The BeaconThe Beacon

Cymdeithas Parc Bannau BrycheiniogThe Brecon Beacons Park Society

Summer 2014

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Summer 2014 Issue 41

CONTENTS

EditorialA Few words from the Chair AGM ReportNational Park NewsThe Most Risky Part of a Walk?The Chartist CaveBronze Age SecretWould you believe it?Letters to the EditorMore NewsLandscape and Geology of the Beacons Way

Cover illustrations

Front: Keeper’s Pond Chris Barber MBE FRGS Back: Sugar Loaf Sunset - Chris Barber MBE FRGS

Design by Chris Barber MBE FRGSSub Editor Anne Marie Barber

Registered Charity No. 1075345

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THE BRECON BEACONS PARK SOCIETY

The Park Society is an independent organisation for anyone who caresabout and enjoys this very special landscape and environment.

Our ever-growing membership consists of people living both inside andoutside the Park who wish to see its essential characteristics conserved orenhanced. They are people who wish to know more about its past, presentand future.

Every week the Park Society stages at least two events which explore onfoot these protected landscapes. The Park Society is simply the best way tolearn more about The Brecon Beacons National Park.

For more information visit our website which contains any updates onThe Beacons Way and application forms for joining the Society.

www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org

THE BEACONS WAYThe Beacons Way is a 95 mile walking trail through some of the most variedand beautiful upland landscapes in Great Britain. Designed by members ofthe Park Society, for experienced walkers, it can be completed over eightconsecutive days or explored as a series of linear walks. The route, mainlythrough open country, has very little lane or road walking.

A brand new edition of The Beacons Way guidebook is now available at£9.99 from local bookshops and Tourist Information Centres. Alternativelycontact Blorenge Books at : 01873 856114.

Subscription rates are:Annual Individual Annual under 18Annual FamilyLife Individual (under 65)Life (65 and over)Life Family (under 65)Life (Family 65 and over)

Annual Membership runs for 12 monthsfrom January each year (up to 15 months

for members joining after 1st October).

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£15£8

£22£225£150£330£220

MEMBERSHIP

EDITORIAL

Our recent Annual General Meeting has marked theend of yet another year for the Society, and CeridwenCoulson’s report provides a detailed record of the

proceedings. It is unfortunate that so many of our membersnever bother to attend the AGM; but those who do, showloyal support to the Society and their appreciation of thework by the Executive Committee and other volunteers.They also have a very enjoyable day, and it is a good opportunity to renewfriendships and visit an interesting location in the Park.

We are sorry to hear of the departure of Julie James as Chairman of theBrecon Beacons National Park Authorit;, her term as a Welsh Governmentappointee having come to an end. She has been an excellent Chairman. Wenow extend a warm welcome to her successor, Councillor Hopkins; andMelanie Doel, a former BBC presenter as Vice Chairman.

As usual, I am grateful to Dilys Harlow for her Part 6 of ‘Landscape andGeology of the Beacons Way’ which has been a fascinating journey acrossthe National Park, and most informative.

Dilys has also written an account of a worrying problem that occurredduring a walk to the Chartist Cave on a misty day. I have followed heraccount with a description of the cave and a warning about the need forgood navigation ability when venturing across the wilderness ofLlangynidr moor.

Nigel Mills is a new contributor to The Beacon, and his article on BronzeAge sites also relates to the Llangynidr area. His article is well illustrated,and as Editor, I am always particularly grateful to those who not only writeinteresting accounts, but also supply colour pictures to go with them.

My Chartist Cave article also relates to the novel Rape of the Fair Countryby Alexander Cordell; and this year being the centenary of his birth (1914),I am giving a tribute talk relating to this popular author. It will not only beabout his life and literary achievments, but will also feature locations ofspecial interest within the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World HeritageSite. I look forward to seeing some of you at the Bear Hotel in Crickhowellon Tuesday 16 September at 7.30pm.

Chris Barber Editor

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A FEW WORDS FROM THE CHAIR

Firstly I would like to thank you all for re-electing me asChair of the Society at our AGM on the 14th of June. I willdo my best to forward the aims of the Society and secure itsongoing wellbeing.

The AGMWe had a good turnout for the AGM and filled the meetingroom at the Penderyn Village Hall. It was an excellent event which wentvery smoothly, allowing business to be conducted efficiently and the wholeday to be enjoyed by all. Many thanks to our outgoing Secretary DavidThomas.

I will not reiterate the contents of the Annual Report here in the Beaconother than to say that the Society has had yet another busy and successfulyear. Details can be found in the Annual Report at the entry on May 25th ofthe News section of our web site.

So what has been happening recently?

The Circuit of WalesThere are issues on the proposed diversion route for the footpath throughthe site. Society and Ramblers members will be walking the route andmeeting with the developers on the 17th July.

The headline news re this development is, of course, the sacking of theGovernment Minister Alun Davies. He was the Minister responsible forNatural Resources Wales (NRW) who are supposed to act as anindependent body advising the Government on environmental matters. Hewas found guilty of breaking the Ministerial Code by urging them tochange their position of recommending that this development applicationshould be decided by the Welsh Government rather than the Local Council.

As well as inappropriate pressure on an independent body, this was aclear conflict of interest as he was also the AM for the area where thedevelopment is to take place. NRW duly did an about face andrecommended that the application be decided by the Local Council whereit was subsequently approved. Mr Davies escaped punishment for thismisconduct by the skin of his teeth, primarily due to senior NRWmanagement stating that his intervention did not influence their decision. The Society has never been convinced by the evidence from NRW that theyclaim was the reason for this change of view, and we wrote to them last yearpointing out the weakness of their evidence. We have shared this with

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Kirsty Williams and William Powell of the Liberal Democrats and withAntoinette Sandbach of the Conservatives who were taking the lead inprotesting about Alun Davies' behaviour. He was eventually sacked fromhis Ministerial post for repeatedly seeking private information on theseAMs and others politicians who were asking questions in the Assemblyabout his actions. The obvious conclusion would be that he hoped to findinformation that could be used to discredit his opponents - you may thinkso, I couldn't possibly comment.

