Sugarloaf Mountain, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

I had made a vow to go up the Sugarloaf Mountain on Tuesday 02/09/2014.

This is part of my vow to myself to lose weight and get out and about without having to spend a fortune. By exploring the area around me means that life is not all about work, work, work (even though I do enjoy it) coming home and sitting infront of a box of moving images.

It's about taking in what's around you and loving it.

So after making a box of sandwiches (with homemade bread and home grown rocket). I packed up and off I went. 

Parking the car at the top of Chapel Road in Rees Jeffery’s Car park, I ventured down to the National Trust’s landmark and started my walk from there. The walk isn’t too steep and is more of a gentle incline to the ridge of the mountain. 

There are five walks up the Sugarloaf, but this particular walk didn’t take me to the top. I wanted the cover all the walks on Sugarloaf before reaching the top. 

The views are amazing. You walk through the beautiful ancient woods where the tree are all twisted and knarled while reaching the nearest shaft of light. The sheep and cows keep you company, well they look at you and run off. Unless they are calling out for help. One little lamb got himself locked out on the other side of a walker’s gate. Once let through he was jumping for joy.

I was sure that I had misread the map that I had printed off the laptop, but I stuck to the path which swept me around to the right hand side of the mountain.

The path levelled out and I found myself walking through beautiful purple heather. The Skyline was amazing and I took advantage of this for photo opportunities. The top of the Sugarloaf Mountain posed very nicely for me and I got a ‘selfie’ of us both. 

I carried on following the path to the right and then it started to descend, back through woods and then opened up to the view of Abergavenny Town.

There was here, an abundance of Blackberries. 

Here was another opportunity to pick these lovely plump blackberries to make a pie. Of course a few were eaten and very lovely and sweet they were as well. 

So why not take yourself up a Mountain? If you’re feeling down, confused and just want to escape from it for a while.

Gore's Literacy Trail - Goytre Wharf, Monmouthshire, South Wales

Still enjoying my week off and investigating around the area of Abergavenny, South Wales where I live.
I took off to Goytre with the fur kids to explore the canal and after parking up, saw this new trail. I know it's for kids, but I still like to explore. Starting off with Gore's giant book, welcoming you in and helping you to find your way, look in the trees and there is Incy Wincy spider. A little further down the path and I can only describe them as wooden wig whams, it sorted of reminded me of the Blair Witch project and could be a bit spook and intriguing at the same time. There were plenty of wooden carvings in the wood including the witch in the log, the otter and also Gore's Enchanted chair where you can sit down and tell your stories to a keen audience. Then over the bridge and a stroll down the tow path to the side of the canal. Pass the crooked chair with an extract of the poem 'Leisure' by WH Davies:-

WHAT is this life if, full of care, 

We have no time to stand and stare?— 

No time to stand beneath the boughs, 

And stare as long as sheep and cows: 

 No time to see, when woods we pass, 

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass: 

 No time to see, in broad daylight, 

Streams full of stars, like skies at night: 

 No time to turn at Beauty's glance, 

And watch her feet, how they can dance: 

 No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began? 

 A poor life this if, full of care, 

We have no time to stand and stare. 

 Follow the tow path towards and under the aqueduct and towards the lime kilns where you can read how they used to work in these tiny kilns. There is also a place to get refreshments from as well. This walk is then complete.

To begin at the beginning.

 It is spring, moonless in the small town, 

starless and bible-black, 

the cobble streets silent and the hunched, 

courters’-and-rabbits’ wood 

limping invisible down 

to the sloe black, slow, black, crow black, 

fishing boat bobbing sea.

 DYLAN THOMAS