a Pen-y-Bont Ar Ogwr Map | Vale of Glamorgan / Bro Morgannwg | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 151
Links: Wikipedia (Vale of Glamorgan), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Tair Onen is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Vale of Glamorgan within the Historic County of Glamorganshire.

This High Point can be bagged with a very short walk from the parking space near entrance of ConeMasters Limited. From the parking space walk south and cross the A48. Don’t take the footpath over the stone wall that’s immediately opposite the junction. Instead cross through the gate into the field on the right and follow the left hand edge of the field heading south. When you reach the solar panel farm take a right and follow the path following the northern edge of the solar farm. You’ll soon reach the highest point of the path where you can cut into the field to bag the Trig Pillar and county high point. Fortunately there were no crops growing when I was there but be careful not to damage anything during growing season. Return to the parking spot via the same route.

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Richard gower19 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Glamorganshire, WalesComment

Garth Hill: Cardiff High Point

Also known as: Mynydd y Garth (Welsh), The Garth
Significance: High Point for the Welsh Principal Area of Cardiff
Member of: Marilyn
Parent Peak: TBC. NHN = Cefn Eglwysilan
Elevation: 307m
Date climbed: August 19th 2023
Coordinates: 51° 32' 36'' N, 3° 17' 40'' W

Route Start & Finish: The Taffs Well Inn, Cardiff Road, Taff's Well, Cardiff, CF15 7PR
Route Distance: 6.2 km (3.6 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 260m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: N/A … the Taff Trail runs past Taff’s Well Station
OS Trig Pillar: TP3324 - Garth
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Taff’s Well Inn (start), The Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn (600m in)
Map: Cardiff & Bridgend / Caerdydd a Pen-y-Bont Ar Ogwr Map | Vale of Glamorgan / Bro Morgannwg | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 151
Links: Wikipedia: Garth Hill / Cardiff / Taff’s Well, Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Garth Hill is the high point of the Welsh Principal Area of Cardiff within the Historic County of Glamorganshire.

With all of the English, Welsh and Northern Irish Historic County Tops in the bag, I had now turned my attention to the modern day counties and Unitary Authorities. The Wife was away and I had a free weekend in hand so I drove to Cardiff for 2 days of bagging the High Points of the South Wales Principal Areas. I had already bagged Werfa (Mynydd Llangeinwyr) on a separate trip back in 2019, so I had 8 to complete in this trip.

After spending the night in Cardiff and ticking off Cardiff parkrun I headed north along the a River Taff to the small village of Taff’s Well. Taff's Well is a village in the south-east of Rhondda Cynon Taf, about 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Cardiff. It is known locally as the "Gates to the Valleys". The village is named after the River Taff, which flows through it, and the warm spring within Taff's Well Park. The spring is the only thermal spring in Wales, and is thought to rise from the carboniferous limestone. The water is tepid, with a temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius. Taff's Well was a popular spa resort in the 19th century, and people would travel from all over the UK and Europe to bathe in its waters. The spa closed in the early 20th century, but the spring is still a popular local tourist attraction.

Taff’s Well Station is an obvious place to start the walk but as I was driving I managed to save 1 km each way by parking on the road outside The Taff’s Well Inn. From here there’s a path that crosses the River Taff before climbing steeply up to Main Road. Take a right onto Main Road and then, just in front of The Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn, take a left up Route des Alpes road. Continue up Route des Alpes, gradually ascending for 1 km until you reach a path that takes a sharp right hand turn towards the north-east away from the road. Continue up the path and curve round to the north-west to the trig pillar at the summit.

For the descent retrace your steps to the start but take a few moments, 1km from the summit, to visit the cliff edge view over Taff’s Well and along the Taff Valley toward Cardiff. Shortly after the view-point there’s a path leading directly down to Route des Alpes road. I decided to take this rather than the longer route I came up with. It turned out to be very steep and, after a lot of recent rain, very slippery. I got down but mostly by sliding down on my arse grabbing hold of any heather I could find. It’s definitely a shorter route but not necessarily quicker and, if I were to do it again, I would avoid it in favour of returning via the same route I had come up on.

One peak completed … now on to Tair Onnen in the Vale of Glamorgan.

