Tudor’s Trails: Walking the Watershed – Part 2 of 3

Alec Baker, former Elan Valley Trust Land Agent and Estate Manager, presenting the Watershed walking group before they set off. Image courtesy of Ernie Husson.

In the summer of 2004, a small group of locals decided to walk the Watershed boundary stones.

This group consisted of the late Carl Edwards, the organiser; Tony & Angela Davies, Piers & Becki Nesbitt, Max & Kate Walker, Tom Powell, Paul Evans, Christine Davies, David Kader, Tudor & Annette Davies.  Helpers along the route, on checkpoints included: John Pugh the Cwm, Brian Lewis of Troedrhiwdrain (not pictured), Trevor Edwards of Rhiwnant (not pictured) and Glyndwr Jones of Claerwen Farm.  Also in the photo two family members from the Elan Valley Hotel joined the group for day one.

On 23rd July 2004, the then Elan Valley Trust Estate Manager, Mr Alec Baker, started everyone off at the Elan Village road bridge on their challenge to walk “The Watershed Walk”, to commemorate the Centenary of the Elan Valley Dams 1904-2004.

Day One : Head toward Gorllwyn (613m) a subsidiary summit of Drygarn Fawr, this is a shelter cairn with a trig point; onto Drygarn Fawr (645m), south of the Elan Valley Reservoirs, known for the two big beehive shaped Bronze Age Summit Cairns and a trig point; Crug Gynon (525m) mountain summit with a stone cairn at the top, were all past, finishing and staying overnight at the Claerddu bothy. 

Day Two :  Setting off from Claerddu bothy, now being in the county of Ceredigion, onto Domen Milwyn (555m) featuring a summit cairn in a bleak remote landscape in the Elan and Cwmystwyth district then onto a topographic hill feature Banc yr Wyn-isaf, onto the source of the River Elan, heading next to the Dyfed Powys border for much needed refreshments.

From the border, crossing the Old Aberystwyth mountain road onto Cistfaen overlooking Llangurig area, Carn y Groes an ancient round cairn towards Rhayader; to Gwar y Ty hill summit, overlooking the Wye Valley, Moel Geufron a high point located along the scenic mountain road between Rhayader and Cwm Ystwyth.

The last leg of this challenge was to Crugyn Ci (533m) a remote moorland hilltop with a trig point near the Elan Valley Reservoirs and town of Rhayader and back to the Elan Village road bridge to the finish.

Tudor’s framed certificate

Two days of very rough hill walking was successfully completed by­­ the above group. They celebrated their achievement by meeting up afterwards for an evening meal at the Elan Valley Hotel where everyone was awarded a certificate.

Ann Edwards presenting the cheque to the Wales Air Ambulance Image courtesy of Ernie Husson.

Money raised during this event £620-00 went to the Wales Air Ambulance. Cheque presented by Mrs Ann Edwards to a representative from Wales Air Ambulance.

Part 3 of 3 to follow