The Society is in continuing communications with AMs re thecredibility of NRW's performance as an independent body with respect tothe Circuit of Wales development.

The Alliance for National Parks Wales/Welsh GovernmentIn the aftermath of the Alun Davies fiasco, responsibility for theEnvironment (including NRW) has been added to the portfolio of JohnGriffiths the former Minister for the Environment, who is also responsiblefor National Parks. This hopefully will prove a good thing for theenvironment and the National Parks.

The Planning Bill is still to be introduced so we do not yet know if NPAswill retain the planning power which is so key to the management of ourNational Parks.

A Review of National Park Governance has been announced, tocommence at a date to be determined. The Society, in collaboration with ourpartners in the Alliance, has been preparing input to this review. The BBPSis taking the lead on researching alternative National Park models andassessing how appropriate they may be to Wales. To help with this I havehad multiple conversations with Chief Executives and other senior staff atboth the Cairngorms and the Loch Lomond NPAs to understand how thesuccessful Scottish model works.

The Alliance continues to operate very successfully and our lobbying ofpoliticians and their staff might just be beginning to bear fruit (well at leastthey are listening to us). Alliance members have also been meeting withleaders in the farming and landowner communities to try to help buildbridges to the National Park movement.Guided Walks and Events

We continue to deliver our excellent walks and events programme forthe enjoyment of all, and to run our walk leader training sessions to ensurethey are well prepared for their responsibilities.

Our fellow Society member David Dickson has taken up the role ofRights of Way officer. The definition of this role is in the 1st Feb 2014 itemin the News section of our web site. In essence it is to be the liaison betweenthe Society and the Park on all matters to do with rights of way.

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Dark SkiesThe astronomical observatory is currently under construction at theMountain Centre with the help of the NPTC group of colleges (the formerColeg Powys here in Brecon is part of this group). Many thanks to Societymember Graham Cragg for the introduction to Brecon College principle.The first meeting of the Brecon Beacons Dark Sky Reserve ManagementBoard, that the Society is a member of, is currently being scheduled.

We continue to encourage other organisations to counter light pollutionand to that end have recently met with the Snowdonia and Peak DistrictNational Parks who are going for international recognition. Additionally Igave a presentation at the AGM of the Elenydd Wilderness Hostel Trust andwho have now decided to apply for the more local Dark Sky Discovery sitedesignation for their two hostels, as have Llanddeusant Youth Hostel aftermeeting with Ruth Coulthard of the Park and myself.

FundraisingWe are underway again on setting up our “Love the Beacons” visitor giftingscheme after a bit of a hiatus on this work due to multiple staff changes atour pilot hotel group Taste Inn Wales. They have agreed to add adiscretionary £1 donation to our scheme to every restaurant bill across allfour of their businesses, namely Peterstone Court, Nantyffin Cider Mill, theCastle in Llandovery, and the Manor in Crickhowell and we expect tolaunch our scheme very soon. If you are going out for dinner pleaseconsider giving them your custom.

We will in the near future be looking to involve other hotels in the areain our “Love the Beacons” scheme so if you have any personal contacts inhotels and are willing to introduce us please contact myself atJim.wilson60@btinternet.com or Liz Lloyd at liz.lloyd@tiscali.co.uk I think that's all for now.

Jim WilsonChair, Brecon Beacons Park Society

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THE 22nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING held at Penderyn Community Centre,

Saturday 14 June 2014

Ceridwen Coulson

Jim Wilson in the Chair welcomed 44 Park Society members to this year'sAGM. After the 2013 meeting Minutes were approved, Jim presented theAnnual Report for the year ending 31 March 2014, highlighting that it hasagain been a very busy and successful year.

There has been sadness at the loss of three members of the Society whohad contributed so much, namely Jim Kear, Judy Cox and Brian Powdrill.

The Guided Walks Programme, put together by Anne Pritchard,continues to be superb, thanks to all the walk leaders. Training, includingEmergency Remote First Aid, for the leaders continues, and moreemergency small group shelters have been bought, to be carried onappropriate walks in case of need.

Gerry Smith and, more recently, Roger White have organised severalenjoyable visits and well-attended evening talks.Ian Smith has continued to run his excellent navigation courses.

Communication within the Society has continued to improve, withenhancement of the Society website and Ian Case's introduction of socialmedia capabilities via Facebook and Twitter. The Facebook group has beenparticularly appreciated by interested members.

Jim Wilson addressing the meeting

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Our Fundraising Working Group has made slow progress with a visitorgifting scheme at interested National Park hotels and restaurants. Therehave been some problems but continuing efforts will be made to developthis method of strengthening the Society finances.

The Walls of Llangynidr project, run by William Gibbs, has rebuilt 88metres of dry stone wall along the mountain-field boundary above Cwmdu,partly funded by the Society.

The Fforest Fawr Geopark, Dilys Harlow being the Societyrepresentative, is continuing to have discussions about extending thecurrent boundaries to include some interesting geological areas.

The ongoing Dark Sky Project (in which the Society is a majorparticipant) has been well received by local communities. Visitors to relatedevents and festivals have generated additional revenue. A Seminar andWorkshop about light pollution has been presented at the Senedd, and theWelsh Government has expressed its support of controlling light pollution.

There is continuing coordination with Pembrokeshire and SnowdoniaNational Parks and with local areas Crai and Elan. The Observatory atLibanus will open shortly.

Elizabeth Gibbs has continued to monitor planning applications.Following discussions at the Executive Committee, objections have beenraised in a few cases if a plan has appeared to be detrimental to the Park.Ongoing participation in efforts to mitigate the effects of planned orpotential projects. Chris Barber has worked with the dualling of the A465Heads of the Valley road project in the Clydach Gorge area, and Societymembers have given their input to the proposed Circuit of Walesimmediately adjacent to the southern boundary of the Park near Rassau.

The Society has continued to work hard with other like-mindedorganisations to monitor and influence Welsh Government policy. The sub-group of the Campaign for National Parks, CNP Cymru, was not successfulin practice. It lacked autonomy and flexibility so has been dismantled. Anew Alliance for National Parks Cymru has been created with foundermembers of the three Welsh National Park Societies, Campaign for theProtection of Rural Wales and the Association of Areas of OutstandingNatural Beauty. The Alliance is running a “National Parks Matter”campaign and is helping to shape new legislation through advocacy at theAssembly and responses to government consultations.

