THE latest community news from around Lampeter.

Ramblers

THE walk on Saturday, 5 November, was the start of the season’s shorter winter walks, with a perfect day for an autumnal walk following along the lanes and footpaths from the Talardd Inn at Llanllwni, led by Melfyn Walker, towards Llwynpur and the footpath to Cwmdu and Brynceirch.

Then, after a short stretch on the main road at Pentop, we turned on the footpath through the ancient oak woodlands of Coed Gwarallt to the mountain road and back along Park Lane to the Talardd.

On Saturday, 29 October, Alan Jacob led us on a loop around the Afon Marlais valley at Llansawel, following the old droving road crossing over Banc Cwm Hywel then taking the old cart lane to Esgerwen.

A new footbridge spanning the Marlais at Maestyle has opened this lovely secluded area for walkers, and from here we progressed along the quiet lanes to the bridleway at Groes which meets a crossroads of paths where we turned to return to Llansawel over Banc Pistyllgwyn.

The week before, we enjoyed the last of the longer walks before the onset of the shorter winter days with a wonderful 10-mile hike at Defynnog, meeting up with our fellow ramblers from Llanelli, led by James Williams.

Our destination was for the upland area of Fforest Fach which separates the Crai and Senny valleys nestling within the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park.

Climbing to its trig point at 382m, our course followed sheep paths, and on the lower slopes, a bridleway path southwards to Crai.

Skirting the higher moorland of Fan Bwlchchwyth we crossed Waun Dwr to the mountainside chapel and a return to the village on an ancient ridgeway path, Heol Cefn-y-gaer.Another perfect day’s ramble on 15 October was on a linear route from chapel to chapel to near the source of the Afon Cothi, led by Kay Davies.

Ffarmers is notably linked to droving history where cattle were driven to Smithfield market in London.

Starting from Bethel Cwmpedol chapel, we proceeded up through pastures to the open moorland to the ruined Blaencothi farmstead, situated on the banks of the infant Cothi which marks the county boundary.

Crossing the stream we followed its course straddling Crug Siarls on sheep paths to the remote Nantyrast farm, most of us remaining fairly dry footed as we negotiated the wetter parts especially at the confluence of Nant yr Adar, one of the many small tributory streams in this area.

From here, the going was easier on the firm solid track for the last two miles following the Cothi downstream to Bwlch-y-rhiw chapel.

It was a splendid walk in the wildness of the nearby countryside, made all the more interesting by Beti Jenkins, who relayed much social history of the area recolected from youthful memories whilst shearing at Blaencothi and staying in Cwmpedol.

St Peter’s Church

SUNDAY, 20 November: 8am, Holy Communion in English; 10.30am, Morning Worship (bilingual).