0:00:02 > 0:00:07Great spot, isn't it? But you don't have to travel as far as the Brecon Beacons or the hills of Snowdonia
0:00:07 > 0:00:09to enjoy wonderful views like this.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13No, in the quiet backwaters and the old industrial areas
0:00:13 > 0:00:17you'll find the hidden tracks and the less trodden paths.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21Here in Wales, whichever you choose, wherever you are,
0:00:21 > 0:00:23you're never far from a wonderful walk.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Are you ready?
0:01:10 > 0:01:13In this programme we have two walks,
0:01:13 > 0:01:17one in a beautiful unspoilt corner of southern Snowdonia,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20with a sunny valley in the foothills of Cadair Idris.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23The other walk is here,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27a much greener place than it used to be years ago when coal was king,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30at the very top of the Rhondda Valley.
0:01:30 > 0:01:37My guide for this walk is Kerry Reece, who lives just over the mountain in the Rhondda Fach.
0:01:37 > 0:01:43She's passionate about the outdoors and, as a youth worker and assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards,
0:01:43 > 0:01:50she encourages youngsters to discover the wonderful world of waterproofs and woolly hats.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57This is a classic South Wales Valleys walk.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Starting from the Forestry Commission car park in Blaencwm,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03it takes us up past Pen Pych waterfall
0:02:03 > 0:02:06and on to the iconic flat top summit.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Then we head to the source of the River Rhondda,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13before crossing the head of the valley down to Blaenrhondda
0:02:13 > 0:02:14and back to our starting point.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24'Surrounded by steep forested hillsides on a crystal clear early autumn morning,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26'this could almost be in the Alps.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28'Well, if you squint a bit.'
0:02:28 > 0:02:31- What a cracking day. - It's marvellous.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41'Thanks to the way the terraced houses were built here,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43'in long streets along the valley floor,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47'just about everyone has a hill and a walk in their backyard.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51'And if you happen to live further afield, Cardiff, Newport or Swansea,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'you could still be here in under an hour.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01'These deep valleys were gouged out by glaciers during the last Ice Age
0:03:01 > 0:03:03'more than 10,000 years ago.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07'When these slow-moving rivers of ice melted, they left behind
0:03:07 > 0:03:11'the steep valley sides that make this great waterfall country.'
0:03:11 > 0:03:15- Is that the sound of running water I can hear in the distance?- It is.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- Oh, wow! Another waterfall! - I know, it's amazing, isn't it?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32- And it's bigger and better than the last one.- That's right.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- Are we going to get any closer? - We can get underneath it if we wish.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41When you're down in the car park looking up at Pen Pych
0:03:41 > 0:03:43it looks very steep,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46but it's relatively straightforward walking up here.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49It's been enhanced really by Groundwork Trust
0:03:49 > 0:03:53to create an accessible path up to the waterfall
0:03:53 > 0:03:56by putting in these slabs of steps.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59A little bit of care if it's wet, but that's fine.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- Well, we're getting closer now. - Yes, we are.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07And this is a good time of year for waterfalls
0:04:07 > 0:04:10because October is one of the wettest months of the year in Wales.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15'And, with blue skies and sunshine after a day of torrential rain,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18'we're seeing these waterfalls at their very best.'
0:04:18 > 0:04:22It's amazing, isn't it? Just look at all that water cascading down.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- And, look, there's even a rainbow for you!- Lovely!
0:04:26 > 0:04:29And only half an hour journey, wasn't it, from the car park?
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- That's right, no time at all to walk up here.- That's right.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35'To reach the best valley viewpoints,
0:04:35 > 0:04:41'we now bear right and up to the edge of the flat-topped Pen Pych.'
0:04:41 > 0:04:44The clouds are coming over a bit there.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Yeah, they're called cumulus clouds, Kerry, and, you know what?
0:04:47 > 0:04:50I wouldn't rule out the odd shower later on.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54'But for now it's still bright and clear and we have
0:04:54 > 0:04:57'great views down to the former coal mining community of Blaencwm.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00'Today, with few obvious signs of that industry,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03'it's hard to believe that at its peak
0:05:03 > 0:05:06'there were about 66 mines in the Rhondda
0:05:06 > 0:05:12'and it was the most intensely mined area in Britain, maybe the world.'