There being no points raised from the audience, the Annual Report for2013/2014 was approved.

The Treasurer, Ben Sladen, then presented his report and the Statementof Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2014. He expanded on the financialactivities of some of the Funds, and thanked the work of the Hon. Auditor,Anne Stenning.

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Membership of the Society is reasonably stable. The number ofmembers who opt to receive notification of Walks Programmes andNewsletters by e-mail, and then view on the web site, is increasing. Anymore members who would like this option, which saves the Societysignificant postage costs, were urged to let Ben know.

The Treasurer's Report was approved.

The Officers were elected for 2014-2015, Jim Wilson as HonoraryChairman, Charles Henderson as Honorary Vice Chairman, Ben Sladen asHonorary Treasurer, Ceridwen Coulson as Hon. Secretary.

Other Members of the Executive Committee were re-elected for 2014-2015, Chris Barber, David Thomas, Elizabeth Gibbs, William Gibbs, andAnne Pritchard.

Anne Stenning was re-elected as Honorary Auditor.Richard Chandler was thanked for his sterling service throughout the

year as Minutes Secretary.Several matters were raised under Any Other Business, always an

interesting section of the meeting.Anne Pritchard thanked the Walk Leaders for all their help and support

in the excellent Guided Walks Programme, and for sometimes “standing-in” on contingency.

Anne Pritchard talking about the Guided Walks Programme

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Frank Scott organises the training programme for walk leaders,appreciated.

Anne also thanked Roger White for organizing Society events, whichhave been well attended.

The Society recognizes the input of Allan Gibbs, Technical Advisor,towards training days and frequent advice.

Soo Turnbull and her team are thanked for their work in preparingSociety printed literature for posting.

David Thomas's development and maintenance of the website isappreciated.

Ros Grant organized an Upland Volunteer Day, with input from theBrecon Beacons National Park, on Twmpa in March 2014, improvingdrainage on the footpath. Details will be on the website for another daywhich will be on Saturday 13 September 2014. The aim is to run four daysof this kind each year.

On her death Judy Cox left a significant library of maps, Anne broughtthese to the meeting. Attendees were asked to peruse and take any ofinterest, making a donation to Brecon Mountain Rescue as felt appropriate.

Anne would welcome volunteers to help with several areas of her work.

Wendy Sladen thanked Anne for her significant input.

Ben Sladen would also like some help, particularly with theMembership Secretary aspects of his work. Anyone interested, pleasecontact him. The Society website will be used to store membership datasecurely.

Also, a volunteer Honorary Auditor may be needed at short notice atsome stage in the forthcoming year.

Haydn Williams, former Society Chair, noted the publication by CollinsNew Naturalist Library of an attractive new hard-back book entitled'Brecon Beacons' by Jonathon Mullard. It may be purchased for £34.10.

John Gibbs, in a message from William Gibbs, noted two localexhibitions, one in Abergavenny Museum of paintings of Llanthony Priory,one in Chepstow Museum re Tintern Abbey. Also, the National Museum inCardiff has a display of vivid landscapes by James D Innes, including theArenig in North Wales, to 20 July.

Anne Wilson asked about the funding contribution that had in the pastbeen made from the Society to CNP. An approximately similar sum is likelyto be paid towards the expenses of the new Alliance. Elizabeth Gibbs askedif the Alliance will employ anybody to work with the Welsh Government.Currently, no-one will be paid in this role, rather using the expertise ofinterested people in the Alliance organisations.

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John Gibbs, in his role as Chair of the Brecknock Society & MuseumFriends, noted that CADW finance had been made available to enhance theappearance of the grave of the poet and physician Henry Vaughan atLlansantffraed Church near Talybont-on-Usk. This may lead to acelebratory event in September.

Roger White would welcome such an event and ideas for other eventsthat would be of interest to Society members.

Charles Henderson noted that the Peak District Park Society has hadsuccess in attracting funding via members' legacies, and suggested we allconsider this in relation to the Brecon Beacons Park Society!

Geoff Williams noted that Tony Drake, founder of the Cambrian Way,left part of his estate to maintain and improve the appeal of the route. TheRamblers may particularly support this initiative.

Priscilla Llewelyn thought more could be done to make people who livein the Park aware of the existence and work of the Society, particularlyaspects other than the walks. Specifically regarding the guided walks, shewondered if there could be a few relatively shorter walks in the programme.This suggestion was supported by Geoff Williams. She asked whether therewas sufficient maintenance of all footpaths, and whether the Society couldhave a presence at more events within the Park. Haydn suggested a standat the Royal Welsh Show. There was some discussion regarding these ideas:while good in principle, there are cost and manpower considerations. Wecould perhaps share with other Welsh Park Societies and relevant groups,to spread the workload & cost, and increase impact.

Anne will mention to the volunteer leaders the thoughts about havingsome shorter, easier walks in the programme.

David Thomas thanked Jim Wilson for his huge input on behalf of theSociety in several areas, particularly in the last year to the now defunct CNPCymru, and the new Alliance. All attendees expressed their thanks.

Expanding on prior mentions, David said much more help is nownecessary with Society work in a number of areas, including Planningissues, keeping an eye on footpaths and Rights of Way, help with setting upand expanding the visitor gifting scheme, the Dark Sky Project, outward-looking publicity of Society projects, liaison with and looking atimplications of government policy and legislative programme. Theseopportunities are in addition to the roles already requested in helping Annewith the Walks Programme and Ben with Membership Secretary aspects.Each job is not large but all offers to help would be much appreciated.

Jim thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting.

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The AGM was followed by an excellent buffet lunch, and a browse ofthe display, not only Society material, but also local produce fromCommunity Centre volunteers. We then had a very interesting illustratedtalk on the history of the area by Celia Morgan of the Penderyn CommunityHistory Society.

Some members walked to the waterfalls area, including Sgwd yr Eira, ashorter route back led by Tim Coulson, a longer return by Clive Eiles.