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Richard gower19 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Mountain, Trig Pillar, Glamorganshire, WalesComment

Walking The Greensand Way Part 22 - Toys Hill and Ide Hill

Start & Finish: Toys Hill Car Park, Toy's Hill Road, Westerham, TN16 1QG
Distance: 8 km (5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 215m
Greensand Way section covered: French Street to Ide Hill: 3.71 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): NT Octavia Hill Centenary Walk, Weardale Walk,
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Cock Inn at Ide Hill (just off route at 1.8 km in), National Trust Cafe at Emmetts Garden (3.4 km in)
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: Toys Hill National Trust, Ide Hill, Emmett’s Garden National Trust, Weardale Manor

This is the twenty-second of a series of short circular walks featuring the Greensand Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The Greensand Way is well sign posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

For this section we parked at the National Trust Car Park at the bottom of Toy’s Hill and picked up the Greensand Way heading east after crossing Chart Lane. The route covers a lot of the same ground as the NT Octavia Hill Centenary Walk, but it’s not exactly the same so be careful when following route markers. After 1.75km you’ll reach Ide Hill village and will leave the Greensand Way but follow the Octavia Hill Walk north along Sundridge Road. Take a footpath on the right to leave the road, crossing a field to Norman Street then taking a left to return to Sundridge Road. Take a right, then a left into the lane that passes Ide Hill Cricket Club.

Follow the Octavia Hill Walk up through Emmett’s Garden National Trust where there’s a café. Shortly after the cafe you’ll leave the Octavia Hill Walk and continue west, now picking up the Weardale Walk. Follow this to French Street to join the Greensand Way at the point that you left it on section 21. Take the Greensand Way in a southerly direction all the way back to the Toy’s Hill Car Park.

The Greensand Way doesn’t cross over the top of Toy’s Hill so it’s worth taking a short out-and-back diversion from the path to the summit. At the top you’ll find the remains of Weardale Manor, a memorial and great views over the Kent and Sussex countryside.

Toys Hill

Significance: Kent Downs National Landscape High Point
Member of: England Peaks with 100 meters of Prominence
Parent Peak: Botley Hill.
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Betsom’s Hill
Elevation: 248m
Date climbed: August 13th 2023
Coordinates: 51°15'00.0"N 0°06'00.0"E
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: Wikipedia (Kent Downs / Toys Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Previous section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 21: Crockham Hill Common and Chartwell
Next section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 22: Yorks Hill and Bailey’s Hill

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Richard gower13 August 2023Trek, National Trust, Kent, EnglandComment

Holly Hill and Lost Village of Dode Circular Walk

Significance: Unitary Authority High Point for Medway
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Botley Hill. NHN = Detling Hill
Historic County: Kent (of which Betsom’s Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 172m
Date “climbed”: August 12th 2013
Coordinates: 51° 20' 43'' N, 0° 23' 55'' E

Route Start & Finish: Holy Hill Wood Car Park, Holly Hill Lane (North Downs Way), Gravesend, DA13 0UB
Route Distance: 4.5 km (2.8 miles)
Route Elevation change: +/- 78m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): North Downs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
OS Trig Pillar: TP3974 - Holly Hill
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Maidstone & the Medway Towns Map | Kent Downs | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 148
Guidebook: N/A
Links: Wikipedia (Medway), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, Lost Village of Dode

Holly Hill is the high point of the Unitary Authority of Medway within the Historic and Ceremonial Counties of Kent. We bagged it on a short walk that also takes in the Holly Hill Trig Pillar and the lost village of Dode.

The Holly Hill Car Park is open during the summer and is very close to the Trig Pillar. We chose to keep this to the end of the walk and headed up to the high point first. Not sure why the Trig Pillar and High Point are in different places. Turn left out of the car park onto the North Downs way and follow it for 250 metres then take a footpath to the right heading east. When the path enters into a large field take a left and follow the tree-line on the left hand side of the field to the top of the hill. The high-point is near the large tree in the corner of the field. There were crops growing at the time so we kept to the field edge which may have been a metre or 2 from the actual high point. There’s no obvious peak or anything to mark the summit.

Retrace your steps to the North Downs Way and follow it north but keep to the main track rather than take the right hand turn when the North Downs Way diverts to the east. When you reach Wrangling Lane take a left and follow it in a south-westerly direction. You’ll shortly pass the entrance to the lost village of Dode.

The lost village of Dode is a small hamlet in the North Downs of Kent, England. It is thought to have been abandoned in the 14th century due to the Black Death, a devastating plague that killed an estimated 30-50% of the European population. The only remaining trace of the village is its Norman church, which was built in the 12th century. The church has been restored and is now a popular wedding venue. It’s private property and the gate was locked at the time so we settled for some photos at the gate and continued along Wrangling Lane.

Keep on Wrangling Lane as it curves to the south and gradually ascends up to White Horse Road. Take a left onto White Horse Road then take the first footpath on the left to take you into Holly Hill Woodland. Keep to the paths following the easterly edge of the woodland and you’ll arrive at the OS Trig Pillar, an information board and a great view across to central London. The car park is a further 250 metres from the Trig Pillar.

