Pental one

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February 2024. Direction: Pencoed to Talbot Green.

This is an excellent Slow Way, mostly through fields and woodlands, especially the Brynna Woods, Llanharan Marshes and the woods above Llanharan House and Craig Melyn. The only section preventing five stars was the long road section between Pencoed and Brynna. The route is straight forward until just after Llanharan House. There are no waymark signs from here until leaving the track for the descent down into Talbot Green and the notice on leaving the first section of woods is a bit ambiguous, but to me suggested following the gravel track. However, the style and gate at the end of the field are dilapitated and overgrown (Photo 6), so care is needed here (alternatively, you could go up the gravel track and take the first right hand turn, which brings you out on to the path just after this gate and style). The path through the next section of woods is also straight forward, but coming out into the next fields is again not so clear, but it goes through the farmyard at Garth Uchaf and from there it`s straight forward.

Photo 1 - One of the carvings in Brynna Woods
Photo 2 - The path through Brynna Woods
Photo 3 - The orange pools of Llanharan Marshes
Photo 4 - Inquisitive sheep at Llanharan House
Photo 5 - The valley below Llanharan Woods
Photo 6 - Dilapitated gate and style above Craig Melyn
Photo 7 - The River Ely at Talbot Green.

Walked from Talbot Green to Pencoed.

You leave Talbot Green via Lanelay House and a small country lane. Be careful as a small section is on the road. Forking left there is a fairly big climb up to the top of the ridgeway. Luckily it's the only bit of gradient on the whole walk! Halfway up the climb i had a visit from a curious horse and sheep enquiring whether I had any food for them. It gave me a good excuse to rest and try to catch my breath!

The ridgeway is lovely with wood lined paths or green pastures that run through to Llanharan House. When you cross over the cattle grid, don't forget to branch left away from the paved tracked. This takes you alongside the path but it is a much more scenic spot.

The path descends in Llanharan where there is a pub, and s few shops if you want to take a break. You then pass by the train station and head into the Nature Reserve call Brynna Wood and Llanharan Marshes. It is run by the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales and they do a fantastic job of managing the reserve for nature.

The first thing of note as you stroll into the nature reserve are the orange water courses. This is formed by a bacteria that takes the iron dissolved in the groundwater and oxidises it. The by product is an oily sheen or orange sludge. Both are perfectly natural and not some chemical spill.

As you walk through the woods, you will come across a number of wood carvings from decapitated trees. MY favourite is the dragon as it's about 8 foot high. A further item to note is an ancient scheduled Oak tree on the left hand side (as you walk towards Pencoed).

Once you leave the woods, there is a boring section of pavement walking, over a railway footbridge and into Pencoed.

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