Others had a most enjoyable and humorous tour of Penderyn Distillery,not only producing single malt Welsh whisky, but also a cream liqueur, ginand a vodka.

We then visited some of the places alluded to in the talk, St Cynog'sChurch with a Norman tower and some unusual monuments in thechurchyard, and a very old local inn, the Red Lion, where the beers areserved straight from the barrels.

All returned to the Community Centre for delicious home-made cakesand tea.

It was a varied day, very worth-while, thank you to all who attendedand contributed.

(Over £150 was donated to Brecon Mountain Rescue from Judy Cox'smaps, very generous).

Thanks from Brecon Mountain Rescue Team

The BBPS recipe book, Food for Feet, raised £527.00 for Brecon MountainRescue (the Society met the printing costs). We also gave the team the 80unsold books to sell at events, so they could receive an additional £240.

Brecon MRT sent their thanks to BBPS and to everyone whocontributed, sold and bought the book, saying that this was a uniquefundraising campaign.

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NATIONAL PARK NEWS

New Chairman and Deputy elected for Brecon Beacons National Park Authority

Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the National ParkAuthority offices on Friday 27th June 2014, the new Chairman, Cllr GeraintHopkins and Deputy Chairman, Mrs Melanie Doel were elected, along withthe Chairs and Deputies of the Planning and Audit and ScrutinyCommittees.

In the AGM, Cllr Geraint Hopkins, a councillor from Powys CountyCouncil was unanimously appointed by all Members present as the newChairman for Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. Cllr Hopkinssucceeds Mrs Julie James, a representative appointed by the WelshGovernment. Mrs Melanie Doel, former BBC presenter and now appointedto the Authority by the Welsh Government was also unanimously elected asDeputy Chairman for the Park Authority.

In her outgoing speech to Members, Mrs James asked Members toendorse the pledge she had made in a previous committee meeting toconfirm that the National Park Authority will become the first dementiafriendly National Park in the UK which was voted in unanimously byMembers. She also spoke of the pleasure and privilege she has had servingas Chairman for the last three years.

Addressing Members on his appointment as Chairman, Cllr GeraintHopkins thanked the outgoing Chairman for all her support and said: “Itis a huge honour to be elected as Chairman to the Authority by mycolleagues and I look forward to working with them all over the next yearto lead this Authority forward.”

Mrs Melanie Doel, new Deputy Chairman of Brecon Beacons NationalPark Authority said: “These are challenging times for the National ParkAuthority and I look forward to supporting the Chairman and our excellentteam of Members and staff in the coming year.”

John Cook, Chief Executive for Brecon Beacons National Park Authoritysaid: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Cllr Hopkins as our newChairman and Mrs Melanie Doel as Deputy Chairman. The Officers of thisAuthority look forward to working with them both and all of our Membersover the next year. I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to MrsJulie James, our outgoing Chairman, who has led the Brecon BeaconsNational Park Authority for the past three years with strong leadership,sound judgement and unrivalled passion.”

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Consecrated Soil from Pen y Fan

At a special service held on Thursday 17th July, soil from the top of Pen yFan was collected for an event to be held on Flanders Field on 16th Augustinvolving the unveiling of a memorial to mark those of Welsh descent whotook part in the First World War.

The soil was blessed by Reverend Richard Podger from the Parish ofCantref, and it was put into reproductions of First World War sandbagsusing the original material. The sandbags were kindly donated by theBelgium company Mutoh and made specially for the event.

This small blessing event was attended by nearly twentyrepresentatives from across the Brecon Beacons National Park, andincluded such organisations as the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority,The National Trust and 160 Wales Brigade as well as members from theWelsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign Committee.

Colonel Kevin Davies, Deputy Commander from HQ 160 Brigade said:“This is quite a special day for all of us and we stand here in honour of thosewho fell. The battles that were fought by our brave soldiers were theinspiration for me joining the army and being here for the blessing of thissoil at the start of its journey across the sea in tribute to those who took partin the First World War is very special indeed.”

Soil has also been collected from the summit of Snowdon and twoWelsh schoolboys - one from North Wales and one from South Wales - willbe speaking at the dedication service in Flanders, about the fallen Welshsoldiers and they will then place the soil at the memorial base.

The Flanders Field memorial has been four years in the making, and hasbeen a labour of love for Peter Carter Jones, who is the leading co-ordinatorof the Welsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign. A large speciallycommissioned bronze memorial dragon has been fitted to the top of theCromlech and it will be officially unveiled at a special memorial service bythe Welsh First Minister and the Secretary of State for Wales.

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Is this the most risky part of a walk?Dilys Harlow

Traditionally the greatest risk of slips is towards the end when folk areweary and relaxing their concentration.

But I suggest that the highest risk of losing a group member is at a peestop, especially a female pee stop (read on before accusing me of sexism).Admittedly this observation is based on only two incidents, but I feel surethey are not unique and that there are useful lessons to be learnt, by bothleaders and group members.

It was a most uncomfortable feeling standing outside the Chartists Caveon a cold, wet March morning with one walker missing. The visibility wasless than 100m, we were surrounded by swirling cloud and completesilence. She had left the cave during the coffee break and not returned, herrucksack with spare clothes and mobile phone were left in the cave.

Stop worrying, we found her in 20 minutes with a circular sweepsearch. She was in a dip about 150m away, had heard our shouts but couldnot decide what direction they came from and we could not hear her callingeither, perhaps due to the cloud and drizzle. Fortunately she had the goodsense to stay put. If she had set off in the wrong direction and we hadresorted to calling out Mountain Rescue there would have been aconsiderable delay and she would probably have been seriouslyhypothermic.

Thinking about this incident afterwards I decided that women are mostat risk in this situation as we often walk further in search of privacy andthen often turn around to avoid sitting on nettles, gorse or spiky bracken.Then when you stand up and finish struggling to rearrange your clammylayers you could be badly disoriented.

Lessons for leaders and backmarkers: 1. In these conditions warn the group of the risk and announce that you

will organise regular, segregated pee stops and that anyone stopping forany reason at any other time must tell the backmarker, who will halt thegroup (with a pre-arranged whistle signal).

2. At a meal stop in poor visibility suggest that people (women especially!)go off in pairs, do not walk far and carefully note the return direction.

