

Llanidloes and Allt-goch Wood

Description
Start: The Gro car park O.S Maps: Landranger 136 and Pathfinder 928 Length : 1 Miles Duration : 1 Hour [1] Leave the car park via the narrow one-way Chapel Street into Short Bridge Street, go right to the central inter-section. Housing the towns museum the timber-framed Market hall, with low understorey and cobbled floor is both strikingly beautiful and an excellent traffic calming device, built around 1600 it is the only one of its kind in Wales. The Llanidloes street plan reflects C13th town planning, with broad streets and numerous architecturally pleasing buildings, of which Sion United Reform Chapel in Short Bridge Street is among the most distinguished. Idloesian folk have reason be proud of their handsome town which held borough status from 1280 until 1974. In the last century of both flannel weaving and lead mining. The town hall in Great Oak Street was a gift to the town of one of Wales most dynamic men at the centre of Victorian industrial enterprise, David Davies of nearby Llandinam (where stands his bronze statute) and Gregynog Hall. Walk along Long Bridge Street descending to the roundabout bearing left to cross Long Bridge Street spanning the newly combined waters of the Severn and Clywedog. [2] Go left with Westgate Street passing the brick terrace dating from the flannel age. Beyond the Tan-yr-allt estate raod the footway is lost but within a few yards a footpath is signposted right via barriers directly above the bungalow estate. [3] after the kissing-gate the path forks, here you may continue on the steady path or bear left upon the three inviting steps on a steeper path guided by green- and white-sashed waymark posts into the fringe of Allt-goch Wood. The hill-name Allt-goch means ‘red slope’, implying the former evidence of iron-streaked soil. Ignore the crossing steps which climb high into the wood, keep to the steady climb to where a diagonal path cuts across: there is a fine view back down to the town. [4] Go right with young gorse to either hand, descending by a bench note ahead the meanders of the Severn leading the eye towards Llandinam. Pass down through the light fringe of larch and beech to re-join the original steadier path, now a track. Go left completing the track’s ascent to an open area where picnic tables have been set aside. The track enters old coppice woodland gradually declining by-passing a gate to meet the B4569. [5] Go right, wary of traffic during the less than walker accommodating decent. Glance left through the trees to admire Dol-llys. A styleish country house built in Regency Gothic around 1810, with rounded veranda pleasantly surveying the Severn vale. Passing the cemetery a footway restores pedestrian comfort with Eastgate Street leading back to Long Bridge. Having re-crossed the bridge [6] Go sharp right along the paved path to the railings beside the river. Cast an eye at the Severn’s confluence with Afon Clywedog freshly released from the great dam only 3 miles upstream. The river-name means ‘roaring water’, which, since the construction of 237 foot high dam in 1967, has become a tamed lion. The path shortly winds up to an access to St Ldloes which should be visited, the arcading taken from the Abbey Cwmhir at the Dissolution. Go rght along Penygraig Street, to Short Bridge Street going left and right along Chapel Street to complete this very pleasant little expedition.