Chiltern District Welsh Society Spring Walk
28th April 2022
What an enjoyable and interesting day. The last time most of us saw each other we were in our fineries, now we were in our walking gear!
It was clear from the beginning that Gwyndaf and Janet had put a lot of effort into making a success of the day from Janet taking everyone’s order for the sandwiches for lunch, to Gwyndaf explaining the background to the Red Lion pub at Coleshill where we met.
The group included our Life President Ann Evans, current Chairman Colin Picton, two past chairmen, seven past committee and two new members. What a thriving society we are. Someone remarked that we were the strongest society around!
Our route was to take us south along Coleshill Common and the pond across the Chiltern Way, across white chalk paths of cereal fields, past Luckings Farm, down to Great Beard’s Wood and Owlsears Wood before looping back past Ongar Hill Farm and the old Windmill on the right.
In those couple of miles and hours Gwyndaf highlighted approximately 30 flowering species of plants (flowers and trees) with captivating explanations.
We saw plants only found in or near ponds, in ancient woodlands, in shaded areas (bluebells), in sunny areas, on chalk soil, or in cultivated meadows. One plant, Coralroot is confined to this area of the UK – so that was a very special find. That these plants and flowers are in these areas is conditioned by various factors including the soil and environment. The soil layer on the Chilterns is rather thin before one encounters chalk hence the chalk loving plants that we found.
The route and time were chosen for the best locations for us to see specific flowers. Those in flower included trees and sedges. Sedges are grass-like plants, and as we learned “sedges have edges”. They have stems with triangular cross-sections. Gwyndaf explained the pollinating method highlighting the male and female parts of the sedge plants.
We learned that some species have male and female plants. One of these is Dog’s Mercury which we saw in abundance in the wood.
We saw edible and poisonous plants, plants used in medicine, sweet smelling plants and ones that were unpleasant. We learned a little of the derivation of some of the rather fanciful names. In short – lots to entertain. Our sightings included Barren Strawberry, Bugle (used for bruises), Lesser Celandine (opening and shutting to light), Common Dog Violet, Coralroot (propagating via red bulbils), Cow Parsley (edible leaves when young), Cuckoo Flower, Cuckoo Pint (otherwise known as Lords and Ladies), Dog’s Mercury, Garlic Mustard (young leaves can be eaten in salads), Greater Stitchwort (cures stiches in your side), Green Alkanet,
Ground Ivy (used to flavour beer), Herb Robert (named after Pope Robert the founder of the Cistercians), Summer Snowflake, Sweet Woodruff, Wavy Bittercress (sixy-sexy-flexy), White Deadnettle, Yellow Archangel as well as various Oaks, Hornbeam, Willow, Beech, and Hedgerows. You can tell our wild flower education was extensive!
The welcome victuals and drinks back at the Red Lion rounded off a very enjoyable easy sunny walk in the Chilterns. There was no end to the chatting!
Very much looking forward to next year’s – Diolch o galon Janet a Gwyndaf!!!
Bill Jones
It is with great sadness that we report the death of our local MP and honorary CDWS member Dame Cheryl Gillan on 4th April 2021, after a long battle with cancer.
We said goodbye to those of us who travelled by car and set off on the first leg of our journey, to Shrewsbury. We were met by our guides, who took us on a conducted walk around the town, looking at taverns and houses with connections to the Tudors, then a led us on a tour around St Mary’s, Shrewsbury’s oldest church, dating back to Norman times, to see the stained-glass windows.
We completed the tour by looking at the medieval trades areas, after which the streets were named, and at the centre of the high street, where David III, Prince of Wales, was executed in 1283.
The afternoon visit to The Cliff Railway and the Camera Obscura was abandoned as the railway was not working and the ONE repair engineer was indisposed- so plan B was introduced; a visit to Cae Hir, – a Welsh Garden with Dutch history. A 6-acre garden – the dream of Dutchman Wil Akkermans – now an elderly Welsh speaking gentleman. An afternoon for all of us to remember- some visitors even managed a scone (A WHOLE ONE ) tea ! We returned to Aberystwyth and enjoyed a walk around the Castle in glorious afternoon sunshine.
quarters including Nene goose and Laysan teal from Hawaii, and declining species swans and geese from Greenland, Bulgaria and Russia.
