On May Day morning, twenty adults and nine children, plus various dogs, set out to walk from Gravel Arch to the summit of Beacon Hill and then back to the village. Walkers’ ages ranged from four to ‘over 80’, and this was the biggest turnout for some years. We were lucky with the weather (though it was a bit cool on the tops) and even luckier to have, for the first time, ‘mobile backup’ throughout. This was provided by David Blake on his old grey Fergie, adapted to seat (or bounce) an extra three adults or four children and expertly driven along rutty tracks and through pondy puddles. From time to time he picked up temporarily challenged walkers or kids who just fancied a tractor ride, as well as carrying the author of this note and his ‘bad feet’.
Having made remarkably good time to the trig point summit for a picnic, we descended to Pam and Dave’s Craig Fach, where they generously laid on tea, coffee, sausage rolls, Welsh cakes and Jan’s brownies. This was the official finish, but nearly everyone walked on down to the village, completing (by general consensus of tracking devices) over eleven miles in all. Thanks to Jan, Dave and Pam and Richie L for organising, and congratulations to all who did the walk.
Words & Photos by: Charles Kightly