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Richard gower12 August 2023Trek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Kent, EnglandComment

Walking The Greensand Way Part 21 - Crockham Hill and Chartwell

View across Westerham to the North Downs ride, Westerham Heights and Betsom’s Hill

Start & Finish: Westerham Village Centre, TN16 1AY
Alternative start point at: National Trust Chartwell Car Park, Mapleton Road, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1PS
Distance: 8.8 km (5.5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 157m
Greensand Way section covered: Surrey/Kent border to French Street: 3.73 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): NT Mariners Hill Loop, NT Chartwell Walk, Weardale Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Westerham village at start and end. Cafe at National Trust Chartwell (5.3 km in)
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: Westerham, Crockham Hill Common, Chartwell, National Trust Chartwell

This is the twenty-first of a series of short circular walks featuring the Greensand Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The Greensand Way is well sign posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

For this section we attempted to park in Westerham village centre but we were thwarted by a lack of available paring spaces and on-street parking limited to maximum 2 hours. It’s a good place to start the walk if you can but we decided to start at the National Trust Car Park in Chartwell instead. If you’re a National Trust member it’s a good option as it’s free and you’re more likely to get a space.

If you start at Westerham pick up the Greensand Way spur on the south side of Vicarage Hill road and head south, crossing the Darent River than taking a right at the path junction with the NT Chartwell Walk. After 3km take a right to cross over Goodley Stock Road to meet the stone, last seen in section 20, that marks the Surrey/Kent border and the half-way point of the Greensand Way. After touching the stone, retrace your steps back across Goodley Stock Road to return to the path through Crockham Hill Woods. Take a right to continue south along this path and follow the Greensand Way as it curves in an anti-clockwise direction to the entrance to the National Trust Car Park at Chartwell. This is the point where you would start the walk if parking there.

From National Trust Chartwell continue following the Greensand Way in an anti-clockwise direction to French Street. Here’s you’ll leave the Greensand Way and continue in the anti-clockwise loop heading north-west to rejoin the NT Chartwell Walk. This will take you back to the Greensand Way spur back up to Westerham Village. If you started the walk at Chartwell there’s no need to go up to Westerham (unless you choose to). Instead continue along the Greensand Way Spur to the Surrey/Kent border stone.

Previous section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 20: Oxted and Limpsfield
Next section: Walking The Greensand Way Part 22: Toys Hill and Ide Hill

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Richard gower10 August 2023Trek, National Trust, Kent, EnglandComment

Surrey Walks: Chobham Common South

Start & Finish: Staple Hill Car Park, Chobham, Chertsey, KT16 0ED
Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 65m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): N/A
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Red Lion (5km in)
Map: Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
Links: Chobham, Longcross, Chobham Common

This is part of a series of short circular walks in Surrey. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

Chobham Common is a 656-hectare (1,620-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) north of Chobham in Surrey, England. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I and a national nature reserve. It is part of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area and the Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham Special Area of Conservation. It contains three scheduled monuments. Most of the site is managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust as the Chobham Common nature reserve, but the SSSI also includes a small private reserve.

For this walk we parked at Staple Hill Car Park next to the M3. It’s a convenient place to park but noisy as it’s next to the busy motorway that cuts through the once very quiet common. The motorway has now created a northern and a southern part of the common.

From the car park we crossed over Staple Hill Road and followed the boundary path in a clockwise direction past Burrow Hill to Killy Hill. At Killy Hil take the small path out of the Common onto Red Lion Road for a stop at the Red Lion Pub. After the pub follow Red Lion Road to the west then take a right onto the Windsor Road, heading north. Shortly after the entrance to Heather Way take a footpath on the right back into the common and follow paths in a northerly direction until you hit the boundary path before the M3. Continue along the boundary path until you return to Staple Hill Car Park.

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Richard gower6 August 2023Trek, England, SurreyComment

Walking The Uxbridge To Denham Disused Railway

Start & Finish: Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge Campus, 106 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1NA
Distance: 6.3 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 27m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): London Loop, Colne Valley Trail, South Bucks Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath
Pubs / Cafes on route: Swan & Bottle pub (near start and end)
Map: Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Uxbridge, Fray’s River, Alderglade Nature Reserve, Colne Valley Regional Park, Grand Union Canal

This trip was a return to visit to Uxbridge following my previous week’s cycle adventure on the Staines West to Denham Lines. Although we cycled between the old Uxbridge High Street Station and Denham, we followed a more cycle-friendly route rather than the course of the old rail line. This week Timea and I returned to walk the true route of the line. As with last week’s longer route from Staines West to Denham, this trip was inspired by Geoff Marshall’s London’s Lost Railways videos. Check out Geoff’s video for more detail on each of the lines and stations.

