Round and about Crickhowell

 

I had set my heart on visiting a nature reserve in the Brecon Beacons called Craig y Cilau, but I made the mistake of writing down instructions.  Though I did look closely at the map - unfortunately the grid ref. wasn't any use on the version of the map I had which was Abergavenny and the Black Mountains, and the Brecon Beacons map was too far left.) Yes, I know, should have had it on my phone, but the signal here is not good and I tend to go down the old-fashioned route.  Next week I will put it on the phone, promise!

This particular reserve is a Limestone escarpment in part, with a superb range of unusual and some very rare Alpine plants.  So some lovely views (and few words as it's an evening post and I'm tired) and I will go back in the next week and find it.

A sort of very dwarf rush?  None of the normal wild flowers had any stems - they seemed to grow straight from the grass - sheep are to blame I suspect.

Lovely lichens on this limestone boulder.

Looking at the map, this hillock is Myarth, the other side of the Usk valley.

OK, my pathetic attempt at a panorama.  I obviously held the camera too low and got a good panorama of the car park!  You get the general idea anyway.  I will confess to stopping in Crickhowell and buying two bottles of Ty Gwyn cider (can't get it in town).  One is Kingstone Black and the other Dabinett. Yum!

After steady rain overnight and this morning (much needed in the garden) we have clear blue skies here now, and a blackbird is at the top of the golden fir tree opposite us, singing his heart out.  I saw the first Swift today.  Hurray - they're a couple of weeks earlier than last year, when it was still frosty almost until June.  Oh, and my Yellow Tree Paeony has buds on! Can't wait to see the flowers for the first time.