Valleys 100 Section 11 - Pen y Fan Pond to Nantyglo
Section 11 of The Valleys Hundred will take the route over Mynydd Carn-y-cefn to Nantyglo from Pen y Fan Pond.
The route will descend to Aberbeeg via footpaths and a short stretch of road walking. The next part of the route has been negotiated with the Forestry Commission and provides a very gentle ascent on a good track via Cwm Big to Cefn Bach. The route continues northwards as it levels out on short sheep cropped grass. To the west Cefn Manmoel from where the route has just come will be clear to see, and the next stage’s objective, Coity Mountain will dominate the views to the east.
The route takes you to the top of the mountain, and the peak baggers on the Valleys 100 will be interested to know that Mynydd Carn-y-cefn is a ‘relative hill’ which means that it has a drop on all sides of at least 150m.
The route drops off the hill to the north and the stage’s destination will be clear to see. Nantyglo is the town that the route is heading for. The route will meander downhill via the West Monmouthshire Golf Club. The golf club is reputedly the highest golf club in the United Kingdom, and one imagines that it is almost unplayable in high winds!
The route drops to Winchestown. Here to the right you may well see a ‘round tower’. This is the south round tower built by the industrialists Crawshay and Joseph Bailey. The men became so concerned that their actions would result in a workers’ revolt that they had the two towers built so they could seek refuge pending the arrival of the yeomanry.
Shortly afterwards checkpoint 11 at the Senior Citizens’ Hall at Nantyglo will be reached.
