Frampton waters and Iron Acton

Another fine spring weekend. Started with a pootle along the Sharpness Canal and the wetlands and ponds of Frampton on Severn:

It's good to see that the waterways around Gloucester are alive and well used by narrow boats and row boats.  

 









After a short break at St Mary's canalside church -

 

 

a great example of an original roadside pulpit

it was off round the surrounding ponds and lakes:

 














Sunday saw us at Algars Manor and Mill in Iron Acton. Algar Manor is a  2 acres woodland garden beside the river Frome containing a mill stream and native plants mixed with collections of 60 magnolias and 70 camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, eucalyptus and other unusual trees and shrubs. It  was planted on former woodland / quarrying land after Dutch Elm disease necessitated the removal of the woodland. Some parts of the garden layout date back to C16.

The Mill has a 2-acre woodland garden bisected by the river Frome. The undulating garden contains spring bulbs, shrubs; very early wild Newent daffodils. The garde surrounds a 300-400yr-old mill house through which a millrace still runs.

 

More from NGS 2015

South Lodge, Clearwell

Just down the road from Clearwell Caves in the Forest lies an organic garden created over the last decade or so. Before planting could begin the owners had to remove over 300 ton of rocks and rubble from the site:

Terry may have left but
Death still merrily roams the countryside :)

Just down the road was St Peters Church with its amazing interior stone design and wonderfully patterned organ:

Whilst in the Forest we decided to do the circular tour of Cannop Ponds. 

fields of gold

Kempsford Manor

An elegant C17-18th century Cotswold manor house set in expansive gardens and cricket field.

This village also has, though on smaller scale, an interesting church and organ.

amazing lichen patterns on the grave stones

NGS kick-off 2015

A beautiful weekend to catch up on the early opening gardens for the National Garden Scheme. Began with Beverston Castle near Tetbury. It's sort of a brickwork residency tacked onto the restored battlements of a medieval castle. The moat and outer walls of the castle have been worked into the creation of the garden. 

Meandering slowly back we stopped off Coaley Peak and Frocester Hill to admire the panoramic views over the Stroud valley to the River Severn and beyond to Wales. Also too in Peglars Tump and Nypsfield Long Barrow.

Also thought I'd just throw in burgeoning spring in our garden:

Waterfalls of Wales

To round our castle trips off we stopped off at Caerphilly Castle. A stone mountain of a place, surrounded by a series of moats and watery islands which was the brainchild of Gilbert ‘the Red’ de Clare. After 1486, the castle went into decline. The water defences drained away. In 1583 the castle was leased to Thomas Lewis, who stripped it of much of its stone to extend his house, causing extensive damage.

In 1642 the English Civil War broke out. South Wales was predominantly Royalist during the conflict. It is also uncertain whether or not Caerphilly Castle was deliberately slighted by Parliament to prevent its future use as a fortification. Although several towers had collapsed by the 18th century, possibly as a result of such an operation, it is probable that this deterioration was the result of subsidence damage caused when the water defences retreated, as there is no evidence of deliberate destruction having been ordered. One of the main towers still stands at a precarious angle which, it is claimed, leans more than twice that of the tower at Pisa.

So on to our base in Merthyr and the start of out waterfall walks. Wales really is five star walking country - but one sadness it has currently a major problem with verge side littering and fly tipping which, if left unchecked, could spoil one of its best natural resources.

First up was the Melincourt Trail (Llwybr Melin y Cwrt)

 After the hillside trek we took a gentler meander along part of the Neath Canal around Resolver:












After tea at the Aberdulais tea shop we rounded the day off with a short walk to the Henrhyd Falls (Sgwd Henryd) which, at over 90 ft, is the largest waterfall in South Wales. One of two major falls we found where, if fully waterproofed, you can walk behind - a magnet for school adventure trips.














After a good nights rest it was on to Nant Llech river trail 

After refreshments at the Garwent Forest Centre it was off to the Taf Fechan Trail near our base in Merthyr. The river course contained some amazing geological formations caused, over the years, by river erosion. The river crossing turning point is at the base of an impressive worked out stone quarry.



Ending the day in the marvellous Star pub in Talybont on Usk purveyors of fine real ale and good company.














The penultimate day saw us on the Four Falls Trail from Cwm Porth, taking in Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd yr Eira and Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn.

at the outset there are some serious caves, reserved for experienced cavers only!

Sadly it was time to meander home, but via Craig y nos country park. Situated in a picturesque location in the secluded upper Swansea Valley there are woodlands, meadows, ponds, lawns and rivers The historic grounds of Craig-y-nos Castle, once home to the internationally famous opera singer Adelina Patti, 

Adelina Patti

are spread on the banks of the River Tawe. There are Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman remains in the surrounding hills, and it is believed that the current castle sits on the same site once occupied in the early medieval period by the castle of the local Welsh Prince. The castle and the country park that occupy the site today date back to the Victorian era.

Castle can just be seen behind the trees