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Where we're looking now, at the end of Blaencwm,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16used to be Blaenrhondda colliery
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and, just below us over there, Tydraw colliery,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21and there used to be a railway line
0:05:21 > 0:05:25which ran all the way past Blaencwm there, you can just see the track,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28and it used to go straight into the mountain there,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32into the tunnel that used to go all the way under the mountain
0:05:32 > 0:05:34to Blaengwnfi, the Afan Valley.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39- How long was the tunnel? - Ooh... Over 3,300 yards.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43It was the seventh longest railway tunnel in Britain I think at the time
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and they approached it from either end, they didn't have any technology,
0:05:46 > 0:05:51but from either end they dug, from the Blaengwnfi end and from the Blaencwm end, and met in the middle.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Apparently there's a little kink.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Do you think they'll ever open up the tunnel again?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Maybe they could open it as a cycle lane from Treherbert to Swansea.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03It would be a good idea, because it's just either end that's blocked up,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06so it wouldn't take too much effort to open it up again.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09'A two-mile-long cycle ride through a mountain.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11'It gets my vote.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15'As we approach the summit viewpoint,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18'we can see a football-club banner
0:06:18 > 0:06:22'placed there as a poignant memorial to a young local lad,
0:06:22 > 0:06:27'a keen Man United supporter tragically killed in a skateboard accident.'
0:06:32 > 0:06:35This really is the classic view of the Rhondda Valley,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38with the streets and the rows and rows of terraced houses.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Each community blends into another.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Yes, and yet each is distinct in its own way.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46People who live there will be very keen to tell you
0:06:46 > 0:06:48exactly where they're from.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It's a good place to come up and watch the world go by.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55That's right. You can't see it so clearly when you're down amongst it,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57but up here it's a really good aerial viewpoint.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- Yeah, and on a day like this you really can see for miles.- Mm.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Well, we could spend all day up here, but we've got to carry on.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- Where are we going next?- We're going to get some more beautiful views.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11We're going to head off in that direction above Blaenrhondda.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15'Kerry's passion for the outdoors
0:07:15 > 0:07:18'means that she enjoys the challenge of persuading youngsters
0:07:18 > 0:07:24'to tear themselves away from their computers and video games and out onto the hills.'
0:07:24 > 0:07:29It's very important to encourage people to get out there and enjoy the countryside, but do so safely
0:07:29 > 0:07:33and to manage the risks that it poses and be properly prepared, you know?
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Because the weather can change very quickly and, er...
0:07:37 > 0:07:40unless you've got what you need then you could be in trouble.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42So as long as you're prepared...
0:07:42 > 0:07:45No such thing as bad weather, it's just bad preparation!
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Yeah, I know what you mean.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51So, tell me what really appeals to you about being in the outdoors.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53What do you like about it?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Just having the whole experience is beneficial for mind and body.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- Yeah, it can certainly lift your mood, can't it?- Oh, yes, indeed.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Especially when it's a glorious day like today.
0:08:02 > 0:08:08'Yes, how could anyone fail to be uplifted up here on a day like this?
0:08:08 > 0:08:12'As we gradually drop down below the ridge, we can now see into
0:08:12 > 0:08:15'the upper end of the reclaimed and landscaped Blaenrhondda Valley.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20'It may never return to the rural wilderness that existed here
0:08:20 > 0:08:25'a mere century and a half ago, but today it looks pretty good to me.'
0:08:25 > 0:08:28There we are, Derek, we're going to penetrate deep into the forestry now.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- It looks a bit dark in there.- Yes.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Who knows, lions, tigers, bears and, of course, the yeti of Blaenrhondda!
0:08:38 > 0:08:41There's not really a Blaenrhondda yeti, is there?
0:08:41 > 0:08:46Well, I don't know. Some say on a moonlit Friday night you can see him walking up from the club.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49Well, it's a good job it's not Friday!
0:08:49 > 0:08:55'As we head deeper into Kerry's yeti country, I'm beginning to feel like
0:08:55 > 0:08:59'a bit of an explorer, as the path leads us through the forest,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01'on towards the source of the river.
0:09:01 > 0:09:07'There's plenty of running water up here, and not only in the river.'
0:09:07 > 0:09:12There you are, mind where you put your feet now, Derek, because it's very muddy and wet down here.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17- Yes, you have got to watch where you're walking, look! - HE LAUGHS
0:09:18 > 0:09:20So what's this river called here?