The route starts at 106 Oxford Road, the site of the former Uxbridge High Street Station, now a campus for Buckinghamshire New University. It’s actually in Hillingdon, Greater London, though and not in Buckinghamshire which is just across the River Colne to the west. The line closely follows the Hillingdon/Buckinghamshire border staying in Hillingdon for most of it’s length apart from one very short section at the start of Alderglade Nature Reserve.

From 106 Oxford Road follow Braybourne Close in a northerly direction to the end then into Alderglade Nature Reserve. The path follows the left hand side of the old railway embankment then follows the top of it. You can see a few bits of remaining metal from the railway if it’s not too overgrown. At the 1.3 km mark you’ll reach an old graffitied bridge that goes under the railway. Here you’ll need to cross over the Shire Ditch (Stream) and divert away from the rail route as it passes through private property.

Keep heading north on the footpath closest to the rail line and you’ll pass under a raised section of the A40 and through the Graffiti Gallery. On the north side of the A40 follow a path taking you east back to the course of the old rail line. There was a lot of nettles when we were there in July which made if difficult to see the path. Once on it, you can follow the route of the rail line through wood most of the way to the old mainline junction.

This section after the A40 is littered with old railway sleepers and bits of old railway metal. It’s a great place to explore in an area that attracts relatively few people. Around 500m from the A40 you’ll cross over an old bridge over the River Frays. Climb down the embankment just to the south of the river to get a good view of the old bridge. After the bridge continue along the route of the old railway to the site of the triangle junction that took trains onto the GWR/Chiltern Main Line. The route now ends here as the triangle is now used by a concrete company. Here you have the choice of retracing your steps for 200m to the footpath junction or, as we did, take a circuit of the small fishing lake in the woods to the east.

Whichever route you take to return from the end of the line, take the footpath that crosses between the 2 lakes on the eastern side of the old rail line. Cross over the Grand Union Canal and take a left to head south back to Uxbridge. When you pass Denham Deep Lock you could take a right into Denham Country Park to follow the South Bucks Way to Denham Station. As I’d followed that route on the bike the previous week we continued south along the canal. When you return to Uxbridge the Swan and Bottle Pub (next to the canal bridge) is a good place to stop for a rest. Look out for old photos of Uxbridge on the wall and a great map of waterways in the area. From the Swan and Bottle cross the bridge to the eastern side of the canal and back to the start at 106 Oxford Road.

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Richard gower30 July 2023Trek, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Colne Valley, Buckinghamshire, London, Chilterns, EnglandComment

Cycling the Staines to Denham Disused Railways

HS2 train parked up at Colnbrook Station

Start / Finish: Site of Staines West Station: The Old Station, Moor Lane, Staines, TW18 4BB
Distance: 22.9 km (14.2 miles)
Elevation: + 99m / -67m. Net +22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Colne Valley Way, London Loop, Shakespeare’s Way, Celandine Route, South Bucks Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, NCN 6, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Fat Boys Cafe, Colnbrook (7.8k in), Several as you pass through West Drayton and Yiewsley (~14 km in), Swan and Bottle pub, Uxbridge (18.8k in), Colne Valley Cafe (21 km in)
Maps:
- Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Staines-upon-Thames, Staines Moor, Stanwell Moor, Poyle, Colnbrook, Harmondsworth Moor, West Drayton, Yiewsley, Cowley, Uxbridge, Denham, Colne Valley Regional Park

This is a short cycle adventure inspired by 3 of Geoff Marshall’s London’s Lost Railways videos. It traces 3 separate disused railways that ran from Staines in Surrey to Denham in Buckinghamshire. Much of the route travels through the Colne Valley Regional Park, an interesting mix of countryside, industry and transport links on the western edge of Greater London. I cycled this route as a part of a 100 km circular tour of the Colne Valley, Chiltern Hills, South Bucks and Windsor. There’s a mix of road and off-road sections so it’s best to take a mountain bike or similar.

Check out Geoff’s videos for each section of the route for more detail on each of the lines and stations.

Line 1: Staines West to West Drayton

The Staines to West Drayton Railway was in existence from 1884 to 1965 and once also connected to the Reading to Waterloo Line at Staines. The Staines West Station building is still intact and now used as offices.

