Walk 19

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Walk No 19: Pentwyn Farm - Llandenny - Llangeview - Springdale Farm Nature Reserve - Llanllowell
(11 miles - 4 hours; directions last revised on 14.01.24)

Boots are essential for this walk as stretches of it are often very muddy.
Binoculars are useful for spotting stiles and footpath markers in the distance.
It is strongly recommended not to do this walk in summer as some sections of the route are
extremely overgrown with brambles, ferns and nettles and finding the correct way is almost impossible.

St David's Church, Llangeview
(See an enlargement of this photo.)

At the top of the hill go through or cross a metal gate and half right across the field to the left corner of a fenced plantation. Go straight on with the plantation and a wire fence on the right. Cross a stile, turn left and then right after 5 metres and go straight up a clearing between the conifers. Shortly cross a dilapidated stile and head half left across a field. Cross a stile to the right of a metal gate. Turn left on a track and almost immediately cross a stile on the right to the right of a wooden gate.

Turn right at the T-junction and go under the dual carriageway. Opposite St Llywel's Church in Llanllowell turn right on to the Usk Flood Route (actually a flood avoidance route). Follow this for 1 mile and turn left at the crossroads (signposted Usk). Follow this to the T-junction by the Olway Inn Hotel and turn left. Follow the road back to the town square.

A laminated A5 card showing this walk route, along with photographs, can be easily ordered here.
The walk can be ordered more cheaply in digital format (PDF file) on the alternative Order Form.

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Walk No 19: Pentwyn Farm - Llandenny - Llangeview - Springdale Farm Nature Reserve - Llanllowell (11 miles - 4 hours; directions last revised on 14.01.24) Boots are essential for this walk as stretches of it are often very muddy. Binoculars are useful for spotting stiles and footpath markers in the distance. It is strongly recommended not to do this walk in summer as some sections of the route are extremely overgrown with brambles, ferns and nettles and finding the correct way is almost impossible.
This is a substantial walk on quiet lanes and through farmland and woodland, with one major climb.
Pentwyn Farm		Leave the town square and turn right on the main road in the direction of Raglan and the A449. After passing the school, take the minor road to Gwehelog (straight on) where the main road bends right. Continue straight on at the junction with Ladyhill. After ¼ mile turn right into a lane by the allotments. After a mile, pass a red brick farmhouse on the right. Go down the hill and up the other side and, immediately after the private drive to Pentwyn Farm, cross a gate on the right and go down an often muddy and overgrown, tree-lined track parallel to the farm drive (it’s not obvious that this is a right of way).
Follow closely the wire fence and hedge on the right to a stile behind bushes at the overgrown corner of the field. Turn half right, immediately passing a long, wooden building, and head for a large tree at the corner of the field. Cross a stile, go straight down the field and cross a stile 30 metres to the left of a telegraph pole. Cross two small footbridges, turn right, following the stream for 20 metres, then turn left on a narrow, indistinct path. Go uphill through the trees. Head for the large trees at the end of the plantation, to reach a stile between the 2 largest trees. (Note that from the second footbridge to this stile there is no clearly defined path and it can be very overgrown at times!) Turn left on the lane, ignoring the private drive to Cefn Tilla Court.
After about 1 km cross a stile on the right by a footpath sign just after a large tree. Follow the signposted direction and cross a stile. Go straight on with a hedge on the left. Go through a metal gate and head for the far left corner of the next field. Cross 2 adjacent stiles on the left and follow the hedge on the right round to a metal gate. Turn right on the lane (in Llandenny village) and continue on a track, soon crossing a dual carriageway (A449).		Llandenny

At the end of the track cross a brook and go through a metal gate. Turn half right and head for 2 short, grey walls to the left of tall trees at the field boundary. Go through 2 metal gates and turn right into the South Wales Gliding Club's field. Take extreme care when there is gliding activity in progress. Follow the brook and field edge and go through a tunnel under a road with metal gates at each side. Head half left across the field, passing to the right of the first large tree and well to the left of the next one. Go though a wide opening into the next field and turn half right. Go through a small wooden gate at the corner of the field. Turn right on the busy B4235, soon passing The Lodge by Cefn Tilla (formerly Llangeview Lodge and before that the Rat Trap). Just before the dual carriageway turn left on a lane. Just after a house called The Barn cross a footbridge on the right and go straight ahead. Where the trees on the right end, go slightly left and cross a footbridge hidden in the trees on the left side of the field (impossible to see until you are close). Turn right on the lane.

(The walk can be shortened considerably by remaining on the lane and turning right at the crossroads (signposted Usk). Follow this to the T-junction by the Olway Inn Hotel and turn left. Follow the road back to the town square.)
If doing the full walk, cross a stile on the left just before a track on the right leading to St David's Church. Go straight up the field edge and cross a stile. Go straight up the next field and then slightly left through a gap in the trees to enter another field. Turn right and climb the hill, with Newhouse Wood on the right.		St David's Church, Llangeview (See an enlargement of this photo.)
Looking west to Usk from Newhouse Wood (See an enlarged version of this photo.)		At the top of the hill go through or cross a metal gate and half right across the field to the left corner of a fenced plantation. Go straight on with the plantation and a wire fence on the right. Cross a stile, turn left and then right after 5 metres and go straight up a clearing between the conifers. Shortly cross a dilapidated stile and head half left across a field. Cross a stile to the right of a metal gate. Turn left on a track and almost immediately cross a stile on the right to the right of a wooden gate.
Go half left to a kissing gate to enter the Springdale Farm Nature Reserve (Gwent Wildlife Trust). Turn right and go through a kissing gate and turn left with trees and a wire fence on the left. Go through a kissing gate and follow the narrow path downhill through the wood. Go through another kissing gate and straight on with a wire fence on the left. Ignore the next kissing gate and shortly go through another one. Follow the path, go through a small wooden gate (at the end of the nature reserve) and continue to a metal gate. Go straight on with the wood on the left. Cross a stile to the left of a metal gate and go straight on with the wood on the left. Cross a stile to the left of a metal gate and turn left on a drive. Turn right on a lane and shortly take the track on the right across a cattle grid. Follow it round to the left and go through a metal gate (often left open). Just before a house at the end of a drive go through a small wooden gate on the right and turn left, shortly crossing a stile. Go straight across the field and through an opening into the next field. Go straight on with a wire fence on the right. Cross a brook into the next field and follow the brook and wire fence on the right. Go through two metal gates at the right corner of the field and turn left on a track. Shortly turn right on the lane.

Taken from the Flood Route		Turn right at the T-junction and go under the dual carriageway. Opposite St Llywel's Church in Llanllowell turn right on to the Usk Flood Route (actually a flood avoidance route). Follow this for 1 mile and turn left at the crossroads (signposted Usk). Follow this to the T-junction by the Olway Inn Hotel and turn left. Follow the road back to the town square.