0:09:20 > 0:09:22This is our Rhondda now, the Rhondda Fawr,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26heading down from the confluence of the streams
0:09:26 > 0:09:30that feed down from the waterfalls just upstream here.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32There's a bridge across the river.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Yeah. And that bridge is quite a new bridge,
0:09:35 > 0:09:36put there by Groundwork Trust
0:09:36 > 0:09:40when they were developing this Loops and Links route
0:09:40 > 0:09:41for walkers and cyclists.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45'Despite marker posts here and there and this purpose-built footbridge,
0:09:45 > 0:09:49'we haven't seen another soul on this bit of the walk,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53'but this just increases the feeling of being in proper back country
0:09:53 > 0:09:55'on a real wilderness walk,
0:09:55 > 0:10:00'which is quite incredible considering just how accessible it is.'
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Pick your way through the heather.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04That's right, yes.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Be careful you don't trip again.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09'Just across the valley there's a major road,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11'and yet we could be anywhere.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15'Dr Livingstone and Stanley in deepest Rhondda Cynon Taff.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21'Finally, we arrive at the source of our river.'
0:10:21 > 0:10:23We're at the confluence of three streams
0:10:23 > 0:10:25that create the River Rhondda.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28We've got the Nant Melyn,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31up there we've got the Nant Carn Moesen,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and we've got the Nant Gaerllwyd coming down there.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Where they converge down there is where the River Rhondda actually begins.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- So we've found the source of the River Rhondda.- We have, Derek.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45And what a lovely journey it's been, hasn't it?
0:10:45 > 0:10:49'But our journey doesn't end here, and there's lots more to see.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53'Just across the top of the valley
0:10:53 > 0:10:58'the path takes us close to some ancient stone hut circles.'
0:11:00 > 0:11:05These are the remains of some of the first settlers in this area.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06Iron Age settlements.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12Apparently it's the biggest non-fortified Iron Age settlement in the whole of south-east Wales.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13- Really?- Yeah.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17There'd be roundhouses, these smaller circles possibly,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20and then...they were probably farmers, it's thought,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24and the larger enclosures possibly animal enclosures.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26A great place to live.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30- A bit exposed, but look at the view they would have had.- Oh, yes!
0:11:30 > 0:11:34'But that view has certainly changed since those Iron Age farmers
0:11:34 > 0:11:37'looked down the valley about 2,000 years ago.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41'Man left his mark here big-time back in the 19th century,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42'as mines were sunk
0:11:42 > 0:11:46'and collieries dumped their waste over the countryside.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50'Today it's a greener place again,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53'though man still manages to leave his mark on the landscape.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57'And evidence of coal mining is just beneath your feet.'
0:11:58 > 0:12:01We can see where some of the coal
0:12:01 > 0:12:05on this tip we're walking on has been exposed by the recent rains.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07So all this area here
0:12:07 > 0:12:09is all coal waste?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13That's right, yes, from the collieries down there in the valley.
0:12:13 > 0:12:14So when did they close?
0:12:14 > 0:12:19The one furthest up here, the Blaenrhondda colliery, North Dunraven,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21that was back in the '20s.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24But Fernhill, which is a little bit further down there,
0:12:24 > 0:12:29a lot more recent, 1970s, late 1970s, '78?
0:12:29 > 0:12:31- Can I take a bit?- Of course you can.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38That will look good on my mantelpiece, that.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44'Up on the Rhigos Road we can see an old road watchman's hut and garden.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46'Before they used steel nets,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50'his job was to pick up rocks that fell onto the road.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54'But in his spare time it seems he was a bit of an artist.'
0:12:54 > 0:13:00What he used to do was, any rubbish that seemed to flow along the road and end up near his hut,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04he used to create beautiful things into a little garden,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06bit of recycling really,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10out of things he found that blew down the mountain.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12It's certainly different.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14He certainly made his mark on Rhigos Mountain Road.
0:13:14 > 0:13:20'A school's art project added even more recycled plastic sculptures here a few years ago,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'to commemorate the old watchman.'
0:13:24 > 0:13:26If you look over there, Derek...
0:13:27 > 0:13:30If you were here about 20 years ago
0:13:30 > 0:13:32you'd have seen quite a different sight.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37That was where we had a cowboy town called Western World.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41You mean like cowboys, Indians and John Waynes running around?
