Outing to Vicarage Meadows Wildlife Reserve

 Yesterday was the first day of Freedom for Tam, after having to quarantine for two weeks.  We decided, as it was so hot, not to overdo things, so checked out Nature Reserves in our area and came up with Vicarage Meadows, a small SSSI at Abergwesyn in the upper Irfon Valley, above Beaulah.  We chose well!  Mind you, after stopping at the church below, the road seemed to go on and on and on and was really very busy for a narrow country lane.

Just before we reached Vicarage Meadows, we saw a sign which said "Tregaron 13" - blimey - it felt like we were heading towards Aberystwyth!

It was worth the slow journey though, through beautiful countryside.  We parked up and the reserve was signposted up a trackway, past a beautiful old building which must have been the Vicarage (lucky vicar - Kilvert would have LOVED it there) and then we had to open gates and go past a cottage, which was so pretty,  though the churchyard is still occasionally used for burials. Coflein says the church was demolished in 1964, having been restored in 1871.  Interestingly the medieval font was removed to the church pictured below - a shame the church was locked. There is a link to Llandovery's William Williams of Pantecelyn fame, as he had the curacy here, prior to his conversion to Methodism by Howell Harris in 1740.

HERE is a link to the page about the Reserve.  Ragged Robin - it is doable from where you stay, but your husband might have 40 fits at the single track lanes to get there!!

We drove back the route which took us back via Llanwrtyd Wells, which was a good call, as we went past the Upper Irfon Valley and a site at White Bridge where you can picnic/walk/paddle etc.  I think Tam and boyfriend will be going there soon.  Gosh, that little lane was busy though, lots of people wanting some countryside and river fun.  Mostly locals I assume, but there were plenty of holiday lets in the area.

We stopped to look at this little church (lovely Arts and Crafts style steeple), but unfortunately it was locked.  Below: an unusual and interesting poem on the door:

This poor young man died at just 19 years of age.  Tam and I thought it very strange for the wording to be "who died from war effect."  Not wounds, or just plain simple died fighting for his country, and we wondered if he had been discharged with shell shock (he was discharged on 10 April 1917, but I can find no more on him unless I take out a membership to access war records). Poor boy.  He will stay in my mind a while . . . so sad.

A truly wonderful place for Wildlife.  We are SO fortunate that both Breconshire and Radnorshire have lots of Wildlife Reserves, so we will be exploring them soonest.  Carmarthen was lacking in that respect, just two or three - every other inch farmed. Check out what we can explore in Breconshire.  Limestone sites next please.

I will find out when this flowers and we can check it out next year.  That would be a very exciting  find.

A first for me, Bog Asphodel.  Isn't it pretty?

Looking back towards the barn.  There was a whole plantation of dead larch just above and to the right of it.

Autumn Hawkbit I believe.  I've not knowingly seen this before, though there are Knapweeds which look very similar.

This was the 2nd meadow, which is considered (from a botanical viewpoint) one of the best in Wales.

Yellow Rattle - gone to seed now, as you can see, and guess what, it rattles when you shake it!!

Great Burnet.  A first for me.  Sorry for duff photo.

Devil's Bit Scabious.

Marsh Lousewort.  Yet another first.

An ancient yew tree in the churchyard.

Here is Hugh Montefiore's obituary from The Guardian.  He was not one shy of speaking out for what he believed in.  I had heard of him and was very surprised that he knew and loved this tiny obscure spot on the planet, where there is no longer even a church.

Gosh, that has taken me two hours to write and research - so many links and then I get distracted with another link and so on!  I hope you enjoy anyway.