Penarth and District Ramblers explore Hensol Forest

Making their way to Llwyn Rhyddid they caught a few glimpses of this Grade II building which was the principal farmhouse of the Hensol Estate that was once owned by the Talbot family. The quiet private road around Home Farm with its glorious restored farm buildings led them to the edge of one of the Vale Resort’s golf courses, where the greens were deserted as they approached the pretty Llwyn Yoy pond.

Continuing along a muddy pathway through a forestry plantation where fly tipping at its entrance was much in evidence, they crossed a gate and slipped carefully below an electric fence to make their way to Keepers Lodge Farm. On their way to Talygarn Lake they were rewarded with tantalising glimpses of Talygarn Manor that was once part of the Talbot estates as a house has stood there since the 13th century. The lake with its bird life provided them with a view whilst enjoying their morning break and almost immediately, four cygnets appeared followed closely by their parents and were rewarded with some titbits.

The original house was transformed into a very grand Tudor Gothic mansion by George Clark who purchased the property in 1865 and drafted in Venetian craftsmen to decorate some of the principal rooms. George Clark began his career as a doctor but then became an engineer working with Brunel during the construction of the Great Western and Taff Vale Railways and also worked as manager of the Dowlais Ironworks. During the Great War the house was utilised as a hospital for injured soldiers and later after it was sold it became a convalescent home for sick and injured miners, now it has been transformed into luxury apartments.

A rough track led them on past Adam’s Well with its decorated memorial stones and walking uphill past The Cot, built in the Victorian era for the gamekeeper to the manor house, they crossed a busy road to reach St Anne’s Church in Talygarn. Wandering through the churchyard they spied the ruins of the ancient medieval Chapel of St Anne, restored in 1687 by Sir Leoline Jenkins who also left money in his will for repairs to be carried out. The present church was built in 1887 to a design by George Clark in memory of his wife Anne Price Clark and there is a memorial to her above the side entrance to the church.

The leafy and aptly named Strawberry Lane led them away from the church to a bridge across the M4 and passing through a built up area at Llanharry which has connections to iron mining stretching back to Roman times, they followed a narrow path uphill to re-cross the M4. Heading down a lane they returned into fields and paused at the side of a meadow for their lunch break, whilst watching a farm worker on a tractor collecting bales of hay wrapped in plastic covers. Refreshed it was time to move on and crossing some fields they passed through Tynytranch Farm whilst gazing back occasionally to appreciate the views. Steadily climbing through fields and woodland they arrived at Ash Hall which during the 18th century was owned by Colonel Richard Aubrey.

Making their way downhill passing the remains of an unfinished castle or motte surrounded by tall trees they arrived at St Owain’s Church in Ystradowen which is an exact replica of the previous 13th century church. Moving on through Badger’s Brook and crossing the disused railway line, their journey uphill through fields was shared with a Red Kite soaring high above as they arrived at the ruined Castell Talyfan, owned through the years by Richard Siward, Richard de Clare, the Despenser, Mansel and Aubrey families. Continuing along a farm track they headed downhill to Ty’r Mynydd before grassy meadows brought them out onto the road for the short walk back to their start.

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