0:13:41 > 0:13:43That sort of thing, yes.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Well, I've heard it was like the Klondike 150 years ago,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49but I never knew there was a Western theme park here.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53No, no. But it was good fun while it lasted.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56'Our walk has certainly been good fun while it lasted.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00'In a place once famous for its collieries and coal tips,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03'I've really enjoyed a surprising and beautiful walk -
0:14:03 > 0:14:06'and a bit of an adventure to the source of a river.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10'But suddenly we're back in the world of terraced houses
0:14:10 > 0:14:14'and a reminder that this is so close for so many people.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18'You know, there's just no excuse for not going for a walk here.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23'If you fancy trying one of the walks from the series,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25'go to bbc.co.uk/wales.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30'Take a look at our interactive Weatherman Walking website.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35'It has everything you need, from detailed route information for each walk,
0:14:35 > 0:14:41'as well as photos that we took along the way, and walking maps for you to print off and follow.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46'For our next walk, we head to the Talyllyn area in the Snowdonia National Park,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50'home of one of the great little trains of Wales.'
0:14:51 > 0:14:54This is the Talyllyn Railway, which runs
0:14:54 > 0:14:59from Twywn on the mid-Wales coast to the village of Abergynolwyn.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02A charming way to reach the start of a delightful walk
0:15:02 > 0:15:06in a beautiful corner of the Snowdonia National Park.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12'The Talyllyn narrow-gauge railway first opened in 1866 to carry slate.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17'Then in 1951 it became the first railway in the world
0:15:17 > 0:15:19'to be preserved by volunteers.
0:15:19 > 0:15:27And waiting for me, I hope, at Nant Gwernol station is Lisa Markham, my guide for the day.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31'Busy librarian and keen horsewoman Lisa and husband Ken
0:15:31 > 0:15:33'farm in Cwm Llan, a delightful valley
0:15:33 > 0:15:38'that we're actually passing through on our walk today.'
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- Lisa.- Derek!
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- Nice to meet you.- And you. Croeso y Nant Gwernol.- Diollch yn fawr.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47And what a fantastic way to start the walk.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49What a way. Amazing start.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- Shall we go?- Yes.
0:15:52 > 0:15:58Just seven miles or so inland from the Cardigan Bay seaside town of Tywyn,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00our walk takes us from Nant Gwernol station,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03down through the village of Abergynolwyn,
0:16:03 > 0:16:08along the Dysynni River, around to the 13th century Castell-y-Bere,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11then up and over the high valley of Nant-yr-Eira
0:16:11 > 0:16:13and back to Abergynolwyn.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'Apart from the railway and a short, steep incline
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'where slate trucks were once lowered down to the station,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34'you'd be hard-pushed to see many signs of the quarry
0:16:34 > 0:16:36'in this wonderful woodland.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40'But 300 men were actually employed at Bryn Eglwys
0:16:40 > 0:16:44'before it finally closed on Boxing Day 1946.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48'When the railway first opened as a tourist attraction,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52'the line came to an end a few miles further down the valley
0:16:52 > 0:16:55'but now it's been extended to Nant Gwernol
0:16:55 > 0:16:58'you can enjoy a stunning walk along this delightful cascading stream,
0:16:58 > 0:17:04'where the workers once walked between the quarry and their homes in the village.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08'But, of course, you don't HAVE to use the train to get here.'
0:17:12 > 0:17:17Here on the right you will see some of the houses that were built
0:17:17 > 0:17:19for the people that worked in the quarry.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24This is where they lived, and this is a typical street in Abergynolwyn.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28They've got lots of character, these little houses and cottages.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Yes. Surprisingly big...
0:17:30 > 0:17:35And so popular, it's really what gives the village the character.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40This is unusual, Lisa. What's this all about?
0:17:40 > 0:17:47In one beautiful sculpture it's a symbol of the two rivers meeting,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51which conveys the name of the village - aber...gywnolwyn.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- Abergynolwyn as we know it today. - Which means?
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Which means...where these two rivers are meeting,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02there was a rock that restricted the flow of water.
0:18:02 > 0:18:09That restriction caused a whirlpool, a white whirlpool of water, which is Aber...gynolwyn.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Before the slate quarry opened,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18there were actually two separate hamlets here, called Pandy and Cwrt.
0:18:18 > 0:18:24When houses were built for the workers, the hamlets were joined by this quaint row of slate cottages,
0:18:24 > 0:18:29and became part of the new planned settlement known as Abergynolwyn.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36It's the organisation of the village that's amazing, because it was well thought out.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40They wanted to make it as efficient as possible.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45So they had the railway track bringing trucks down from the station
0:18:45 > 0:18:47down into the village,
0:18:47 > 0:18:53so they could just drive along the houses at the back of this street
0:18:53 > 0:18:55and hand out the goods.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58So across the bridge and over the river.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Yes, the footbridge out of the village,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03just crossing the Gwernol River.