3. Count the group before setting off after any stop.4. Even in good visibility everyone should be asked to let the backmarker

know if they are stopping.Lessons for group members:

Follow the leader's advice!

THE CHARTIST CAVEChris Barber

In one of my early walking guides to the Park ( published in 1980), I was thefirst writer to describe a route across Llangynidr Moor to this remote caveand in those days it was even harder to find than it is now, because sincethat time well trodden tracks have been established. When writing thisbook I was very conscious of the possibility of people without goodnavigation skills getting lost and I inserted the following warning:

“This route is not recommended on a misty day unless you are competent atmountain navigation. It will provide the walker with a map and compassexercise even in clear weather and can be dangerous for unskilled navigatorsin poor visibility, who could spend the remainder of their lives wanderingaround in endless circles.”It is very hard to walk in a straight line in the mist, without a compass

and to return to your starting point can be very difficult in suchcircumstances. Even in clear weather, some walkers fail to find the ChartistCave for it is certainly not very obvious, unless you have seen it before. Theentrance is situated at an altitude of just over 1750 feet and hidden in ahollow, beneath an arch of rock about 20 feet wide and 5 feet high.

Originally the cave was known as Tylles Fawr (Great Hole), butTheophilus Jones in his History of Brecknock also refers to it as ‘Stabl Fawr’and comments on the babit of mountain ponies taking shelter inside thecave during severe storms.

In 1969 members of the South Wales Caving Club worked on a ‘dig’ inthe cave to reveal a passage dropping down to a lower chamber with otherpassages leading off it. The present known length of the cave is 440m butthere is no doubt that it is just a small part of a very extensive system underthese moors.

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At the entrance is a plaque commemorating the reputed use of thisvery remote cave by the Chartists in 1839. It reads:

Pikes and possible other weapons were securely made andstockpiled in these caves during the summer of 1839. Theywere subsequently carried by Tredegar Chartists on the greatmarch to seize Newport - 3rd - 5th November 1839. Thisbecame the greatest armed clash between Government andBritish people in the nineteenth century and resulted in overtwenty deaths and the last mass treason trial in Britishhistory.

This plaque was placed here by Tredegar Town Council in1989 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the insurrectionwhich eventually helped win democratic rights for all Britishpeople.

Alexander Cordell’s famous novel Rape of the Fair Country (published in1959) mentions the cave and dramatically describes it being used by theChartists as a secret meeting place where plans for the uprising werediscussed and weapons were stored. He even went so far as to describe aninner chamber being used as a smithy for the manufacture of pikes etc. Thissuited the purpose of his novel, but in reality it would have been verydifficult for smiths to have worked in a smoke filled cave without anymeans of ventilation.

It was a cavern inside, a fissure cut through solid limestone by the rushingwaters of a world melting from ice a hundred million years ago; a weird placeof grotesque shadows and chilling echoes where the only light was flung bylanterns. Deeper into the mountain we went, through cavern after cavernwhere men sat at tables pouching shot and filling powder-horns. Deeperstill, crouching at times, we reached the gunsmiths’ rooms where skilled menfitted barrrels to stocks of pistols and muskets. Here were the blacksmiths,stripped and sweating, and the air was ringing to the beat of hammers.

Rape of the Fair Country

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BRONZE AGE SECRETNigel Mills

South of Llangynidr is a mountain with a secret. Driving up fromLlangnidyr village, on the B4560 you come to a parking area on the righthand side of the road. You can see all around you a high plateau area,exposed to the elements, often windy and when it rains, it really rains. It isfairly bleak here and so not too popular with walkers or picnickers.However, archaeologists tell us, that five thousand years ago, the climatewas different, approximately 5 degrees warmer on average. Those 5degrees may have been enough to make this a very pleasant place to live.

The ground is now marshy and boggy in places and the top soil is thin.No crops will grow here so no cultivation has taken place. It is acombination of these factors that has allowed the remains of an Bronze Agesettlement to remain largely undisturbed for approximately five thousandyears.

If you walk down the road from the car park and then, when the roadbends sharply to the left, take a track off to the right. After only a few yardsbear off the track in a westerly direction you will come to a flat table-toparea. In the summer months you will only see bracken, but from lateautumn to early spring the land reveals its secret past. You are now in areacalled the Cwalca Cairn field.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/13005/cwalca_cairnfield.html

The casual walker may walk past the piles of stones without a secondglance. But if you stop and take a closer look you will see the stones arearranged in roughly circular shapes. If you imagine the stones arranged ontop of each other, rather than collapsed in a pile, the shape of a circularbuilding begins to form in your mind.

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The buildings may have been large enough for two, three or four peopleto sleep in. Imagine perhaps if the stones had wooden poles embeddedwithin them and the poles met together at the top to form a frame of a roof.Imagine thatch or mud laid over the wooden frame. Now you have aBronze Age house. Looking around there are several more circularcollections of stones. The Commission of Ancient Monuments site this areaon their website (http://www.rcahmw.gov.uk/media/216.pdf) as a BronzeAge settlement. At the area itself however there are no notices, no placards,no turnstiles or postcards. Has it all deliberately been kept low key andunannounced?

Slightly apart from the stones there are some natural springs. Some ofthe springs also have piles of stones gathered around them as if some sortof construction was previously there. A possible bath area or a constructionto protect the drinking water from the faeces of animals?

Has this stone been toppled over?

If you walk further northwards you come to the edge of the plateauwhere the land drops away towards Llangynidr. Head for the large stoneCairn that can be seen from some distance and look down the slope. Severallarge stones can be seen that appear to have been toppled over, perhapsfrom a standing position on the ridge itself. The area here is calledDisgwylfa. Disgwylfa can be translated as Beacon or Watch Tower. Perhapsthe toppled stones formed part of that watch tower or Beacon. Certainly afire lit on a tower here would have been visible for many miles across thevalley to Crug Hywel and Bwlch.

There is another curiosity here just near the large cairn. If you lookcarefully you can see three or four stones embedded in the ground. The linemade by these stones points directly north. Aligned by the ancients maybewith a polar star? We know that whilst all the other stars appear to move

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around the polar star always stays to the north and has been used forthousands of years as a navigational aid.

