Picnic in the woods

A clouds and bright sunshine day, with pancakes for breakfast garnished with newly made blackberry and apple jelly or puree, not to mention marmalade or chocolate sauce with mashed banana. We like to take our time over a Saturday breakfast. Then, I prepared a picnic lunch for us, sandwiches of tuna, lettuce or tomato and mayo to take out with us for a walk. We drove towards Barry but thought better of going to the coast, knowing it would be very crowded over this bank holiday weekend. We went as far as Wenvoe and on impulse turned off towards Dinas Powis, and parked outside St Andrew's Major Church.

Beyond the church, the long wooded ridge that forms the western flank of the coastal flood plain on which Cardiff grew. As we were pondering which way to climb up to the ridge, we were greeted by a man returning from his allotment to his car parked next to ours. We asked him the best way to reach the ridge. He told us about a circular route through the woods along the ridge, by the side of Dinas Powis golf course. Then he offered us a huge courgette he was carrying along with other harvested veggies to take home. I could imagine his wife seeing it and saying "Oh no, not another, what am I going to do with this?" We were delighted to accept.

We followed the narrow lane up to Ysgubor Goch farm and from there, followed a footpath across fields along the edge of the golf course until we reached the entrance to Cwm George and Casehill Woods. It's a an area managed by the Woodland Trust, and a designated SSSI because of its mix of broadleaf native trees, plus a rare hazel dormouse and some rare plants and moths. We walked for a while along the main track, used by walkers and pony trekkers, and then stopped to eat in a spot illuminated by bright sunlight streaming through the leaf canopy. It was a moment of sheer delight. Since finding the Trust website, I've learned it's possible to access the ridge from Michaelstone le Pit at the other end, closer to home. I think we'll be exploring this stretch of woodland again fairly soon. 

There wasn't much of interest to watch on telly so I spent the evening working on those written reflections I've been asked to do. Nice to get my brain working again.