A blue plaque marked the house where ‘close friends’ Lord Nelson, Lady Hamilton and Sir Wm Hamilton visited, we were told that any impropriety had been denied by the party at the time!
remain and they face difficulty in recruitment. We were so fortunate to be able to see and hear the monks singing and chanting (surprisingly in English rather than Latin). The Prior – Brother Gildas – a friend of Marion’s, kindly spoke to us of the monastic life on Caldey, where they rise at 3.30am every day! As the Cistercian Order is a silent Order, at least 12 hours a day are spent without conversation whilst at prayer and work.
Marion took us to Picton Castle and its beautiful gardens, where we were privileged to have an exclusive guided tour from the Director himself. A most interesting castle from the 19th century with visits to the Great Hall, White and Gold Room, Library and Lady Philipps’s bedroom, then to the Dining Room where the Queen and other members of the royal family were entertained in 2014.
Our afternoon visit to St David’s Cathedral (always a joy) was so informative, with Marion bringing everything to life, with her knowledge and enthusiasm. St David’s has been a place of worship, prayer and pilgrimage since the 12th century. The medieval Shrine of St David which was restored and then dedicated on St David’s Day 2012 contains 5 colourful icons including those of St Patrick and St Andrew.
A wonderfully entertaining and informative visit to Carew Cheriton Control Tower. The talks given by the ‘boys’ with their camaraderie and humour, again brought to life the atmosphere of the RNAS station during WW1 and the later RAF station in WW2. The station was home to airships in WW1, then in 1939 Coastal Command squadrons were engaged on coastal patrol duties and bombing raids along the French coast. In 1942 the airfield also became a Technical Training Radio School until it was disbanded and 
closed in 1945. Most memorably, Reg now aged 91, recounted his service in the RAF followed by singing whilst wearing ‘tin’ hats in the reconstructed bomb shelter.
Some of the party took advantage of an invitation by the Tenby Male Choir to attend one of their rehearsals. They were very impressive, and we learned that they will be travelling to Oxford to perform with the Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir next October. Ann Evans presented the choir with a donation and certificate.
With our 5 days almost at an end, a last visit was made to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales at Llanarthne. The gardens setting is perfect; however, the temperature had dropped and light rain was the order of the day!! We were treated to a Falconry display and most of us were able to wear a gauntlet and have a falcon or hawk land on our arm to snatch its food.
The tourist office calls our mountain the “Electric Mountain” and we didn’t go up it but inside it to visit the Dinorwig pumped water storage power station. When the Dinorwig slate quarries closed in 1969, a project was conceived to use the site and the workforce to create a hydro-electric scheme in which water descending 500 metres through tunnels inside the mountain generates electricity during the hours of peak demand. The unique feature of Dinorwig is that all the equipment is capable of going into reverse and pumping the water back up again in the middle of the night using the surplus electricity of nuclear and coal fired power stations which have to run constantly 24 hours a day. Although it consumes four units of electricity for every three which it produces, it generates electricity when, for example, millions of people all switch on a kettle simultaneously at the end of a TV programme. When in standby mode it can react in 12 seconds to produce the electrical output of three nuclear power stations and switch off again just as quickly. We had an excellent tour guide here who helped us understand its important role in aligning electrical supply to demand over the whole of the National Grid.
The Coach arrived on time at the picking-up points and then this joyous crowd of Welsh Supporters, seeking fun and knowledge, enjoyed a trip down the M4 in magnificent sunshine, over the Bridge, paid the entrance fee (no reduction for indigenous natives) and arrived at Porthcawl, much tortured earlier in the year by gigantic waves breaking over the sea wall. There, close to the front, near Rest Bay for the agile, was the Pegler Mansions! How envy poured out from everyone!!