The large cairn

If you now head south west, first down a little slope then across theboggy plateau you will come across a stone all by itself. Not so much astanding stone as a sitting stone. I am no archaeologist but looking at thetop surface of the stone it appears ideal for sitting on! Almost purposedesigned as there appears to have been hollows created, which are perfectbuttock shaped! And what a place to sit, the view of the Brecon Beacons tothe west is a real gift to the eyes.

An ideal stone for sitting on!

Did our ancestors sit here and mediate on the beauty of theirsurroundings or were they too busy with the every day business ofsurvival? The building of Stonehenge and other places indicate that afterthe needs of hunger and shelter had been provided for, there was indeedtime.

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Head up the small ridge to the top of a small quarried area. Keep a lookout to the West and after a yards you will see the standing stone of CarregWaun Llech. Standing mysteriously alone in a marshy area. There are noother collections of stones anywhere near it. The base of the standing stone is usually surrounded by water.

I would recommend that you keep on the higher of ground behind thestone so you are looking west, with the stone in front of you. From thisvantage point the stone is clearly shaped like an arrow head. The tip of thearrow is pointing west.

Guided walk led by the author to Carreg Waun Llech

Did our ancestors place this stone to line up with the rising sun on asolstice day? Would the position of the sun relative to the stone indicateto them how long till the depth of winter or the peak of summer? Thisinformation may have been vital for planting and preparation for the seasonahead.

Or did the stone perhaps have some other mysterious purpose? A placeof worship? A place to contact ‘the energy of the earth or the energy ofnature’. Standing beside the stone one can look out to an amazing view.Across Crug Hywell, or Sugar Loaf even Partrishow and Cwmyoy in thedistance. To sit here and allow the energy of those other sacred places toabsorb their nature is a very special experience.

Was the stone placed here as a gathering point for the energies of allaround?

I invite you to take your time, to pause, to turn off your mobile phone,let go of the unanswered emails and the unpaid bills. Let yourself be takenback to a time when life was more elemental, when stones and earth andfire and wind and rain were all around you. The sun and the moon weredominant in your experience. You are part of the landscape and thelandscape was part of you.

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Nigel has led guided walks to the above area and otherstanding stones as part of the Crickhowell WalkingFestival.

Hyperlink:"http://www.crickhowellfestival.com/" email:"mailto:nigel@nigelmillstherapies.co.uk" website:"http://www.nigelmillstherapies.co.uk"

Recommended Reading

The Ancient Stones of Walesby Chris Barber and John Godfrey Williams

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?Chris Barber

An amazing ladyIn St Catwg’s Church at Llangattock Church near Crickhowell is amemorial tablet to Anne Lewis who died in 1773. The inscriptioninforms us:“She was instrumental in the Hand of providence, tobring to this world 716 children.”

This extraordinary statement is explained by the fact that thislady was in fact the village midwife!

How to relax in churchA regular member of the congregation in Llangattock Church wasMrs Crawshay of Dan-y-Parc who apparently had tea served in herpew during the service and she regularly brought three dogs withher to church. Other such pew holders even brought newspapers toread.

A very precise locationThe little Norman church in Llanthony dedicated to St David isbelieved to stand on the site of his simple 6th century hermitage andis orientated for March 1 (St David’s Day). The axis of the churchpoints directly to that part of the heavens where the sun rises on StDavid’s Day.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

I am writing this to praise The Beacon magazine which you have beenediting for many years, now joined by your sub-editor Anne MarieBarber.

The quality of the production continually improves, particularlysince the recent introduction of full colour which does justice to theexcellent photography.

The magazine both reflects and enhances the wide range of issuesthat the Brecon Beacons Park Society covers and whose memberswrite such interesting and informative articles, ranging from historicalsuch as ‘The very High Price of Welsh Coal’ to Archaeology, Geology,Politics of the Park, border issues, notable buildings and churches

Dear Editor,

Because of age related health problems I do not feel able to continuewalking in the Brecon Beacons but I am renewing my membership as Ienjoy reading about your activities and, in particular, the articles in TheBeacon.

I want to express my thanks to you, your fellow officers and thewonderful walk leaders who have provided me with such enjoyableexperiences in the Brecon Beacons, and elsewhere (I am thinking of ourtrip to Iceland) over so many years. Those of you who know me will bewell aware of my love of long distance walking and the excitingchallenge walks that take place in your area. I made many friends on allthe walking events and the companionship was wonderful and will notbe forgotten.

So, thanks to all of you for your friendship and companionship,enjoyed in such a beautiful part of our country.

With kind regardsYours sincerely,

Dennis Gilbert

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MORE NEWS

Welsh boys win silver gilt at Chelsea for Dark Skies inspired garden

Two Welsh brothers, Harry and David Rich have won a silver gilt medal atthis year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show for their garden Vital Earth: TheNight Sky Garden, inspired by the Brecon Beacons National Park’s darkskies – one of only five International Dark Sky Reserves in the world.

Harry, 26 and David, 23, who is the youngest designer of a ChelseaGarden Show, created the unique garden with a design of steel, glass,natural stone, timber and naturalistic planting. The award of the silver giltmedal on the Main Avenue follows on their success winning a Gold-medalin the Artisan garden in 2013.

Sponsored by Bord na Móna, Ireland’s leading environmentallyfriendly responsible utility supplier and peat-free compost brand VitalEarth, and supported by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, thegarden featured a star-shaped cobblestone path cuts through a series ofcurving stone walls – sourced from Llangors Quarry in the Brecon Beacons– which trace the shape of constellations. Two steel edged reflective poolssuggest black holes, whilst boulders – also sourced from the National Park- are used to mirror fallen meteors and brass discs, cut into the powdercoated steel boundary wall – handmade by local craftman Pete DowneyEngineering – glow like constellations in a night sky.

visited; the most memorable for me being the story of Garway, an articlewritten by Kevin McAnulty and dedicated to Judy Cox.

Also well covered is the reporting of Society business, AGMs,lectures etc. But finally, the editor must be given credit, not only formuch of the wonderful photography, but also for many articles,particularly the historical ones such as The Land of Brychan (Summer2013), which to my mind is one of the most outstanding contributions.