From Staines West Station follow Moor Lane until you reach a footpath on the right hand side just ahead of the A30 Staines Bypass. Follow this path to cross over the old bridge that crosses the River Wraysbury and the route of the old railway. Take a left after the bridge to pass under the A30 and onto Staines Moor. Keep to the south-western edge of the moor and find a gate leading to a bridge in the woods and the route of the old railway. Here you’ll find an information board about the railway and steps up to join the old rail line.

Follow the route of the old railway in a northerly direction to meet the site of the old Yeoveney Halt Station. There’s not much left but you can find some concrete remains in a clearing to the right hand side of the track.

Continue north following the edge of the M25 and River Wraysbury and take a path that passes through Junction 14 of the M25 to reach the western edge of the motorway. Just before you join Horton Road take a track heading south for about 100m to the approximate site of the old Poyle Halt Station. Nothing remains. You’re now also at the most westerly point of Greater London.

Retrace your route back from Poyle Halt to meet Horton Road following it west and then join Poyle Road at the roundabout. Take a right on the next roundabout onto Blackthorne road, following it east to the junction of Blackthorne Crescent where you’ll be at the approximate site of Poyle Estate Halt. As with the previous station, nothing remains.

Retrace your route back down Blackthorne Road and take a right back onto Poyle Road heading north, then a right onto Bath Road. Colnbrook Station can be found on the left hand side of Bath Road just after the junction with Meadowbrook Close. The old building still remains and is now a private house called Station Cottage. After Colnbrook Station the rail line is still in use but now only for cargo and not for passengers.

There was one extra station north of Colnbrook station called Colnbrook Estate Halt. There’s nothing left of it and I couldn’t find a way to get close to the location so we cycled on to West Drayton. To do this continue east along Bath Road over the M25 then take the first track on the left which takes you north to Harmondsworth Moor. Pass under the M4 near the M4/M25 junction and onto a road called The Common. Continue north, then right onto Cricketfield Road, right onto Mill Road, left onto Station Road, right onto Warwick Road where you’ll find West Drayton Station and the end of this section.

Line 2: West Drayton to Uxbridge Vine Street

This section follows the Uxbridge (Vine Street) branch line from West Drayton station. The line ran passenger services from 1884 to 1962 and completely closed in 1979. Today nothing remains of Uxbridge Vine Street Station or Cowley Station, the only other station on the route. You can still find evidence of the line in the shape of streets and some road names.

From West Drayton Station cross over High Street and follow Tavistock Road, following the curve of the old railway. Take a right onto Trout Road over the Grand Union Canal, a left through a path onto Chantry Close then a left onto the A408. Taking a right onto Moorfield Road then take a left onto St Martin Close, a right onto New Peachy Lane and a left onto Peachy Lane. Note that in Geoff’s video he found some alleyways between the houses that traced a closer route to the old line.

Take a left off Peachy Lane onto Kingdom Lane, a cycle path that directly follows the route of the old railway. Follow this for 0.5km to Station Road, near the site of the old Cowley Station. Cross Station Road and continue to follow the old rail route up Cleveland Road, Whitehall Road and Kendal Mews. You’ve now arrived at the busy A4020 (Hillingdon Road) dual carriageway that runs through Uxbridge. The Hertz building on the north side of the A4020 is on the site of the old Vine Street Station.

Line 3: Uxbridge High Street to Denham

From the site of Uxbridge Vine Street Station navigate round the roundabout to pick up Oxford Road to the site of the old Uxbridge High Street Station at 106 Oxford Road. There’s no remains of the old station and the site is now a building for the Buckinghamshire New University.

Geoff’s video on this section describes a walk along the route of the old line that connected Uxbridge to the Chiltern main line (formerly GWR) from 1907 to 1964. Having cycled through Alderglade Nature Reserve and Frays Farm Meadows before I remember it being a tricky ride and best tackled on foot. This time we opted for a more cycle-friendly route to the west of the old line. Timea (wife) and I went back to Uxbridge a week later to walk the true route of the old railway and you read about that in my next post.

From 106 Oxford Road we followed the Grand Union Canal Towpath from the Swan and Bottle pub to the southern entrance of Denham Country Park south of Denham Deep Lock. From here follow the South Bucks Way through the Country Park, Buckinghamshire Golf Course, Denham Village and along The Pyghtle to Denham Station. This is the end point of the route along the 3 disused rail lines.

The full cycle route from Staines West to Denham

The full cycle route: all 3 lines from Staines (south) to Denham (north)

Elevation plan for the full cycle route between Staines West and Denham

Stations on the Staines West to Denham Lines

Displayed in order of the cycle route from Staines West to Denham. Click on each photo to connect to the Wikipedia article for the station. Includes West Drayton and Denham which are still operating stations.