25 walkers obviously felt that a cold, frosty but sunny day was right for a 7¼ mile circular tour, led by Vic & Sandra Smith, of some of the industrial and transport relics – and attractive scenery – that the area around Llanymynech has to offer. Starting from the Montgomery Canal towpath in the centre of Llanymynech, this was followed towards Welshpool for a short distance to Walls Bridge where a lane and a bridleway were followed north to join the Offa’s Dyke Path on the edge of the Golf Course at Asterley Rocks. The ODP was followed along the ridge to the point where it descends to Port-y-Waen, the group continuing on the high ground of the ridge formed by Blodwell Rock, pausing at the view-points for a coffee break and to admire the Tanat Valley and the hills beyond. There followed a steep descent off the ridge to the main A495 road where our ‘guest’, Chris Parker of the Wales Group of Railway Ramblers provided some details of the interesting and complex railway history of the area. With specific prior permission from the Cambrian Heritage Railways, the ‘mothballed ’railway track was followed in the area of Whitehaven, stopping to note points of historic interest and to chat with volunteers busy clearing the vegetation that has encroached during years of disuse since trains ceased to connect Blodwell Quarry to Oswestry and Gobowen. Though not the first working station that the Welshpool Ramblers have used for a lunch stop, this was the first time the delightful replica station at Llynclys South had been visited, again, with the generous prior permission of CHR (www.cambrianrailways.com). Closed to the public for the winter, the site nevertheless had volunteers at work on the many tasks that are required for railway preservation. The railway was left for an earlier form of transport when the group made its way to the Montgomery Canal at Crickheath Wharf, part of the system that awaits restoration. The towpath was followed back to Llanymynech, passing a large group of Canal restoration volunteers who, like their railway preservation colleagues, were busy hedge-laying and clearing vegetation from the Canal bed and banks. Just before the end of the walk, the Canal was once again ‘in water’, the narrow boat George William Buck, named after the Canal’s engineer and operated by the Duchess Countess Trust, from the Wharf Visitor Centre being the sole vessel on this section of the Canal.
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Powys Ramblers represent members of the Ramblers Association who reside within or close to the county of Powys in Mid Wales. There are now three active groups within the Powys Area: East Radnor, Four Wells and the Welshpool Group – See links on the right hand menu.