I treasure every copy as I do the introduction of the WednesdayWander walks.

Yours sincerely,

Marion Harvey

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Naturalistic planting, dominated by white, with swirling tones of bluesand oranges echo the path of the Milky Way and a grassy bowl and the roofof the nearby oak and glass rooftop studio, manufactured in Mid-Wales andmarketed by Kestrel Oak, Brecon provide different spots for star gazing.

The Rich Brothers professed themselves delighted with the reaction tothe garden they not only designed but also built. Harry commented, “Thisis fantastic and the perfect follow up to our winning artisan garden atChelsea last year.”

Chairman of Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Julie James said:“We were over the moon to hear the news that Harry and David won asilver gilt medal and we could not be more proud of the boys’ efforts. TheirNight Sky Garden conveyed an important message about the NationalPark’s International Dark Skies Reserve status and it has been wonderful tosee the response from the people here in the Brecon Beacons who’ve beenso enthusiastic about the garden. It’s a garden that people can relate to andso many people have said that it looked like a little piece of the BreconBeacons transplanted to the heart of London – and that’s proof to us howwell the boys have done. To everyone involved we offer ourcongratulations for their fantastic achievement and we look forward toseeing what they turn their hands to next.”

Harry and David Rich with telescope

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LANDSCAPE AND GEOLOGY OF THE BEACONS WAYDilys Harlow

Day 6. Craig-y-nos to Llanddeusant

Maps: British Geological Survey 1:50,000 Sheets 213 (Brecon), 231 (MerthyrTydfil) and Fforest Fawr. Exploring the Landscape of a Global Geopark(2014)

Highlights:Craig-y-nosFan Hir moraineLlyn y Fan FawrThe escarpment from Fan Brycheiniog to Llyn y Fan FachLlyn y Fan Fach

Synopsis of the walkCraig-y-nos lies in the core of the big anticline created by earth movementsalong the Cribarth Disturbance. This upfold extends from Cribarth acrossthe Tawe Valley to Craig y Rhiwarth, but the river has cut a deep gorgethrough the fold, so providing a sheltered space for the castle and park. Below the scarp of Fan Hir you walk along the top of a low ridge for over akilometre. This is probably the moraine left by a long thin glacier whichformed below the scarp.

Llyn y Fan Fawr probably occupies a hollow scooped out of the bedrockby a (relatively) fast flowing ice stream.

There are fantastic views from Fan Brycheiniog helping you appreciatethe huge, many-faceted bulk of Y Mynydd Du.

The escarpment leading to Llyn y Fan Fach is a dramatic ice-sculpturedfeature.

Llyn y Fan Fach itself is a moraine dammed lake in a fine glacial cirque.As you walk down towards Llanddeusant you enter the trough producedby the Carreg Cennen Disturbance.

Details:Craig-y-nos From the terrace at Craig-y-nos look north-east to the steep crag of Craig yRhiwarth; near the top above the trees the limestone beds have been foldedalmost vertically by earth movements associated with the CribarthDisturbance (part of the Tawe Valley Disturbance). The same foldingproduced the anticline of Cribarth to the s outh-west. The two structures

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were once continuous before ice and then the waters of the Afon Tawe cuta gorge between them. The Tawe Valley was deeply excavated by icegrinding down it along the line of rocks already weakened by the TaweValley Disturbance, so that, at the end of the last major glaciation, the rockfloor was well below sea level. This meant that the upper Afon Tawe itselfand streams draining into it had to cut down rapidly to reach the new lowerlevel of the main river, thereby creating gorges and waterfalls.

Just upstream of the footbridge over the Tawe the Nant Llynfell is seenjoining the Tawe after draining about five square miles of fellside, sinkingunderground at Sinc y Giedd and emerging from the Dan-yr-Ogof cavesystem.

Craig-y-nos to CallwenWhen you turn left through the kissing gate off the track to Pwllcoediogfarm there is a deep valley visible in the hillside to the north-east. This isCwm Haffes which marks the transition from ORS in the north toCarboniferous Limestone succeeded by Twrch sandstone in the south.There is no fault here, the stream has eroded the softer beds of CwmyniscoyMudstone Formation (formerly part of the the Lower Limestone Shale) atthe base of the Carboniferous strata to create the cwm.

The large sink hole by the path shows that the underlying rock is stilllimestone.

Ahead is Cefn Cûl, a mass of Brownstones isolated by erosion alongstrands of the Cribarth Disturbance passing either side of the hill, wherethere was another large nineteenth century rabbit farm.

On the corner of Callwen church next to the path there is an insertedblock of ORS bearing a carved cross and a nice example of cross-bedding.

Cross bedding at Callwen church - Dilys Harlow

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Callwen to Llyn y Fan FawrIf you look back before the footbridge over the Tawe you can appreciate thatCribarth and Craig y Rhiwarth are indeed one fold sliced in two by theTawe gorge.

About a kilometre after the waterfalls on the Nant Tawe Fechan youmeet a fairly sharp crested ridge which extends north for 1.2km parallel tothe scarp of Fan Hir. The southern end of this ridge curves and rises to meetthe scarp and is cut through by the stream. This ridge, along which you willwalk, is now generally interpreted as the moraine left by a narrow glacierwhich occupied the gully between the Fan Hir and the ridge in the YoungerDryas Stadial. The moraine sits on a bedrock ridge which exaggerates itsheight. At its northern end the ridge peters out into low mounds.East of the moraine there are many exposures of glacially smoothedBrownstones Formation bedrock.

Above to the west is the scarp of Fan Hir topped by the Plateau Bedswith streams cascading over the hard edge.

The Fan Hir moraine cut by the stream. Above is the escarpment of Fan Hir topped by the Plateau Beds - Dilys Harlow

Llyn y Fan Fawr to Fan BrycheiniogLlyn y Fan Fawr is unlikely to be the site of a cirque glacier and morainedammed lake as there is no convincing moraine and there is no protectionto the south which a glacier there would have required. Instead the shallowhollow which now holds the lake was probably scooped out of the bedrockby a fast-flowing ice steam moving north to south in an early glacialepisode.

