Let's go for a walk: Cwm Lickey Circular Walk

The 'Race' probably got its name from the mining of iron ore, one of the many industries that developed in this area. Ore lay close to the surface so was worked by scouring away the topsoil by using water that “raced” through channels to carry away the soil to expose the minerals beneath. The Welsh word Rass or Rhas can refer to this process.

The start of the walk begins at the 'Race', at the top of Blaendare Road, approximately 80 metres past the Race chapel.

Here four roads converge to form a triangular area, which is a bus turning area, so please park sensibly.

From the triangle, with your back to the Blaendare Road, walk along the left-hand track. After about 80 metres the road forks; take the left track then walk straight ahead, passing to the right of two bungalows and then to a stile next to a field gate.

Off to the right you can see the roofs of a terrace known as “Five Houses”. This is the last remaining example of the many rows built to house the incoming Irish families in search of employment, driven out of Ireland by the 1830 potato famine.

The families worked in the local steel and iron works, mines, clay pits and furnaces. In 1852, Blaendare brickworks opened, employing even more people, before closing down in 1924.

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Climb over the stile into a small field, bear to the right and head for the bank over which the path passes between a patch of gorse bushes ahead.

Continue down the other side of the bank and over the footbridge at the bottom. Once over the bridge, turn left and continue up the track for approximately 15 metres, then turn right at the way mark post and begin to ascend to a stile.

Once over the stile, take the path ahead of you that roughly follows the line of the pylons to the top of the hill.

At this point, off to your left on a clear day you can see Llandegveth Reservoir and the hills of Monmouthshire.

After about 400 metres the path comes to a green track that forms a “crossroad”, turn right and proceed downhill.

The path crosses a long, wide gouge running from left to right in front of you.

This shallow gouge in the landscape is the remains of “scouring”, a primitive form of open cast mining.

Continue on down the track, until you come to the black railings that surround the old Penyrheol Reservoir.

Looking over to Cwm Lickey Pond, Torfaen. Picture: Marie Coombes, South Wales Argus Camera Club

This reservoir was built in 1912 and it served the local area until 1980. Its empty shell is now a safe haven for the local wildlife.

Follow the line of the railings as the path bears to the left. After about 200 metres the track and the railings bears right and when you see where the path continues towards a field gate, turn up the second track on your left.

After only a couple of metres along this track, look at some of the larger square stones set into its surface and you will see some of them have holes drilled in them. These stone “sleepers” are all that is left of an iron railed tram way built by Thomas Dadford Junior in 1796. The line was originally one mile long and ran from the quarries at Blaendare down the valley to the canal basin at Pontymoile.

Follow the tram road as it climbs through some spoil heaps and bears around to the right, ascending all the while.

Here in the mid 1950s the Star Brick Company produced the very first breeze blocks from the waste or spoil from the mines of Blaendare.

As you come over the top of a short steep section, Cwmlickey pond comes into view, unexpectedly, on your right. Walk around the pond, keeping it on your right.

Cwm Lickey Pond, near Pontypool. Picture: Neil Wildy, South Wales Argus Camera Club

This pond was one of three linked feeder reservoirs created in 1832 to enable water balance machinery in the mines to operate and also to wash out the kilns and supply the brickworks. It is now the only one remaining of three reservoirs and is known locally as the middle pond.

As you come back around to the lower end of the pond the remains of the old stone retaining walls can be seen as well as remnants of the iron sluice taps buried in the hillside.

As you come all the way around the pond and come back to tram road path, retrace your steps down the slope.

The hillside here is littered with remnants of old bullets and empty cases as in the past time the area has been used as a practice firing range. It was first used as a training ground during the 1860s and also during the 1878 Zulu War, the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars.

View over Cwm Lickey Pond towards Trevethin and Penygarn. Picture: SJB Photography, South Wales Argus Camera Club

When the tram road starts to bend to the right, take the green path that goes slightly to the left and then joins another green tram road that goes to the right of Cwmlicky Bungalow.

The flattish hollow to your left is where the third reservoir was situated. This is now an important “wet heath” habitat that supports a good diversity of wildlife. Please be aware that while the path is safe the wetlands should not be approached.

As you join the green tram road, to your left is the location of the Blaendare Clay level.

Opened in 1810 to supply the brickworks with raw material for its bricks it once had a roof that was a fine example of 18th century bricklaying skills but for safety reasons this has now been closed off. As you walk down the valley you are surrounded by many disused mine shafts and as you draw closer to Cwmlicky Bungalow, the depression on your right is all that remains of where the “Gorse Level” was located.

Just before you reach the stile look out for a triangular, stone sleeper.

Go over the stile and turn right, onto a metalled track that after 240 metres bears off to the left.

Carry on until the route takes the right hand fork and then returns to the triangle and the start of the walk.

Torfaen County Borough Councillor Neil Waite provided information for this walk. Further details of the area may be found in his book entitled A Local History of the Race, Cwmynyscoy, Penyrheol and Old Furnace published by Hackman Print Ltd. It includes historic facts and folklore and many tragic tales.

For more walks in this area go to www.torfaen.gov.uk/