Having received sufficient sustenance, the M4 was re-joined and shortly we arrived at the well-appointed Premier Inn on the Water-front where we met our charismatic and vocally gifted Guide, Annie From Wales.com Haden who introduced herself so well, that we were sure there might be an embarrassing family connection somewhere!!
operated in the 18th Century (1700+!!) and now picturesquely showing its Norwegian Church, an Ice House with landmark Chimney and a rather large Shed! As we cantered along the waterfront to the National Waterfront Museum we passed the Dylan Thomas Museum which was closed!! Undaunted because we knew that Dylan appeared elsewhere on our programme, we lunched in the Waterfront Museum, enjoy-ed its very local exhibits of 
Welsh Life, and then off to Brangwyn Hall, part of the Guild Hall to be greeted by The Rt Worshipful Lord Mayor of Swansea, Alderman Ceirwen Thomas. As she accompanied us around the building she explained how in the WW2 extensive bombing of the City, Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to 
leave the Guild Hall and its tall tower 
unscathed as he proposed to locate his Welsh head-quarters there!! (Hitler was already taking Welsh lessons in anticipation!). The Mayor showed enormous warmth and charisma towards us and we were treated to a sumptuous tea when all was done.
savoured the place where he met up with his friends. Here he spent 23 years of his short life writing 2/3rds of his works: the house had been beautifully restored by volunteers that included Annie and her ex-husband.
Views from the train as we journeyed along the Towy estuary in such beautiful weather were accompanied by Annie’s witty remarks, her commentary and anecdotes.
The rest went on to the National Botanic garden at Llanarthne to view the excellent plant culture, magic Botanic Dome (largest single span glass Conservatory in the World!), the Tropical House, and a 
plethora of interesting Buildings
(even a lovely “cwtch” for us to cuddle together!!).
Surmounting all was Middleton Hall with magnificent scenery and the ubiquitous Folly (Paxton’s Tower – referring to Lord Nelson and his flirtings – such days of yore!!) built in the distant hills as a constant phallic insult to an annoying neighbour.
Next stop: Laugharne with Dylan’s and Caitlin’s Boat House overlooking the sea and the Towy estuary with the famous Pendine Sands in the distance and a pair of welsh wool long-johns drying on a tree!!.
sat, coat 
on his chair, with his thoughts of the World whilst watching the waves in the distance. For some of us, there was time for a drink sitting in Dylan’s favourite window seat in Brown’s Inn, and a visit to the Castle.
copper smelting but now overgrown with beautiful greenery. As we ate and drank on board the boat munching an excellent buffet organised by our very own ladies, it was intriguing to see in the middle of the river a cascade of bubbles coming from mermaids long lost below us (!!).
taken over picturesque moors and hills to Rhosili on the Gower: a bay now ranked best in the UK, in the top 3 in Europe and in the top 10 in the World! My, what breath-taking views! Those who ventured so far as the Coast Guard Station overlooking Worms Head saw a Grand Piano being tuned in the open in preparation for an open-
air Concert!!!
Having savoured the splendours of the scenery, the bay and the cliff top, we sojourned to The King Arthur Hotel at Reynoldston where we were well received and ate with the evening sun pouring down outside: a fitting end to another magnificent day but not before Annie was thanked 
profusely for her excellent guiding, extensive local knowledge and banter punctuated on occasions by a few “bloody boyos” and other Welsh unmentionables!
Next day, home! Calling at Neath Abbey and the magnificently restored Cistercian Abbey at Margam, surrounded by a picturesque Country Park surmounted by the 19th century Margam Castle with its spectacular Stone Staircases, reminiscent of Hogwarts. The Castle was built by the Talbot family using fortunes gained from the production of steel at the still profitable Port Talbot works in the Bay. Gone were the skeletons of trees seen 40 years’ ago (the trees poisoned by acid rain) and in their place a magnificent forest of colour.
provided an enthusiastic talk on the area, an account of the devastation produced by a Welsh Tsunami, the discovery of a propeller from a long-ago stranded ship, the pub’s local judicial history and sentencing of felons to be hung close by!!
This, accompanied by a super buffet and general Welsh camaraderie engaging all of us, was a more than fitting end to yet another fantastic trip with thanks to Jonathan for its organisation and to Lyndon for his safe driving!! And so to our next visit to the Fatherland to satisfy another feast of Welsh hiraeth!
We were conducted around the Castle by a lovely Scottish Lady who pointed out architectural detail, an open Guard robe complete with seated man and sound effects (!!), and the significance of the Castle to protect the South from an advancing army of Llywelyn ap Grufydd, which threat was removed in 1282 when he was killed. Not even with the assistance of men in the party could the massive leaning tower be pushed back into a vertical position!!
A relaxing start to the next day at 9:30 am saw us in the Market Town of Y Bont-faen (Cowbridge), again in great weather, to enjoy the picturesque buildings, the fine Physic Garden with its herbs and medicinal plants, and antique memorabilia.