A word about the large leeches in Llyn y Fan Fawr, they are HorseLeeches Haemopis sanguisuga which cannot bite into mammalian skin buteat midge larvae and snails, so it is safe to bathe!

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Llyn y Fan Fawr - Dilys Harlow

The lower end of the path up which you climb to Bwlch Giedd follows afault which has thrown the rocks to the south down relative to those to thenorth. As a result the Plateau Beds have been lost for about 500m along thetop, allowing erosion to carve the Bwlch into the softer BrownstonesFormation.

Fan BrycheiniogBy the time you reach Fan Brycheiniog the Plateau Beds again cap thesummit plateau as far as Fan Foel. Scattered over the path here are manyquartz pebbles, some iron-stained pink or brown, which have weatheredout of these beds.

On the gentle, western, upper slopes are good examples of patternedground in the form of stone polygons.

The views from Fan Brycheiniog are extensive. Two kilometres to thenorth-east is Moel Feity with the source of the Tawe in the marshy groundbetween it and Llyn y Fan Fawr

The same distance to the north lies the source of the Usk beyond FanFoel, with the Usk Reservoir in the distance.

West is the escarpment of Picws Du and south the long edge of Fan Hir.The gentle dip of the land to the south and south-west follows the dip slopeof the ORS beds which disappear underneath Carboniferous Limestone inabout 3 km.

Sixteen kilometers to the south-south-west is the prominent flat tiltedtop of Mynydd Allt-y-grug formed of Pennant Sandstone .

This is also a good position from which to appreciate the huge bulk andmany facets of Y Mynydd Du.

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Fan Brycheiniog to Fan Foel After Twr y Fan Foel the scarp turns to face north-east and is scarred by twodeeply eroded gullies which are actively cutting back into the edge. Fromthe second of these gullies you look down at Gwal y Cadno (lair of the fox)where a small glacier was enclosed by an arcute moraine on which asheepfold has been built.

Moraine at Gwal y Cadno - Dilys Harlow

Fan FoelThe flat, circular area with pieces of geo-textile protruding from a stonestructure near the centre is the remains of a Bronze Age round barrow. Itwas excavated in 2004 but was already damaged. The excavation revealeda central cist consisting of a stone box sealed by a capstone and containingthe cremated remains of an adult, a young child and an infant; plus apottery Food Vessel, a flint knife and meadowsweet flowerheads (identifiedby pollen analysis). This cremation was dated to around 4000 BP at whichtime the cist had been coved by a mound of turf, peat and soil. The barrowwas used for a later cremation (around 3800 BP) of an adult and a juvenile,found together with fragments of a Collared Urn and a bone belt hook. Thesurrounding kerb of sandstone blocks probably dates from this secondcremation. The position would have been a commanding one, visible fromall the communities in the valleys below. After the excavation the site wasbackfilled with the intention of re-establishing a soil cover but weatheringand erosion have re-exposed the area.

Fan Foel to Llyn y Fan FachThe path descends the western flank of Fan Foel to Bwlch Blaen Twrch, nearthe source of the Afon Twrch after whose valley the Twrch Sandstone isnamed. As at Bwlch Giedd a fault cutting the scarp has resulted in the loss

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of the Plateau Beds until Picws Du. The upper Twrch valley and the othervalleys you can see to the south-west are fairly broad and shallow,suggesting that the last ice cover here was thin and probably cold-based(frozen to the bedrock therefore poorly erosive)

Below the splendid north facing scarp of Y Mynydd Du are sevendepositional features presumed to date from the Younger Dryas Stadial. Theexact origins of most of them are still being debated (see the section onMynydd Du in Classic Landforms of the Brecon Beacons).

Llyn y Fan FachThe path along the scarp edge of Bannau Sir Gaer follows the edge of thePlateau Beds outcrop until it approaches the south-west corner above Llyny Fan Fach after which the Brownstones Formation is underfoot. There is afault at this corner, visible as an eroded gully.

The lake occupies a beautiful cirque which would have accumulated alarge amount of wind-blown snow from the big expanse of gently slopingground above and to the west. There is no doubt that the cirque wasoccupied by a glacier whose moraine is visible beyond the northern shore,especially around the lake outlet. The lake is dammed but no longer used asa reservoir.

From above you can see the line of the leat which collected extra waterfrom the Afon Sychlwch to the north-east.

There are spectacular debris cones cascading from gullies in the steepcirque walls.

Llyn y Fan Fach showing the moraine around the stream exit. The ridge climbing theescarpment on the right may be another moraine or a pronivial rampart. - D. Harlow

Llyn y Fan Fach to LlanddeusantWestward there is a good view of the limestone scarps of Carreg Y Ogof andthe Twrch Sandstone ridge and Bronze Age cairns on Garreg Las furthersouth (Day 7).

A series of mudstone bands within the Brownstones Formation crossingthe path over Carnau Llwydion are manifest as wetter shelves in the terrain.As you descend the marshy slope the Carreg Cennen Disturbance isrunning almost east-west along the valley ahead of you (see Day 7). To yourright (east) is the U-shaped ice carved valley of the Afon Sychlwch leadingtowards the lake and, on your left, is the steep sided water cut gullycarrying the Afon Garwnant.

When you reach Llanddeusant you have crossed the Carreg CennenDisturbance and are back on the St Maughan's Formation.

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ARTISTS OF THE LLANTHONY VALLEY

Well worth seeing is the current Sites of Inspiration: Llanthony PrioryExhibition at Abergavenny Museum which is situated in Abergavenny Castleand will be there until 28 September, 2014. It features works by worldfamous artists including JMW Turner. The end of the 18th century saw a newbreed of travelling artist searching for the picturesque, for the sublime and theromantic. No longer able to travel to Europe because of war, they sought outthe nearest wild country: Wales.

The Museum is open: Monday - Saturday 11am-1pm - 2pm-5pm and Sunday 2pm-5pm Admission is free

There is a partner exhibition on Tintern Abbey at Chepstow Museum, Bridge Street Open: Monday - Saturday 11am - 5pm and Sunday 2pm - 5pm

Llanthony Priory - S & N Buck 1739