0:19:03 > 0:19:09You will just see where the two rivers meet, just below us there.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12'And where the Gwernol meets the Dysynni river today,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15'I'm afraid the foaming white whirlpool
0:19:15 > 0:19:17'that gave the village its name is no more.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20'Maybe someone moved the rock.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24'Occasionally you come across things on a walk
0:19:24 > 0:19:27'that you wouldn't have a clue what they're for.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32'Fortunately I've got Lisa with me to explain how once upon a time
0:19:32 > 0:19:35'farmers' wives milked their cows out in the fields,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39'and they had a rather simple way of keeping the cows from wandering off.'
0:19:39 > 0:19:44The cows would be grazing and the woman would bring them over,
0:19:44 > 0:19:49tie them up and feed them in this handmade trough.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Then she would be quite relaxed
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and they'd get the milk that they needed. Quite amazing.
0:19:54 > 0:20:01Thinking of the ways they milk them now, with their posh pipelines and their tanks.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- Much simpler in the olden days. - Yes.- Shall we carry on?- Yes.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11'Well, who would have guessed? A metal ring, a chiselled out rock,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13'and you've got milk for your cornflakes.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15'Life was much simpler back then!
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'This steep and narrow-sided section of the Dysynni
0:20:23 > 0:20:27'is a classic example of what geologists call river capture.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32'If we look at the map we'll see that there's a more direct route for this river to reach the sea,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36'as it once did - straight on at Abergynolwyn.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40'However, the small stream that was originally here
0:20:40 > 0:20:43'gradually ate away at the head of its valley
0:20:43 > 0:20:47'until it broke through and stole the neighbouring river, the Dysynni,
0:20:47 > 0:20:49'diverting its course.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53'A case of geological robbery, you might say.'
0:20:53 > 0:20:59- Another stile, another gate. - Yes, but leave the gate open, keep them as you find them.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03'Following the stolen river,
0:21:03 > 0:21:08'we now reach what became, thousands of years ago, its new home,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10'the stunningly beautiful Cwm Llan,
0:21:10 > 0:21:15'lying below the large bulk of Cadair Idris, 2,900 ft above.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23'We now join a short section of road near a bridge above a deep pool in the river
0:21:23 > 0:21:26'where farmers once brought their sheep to wash before shearing.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'The path now goes right through the farmyard of Cae'r Berllan.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35'The magnificent farmhouse is a listed building
0:21:35 > 0:21:37'and is over 400 years old.'
0:21:37 > 0:21:42As you can see from the plaque, it goes back to 1590.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45That's when this magnificent house
0:21:45 > 0:21:51was built for Baron Owen's son, Hugh Lewis Owen, and his wife, Catherine.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56If you look at the next date, 1755, it was the fourth descendants,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58again of the Owen family,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and that's when they actually put the back of the house on.
0:22:01 > 0:22:08In 1942, that's when Robert Jones and his family were living here.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10The family still farm it.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14The son, Robert Jones, and Ceinwen, and the boys.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18They are keeping up the tradition of the Welsh Black cattle,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20the Welsh mountain sheep
0:22:20 > 0:22:23and, more importantly, the shire horses.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27'I wouldn't mind a place like that as a country retreat,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31'and the stately farmhouse comes with a view to match.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35'A glorious panorama up and down the valley.
0:22:38 > 0:22:44'Across the fields, we can now see the romantic ruins of Castell-y-Bere.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47'This was once an outstanding Welsh stronghold,
0:22:47 > 0:22:52'perfectly situated to stand guard over the surrounding valley.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56'The castle was built by Llewellyn Fawr - Llewellyn the Great -
0:22:56 > 0:22:58'in the 1220s,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01'and guarded what was once a major route through the mountains.
0:23:01 > 0:23:07'Unlike those castles built by the English in Wales to intimidate the local ruffians,
0:23:07 > 0:23:13'Castell-y-Bere was built by a native Welsh prince as both a fortress and a home.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:19From the track over there, Lisa, the castle doesn't look very much.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23But when you're here it really is quite impressive.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27Just imagine what it must have looked like when Llewellyn actually lived here.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31It's just a fantastic location.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36This is what they think it may have looked like back in the 13th century.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41Yes, when Llewellyn Fawr lived here with his wife.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43The more you know about the history,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46the more it means to you.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48You can come here...
