Saturday's walk

I took myself off for a walk yesterday, but cheated a bit as it was gone 2 p.m. when I set off, so I got my OH to drop me well up the hill.  I added 20 mins to the walk initially by climbing even higher to see if I could get a photo of Black Mountain covered in snow, but it was too soft and milky. Winter leached the colour from the landscape, so only the closest fields were in technicolour.

Mums-in-waiting were in a field one side of the lane forking off the main route up to Horeb.

Whilst the ones who had lambed were in a field opposite.

View down the Cothi valley.

Iron Age enclosure on the top of one of the steepest hills.

An old farmstead and barns have been on the market, with parcels of land.  There was work going on in the house, but two of the barns still have plans attached, and presumably no buyers yet.

But this one is finished and lived in.  It has beautiful views down the valley.

I love rough hillsides like this one.

We used to ride round this loop too.  As you can see, the lane is very narrow - one horse and cart width - so we always hoped not to meet any traffic or we would have to turn around and try and find a gateway.

Looking at the big hillfort hill, you can see I was crossing the valley at this point.

The views are just tremendous.  Big hill to the left, and looking to the far edge of the Towy Valley on the horizon.

I think this is one slope of Banc y Darren.

Now the lane plunges steeply down.  The cluster of white buildings on the brackened hillside belong to some folk seeking an alternative lifestyle - modern-day hippies I suppose.

Plenty of old plantings of Snowdrops are in flower along the lane now, and the Daffodils planning to soon join them in bloom.

Turning back towards home (to the right).  The little lane to the left just leads to one final farm.

I met our neighbour Nikky walking her dog.  He must have known we would have had a good chinwag as he straightaway laid down on the road!  Here are Nikky's two donkeys, George and Ned.  It is George who I have been halter breaking.

One last look back along the sunny valley.

Then I dragged myself up the 2nd half of a really steep hill.  By this time I had been walking for an hour and a half and my back was aching, so I decided to phone home, and get my OH to pick me up.  If I hadn't walked the first bit of hill for the view (which I couldn't get), I would have got home, as it took 20 mins and I was 20 mins from home here.  I think because I got out of the car and started walking up a steep hill before I warmed up, I shot myself in the foot rather.

Hope you enjoyed walking with me.