ROBIN and Pepper from Penarth and District Ramblers played host to 10 walkers arriving at Llangorse Lake or Llyn Syfaddan, the largest natural lake in south Wales on a misty morning.

Setting out from the car park and heading across fields to pass through Llangorse or Llangors village, before a minor road and a track brought them to Llangorse Multi Activity Centre at Gilfach Farm; more fields led them to a wet sunken lane and the base of Mynydd Llangorse.

A stop for coffee by a shepherds hut reconstructed in celebration of the Millennium heralded some comments on the fact that shopping would be difficult half-way up a mountain but the views were spectacular.

Continuing and following a good path to the mountain top where there was a slight breeze, with skies beginning to brighten overhead but surrounding views still bathed in mist, the trig point situated at 506 metres came into view, whilst the actual summit rises to 515 metres.

Heading along the ridge before joining a grassy track leading downhill it was time for a lunch break nestled in between clumps of bracken, ferns which die back in winter and with glorious views over Llangorse Lake in the valley below.

As patches of blue lit up the sky, Pepper disgraced himself by pinching most of his master’s lunch whilst his attention was diverted and packing up and continuing the walk downhill before crossing a road, a trek across fields led to Llangasty-Talyllyn.

At this point the pretty little church which is built on the southern shoreline just above Llangorse Lake is dedicated to St Gastyn (or Gastayn) who founded it around AD450.

A later medieval church was then rebuilt between 1848 and 1851 by its patron Robert Raikes of nearby Treberfydd, which was designed by the Victorian architect John Loughborough Pearson as the Raikes family home and they also built the adjoining Hen Ysgol or Old School which is now a private dwelling.

After admiring the interior of the church and the memorials to the Raikes family within the churchyard, a route around the southern side of the lake brought them across footbridges and boardwalks, as this area is prone to flooding and past a substantial bird hide.

When Gerald of Wales visited the area in 1188 he commented: "If the natural prince of the country, coming to this lake, shall order the birds to sing, they will immediately obey him," so even he was impressed.

The circumference of the lake is five miles and it stands at 154 metres above sea level surrounded by grassland, reed beds, woodland and rich flower meadows.

There are many myths and stories surrounding the lake, one being about an afanc described as a horrid creature preying upon those who fall into the water and nicknamed Gorsey, who first featured in a poem in the 15th century by the renowned Welsh poet Lewys Glyn Cothi, who derived his Bardic name from the Forest of Glyn Cothi, once a royal hunting forest.

Continuing around the circumference of the lake by sloshing through boggy fields on its western side, eventually led them northwards past the crannog, originally found in 1868 on a small man-made island of stones called Bwlc Island and back to their start point ready for the homeward journey.

On February 4, meet 9am at Cogan Leisure Centre for a nine-mile moderate walk at Goodrich in the Wye Valley; contact Joy on 01446 737131.

On February 5, meet 9am at Cogan for a 10-mile moderate walk at Ystradfellte taking in the Mellte and Nedd valleys; contact Robin on 029 2051 4051.

Wear suitable clothing, preferably boots and carry waterproofs, food and drinks. Some degree of fitness is required and if you are in any doubt, then please contact the walk leader for advice.

To follow the group please log onto penarthramblers.wordpress.com or Facebook. Programmes and membership advice can be obtained from Pam on 029 2025 5102.