0:23:48 > 0:23:51It's not as grand as some of the other castles around Wales,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54but you can come here and use your imagination
0:23:54 > 0:24:00to try and imagine what it would have been like back in the 13th century.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03And really soak up the atmosphere.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09'In 1283 the castle fell to the English forces of Edward I
0:24:09 > 0:24:11'and was soon abandoned.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17'Lower down the valley is a buttress of rock with a sheer face,
0:24:17 > 0:24:23'home to some very unusual residents this far away from the sea.'
0:24:23 > 0:24:26That is Bird Rock, Craig yr Aderyn.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27Why is it called that?
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Because the cormorants still come up to nest away from the sea.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34A seabird is still coming inland.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38This is the only place in the British Isles where that happens.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43The sea used to come right up to the castle.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46'But you'd think the cormorants would have noticed by now!
0:24:46 > 0:24:51'A few hundred yards up the valley is the lovely little Church of St Michael,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55'where a young girl called Mary Jones went each Sunday.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59'Back in 1800, Mary undertook a remarkable walk -
0:24:59 > 0:25:02'a feat of endurance which led to the founding
0:25:02 > 0:25:04'of a worldwide organisation.'
0:25:04 > 0:25:07She was a little girl, she was 16 years of age.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11Having worked for six years, saving up her money,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15and the one thing she wanted was her very own Bible.
0:25:15 > 0:25:22- So what she did, apparently barefoot, she walked all the way to Bala, 25 miles.- Blimey!
0:25:22 > 0:25:27She went to the Reverend Thomas Charles to buy this Bible
0:25:27 > 0:25:31but he didn't have any copies left.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34But he felt so sorry for this...
0:25:34 > 0:25:40you know, the desperate measures she'd taken for this Bible, that he gave her his.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43'The story of Mary Jones and her Bible
0:25:43 > 0:25:47'inspired the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51'that now supplies Bibles to countries around the world.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57'We now head off over the high valleys of Nant-yr-Eira,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59'which means snowy stream.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03'This is also the first section of the Mary Jones Walk -
0:26:03 > 0:26:06'an official route retracing Mary's marathon barefoot walk,
0:26:06 > 0:26:11'which starts here and ends 26 miles further on in Bala.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13'Walking it barefoot is optional.'
0:26:13 > 0:26:16This is interesting, there's a gap in the rocks here.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21Yes, a landmark on the Mary Jones Walk to say that you're on the right track.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23- A bit of a gateway.- Yes, it is.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29Look, people have written on the rocks as well, their names.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Graffiti in the hills.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36We're walking through this upland valley now,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40back down to the village now, battling against the wind.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43You should have worn your extra-strong hairspray today.
0:26:43 > 0:26:48- Yes, or a hat! - It would have been blown off!
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Well, we're approaching the brow of the valley now.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02I was just thinking about Mary Jones and the journey she made to Bala,
0:27:02 > 0:27:07another 23 miles that way, barefoot, dodging all these thistles.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12- She must have been a tough Merionethshire girl. - Inspirational is the word.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17'The path now heads towards this dramatic glacial valley.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20'The Mary Jones Walk goes up the valley from here.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24'Our route, though, turns down through a woodland of mountain oak.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27'The trees were important to the local leather industry
0:27:27 > 0:27:30'that was here before slate quarrying,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33'and provided work for the women rather than the men.'
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Walking through the trees, Derek, it takes you back a little bit
0:27:37 > 0:27:40to those strong Welsh women from Abergynolwyn.
0:27:40 > 0:27:48They used to come to the trees, chop the wood, carry it down to the tannery and use the bark
0:27:48 > 0:27:50to colour the leather.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55Which really, before the quarry, was the main business in Abergynolwyn.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57- Another little bit of history.- Yes.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59- After you.- Thank you.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01'And we're on the home stretch.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03'A few stiles to clamber over
0:28:03 > 0:28:07'and a mile or so along a country lane will bring us back
0:28:07 > 0:28:08'to the village of Abergynolwyn.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14'Packed into an incredibly varied six-mile walk,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18'from steam train to waterfalls, a 13th-century fortress
0:28:18 > 0:28:22'and then finally retracing the steps of the young Mary Jones,
0:28:22 > 0:28:27'this has been a day to remember in magical Merionethshire.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29'Now, what time was that train due to leave?'
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:42 > 0:28:43E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk