Walking Group
The walking group was formed at the end of 2010 and is open to all members.
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Future walks
THURSDAY 24th May 2012 - Sheila Bruton will lead us on the 14 Locks walk. Meet in the cafe at 10.30am for 11 am start.. The Fourteen Locks Canal Centre is situated off junction 27 of the M4 motorway, take the High Cross Road and after approximately half a mile turn right in to Cefn Walk (sign posted Fourteen Locks) go over the canal bridge the Centre and its car park are on your right. The first part of the walk will follow the surfaced towpaths of the canal with some steep steps, stiles and uneven field paths further along. PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS! The length of the walk is just over 3 miles but it will take about 2 hours because of the terrain. We will return to the cafe for lunch. As the centre has only just re-opened following a fire from an arson attack, they are unable to serve hot food but have sandwiches and rolls which we can order before we set off on the walk. IMPORTANT – Please let Sheila know by 17th May if you wish to come. Sheila needs to let the Centre know how many we will be as car parking is limited. Where possible please car share. http://www.fourteenlocks.co.uk/index.html
17th June 2012 - Cherry Cadwaladr and Judith Williams will lead a walk up to Pen y Fan, full details to follow.
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Walks undertaken
28th April 2012 - Nine members met for coffee at the Wild Blackberry Cafe Dinas Powys. From there, Jane Percy led us on a well researched and well organised walk. The 5 mile easy walk took us through a glacial valley, wooded ravines, river cascades, past a salmon leap and farmland and took in views over the Bristol Channel. A truly beautiful rural country walk but only a few miles from the city. The walk concluded with lunch in the Star Inn.
and into Lan Wood. After a 500 yard steep climb towards Graigwen, we were rewarded with magnificent views of the town and beyond.
The path, then led on to Ynysybwl, where we joined the Lady Windsor Cycle Track, alongside the Nant Clydach. From here we joined the Taff Trail, and returned to Pontypridd walking alongside the river, spurred on by the thought of lunch at the Bunch of Grapes which served fantastic food.18th February 2012 - 
Twelve walkers met in Cowbridge for a walk led by Cherry. We met at Oscar’s for coffee and set off at 11am. We walked past the old town Walls, through the Physic Garden to the South Gate and then up Constitution Hill to St Quentins Castle (Norman). Then down through the narrow streets of Llanbleddian and up again, past Llanbleddian church, past the Cross Inn and then along a lane through the fields to the ancient mediaeval church of St Brynachs and then back to Cowbridge for lunch at Oscars. Despite the constant rain (but thankfullly no wind), it was greatly enjoyed by all. Thanks Cherry for planning such an interesting walk.
7th January 2012 - A record number of walkers i.e. 14 members met at Herb and Ellie’s for coffee before circumnavigate Cardiff Bay across the Barrage stopping at the Whitewater rafting centre for coffee and concluding the walk with lunch in the Wales Millenium Centre. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny, mild day.
12th November 2011 – Ten members met for coffee at Cioni’s café , Penarth. We walked along the cliff path to St Mary’s Well Bay, beyond Lavernock Point returning along the same path for a light lunch at the end of the 4+ mile walk which took about 2 hours. We were blessed with warm sunny weather.
22nd October 2011 – Ten members met at the Sportsmans’ Rest in Peterston-Super-Ely for coffee followed by a walk organised by President Cathy. The 4+ mile circular walk, in lovely sunny weather, took 2 hours - a gentle but interesting river valley route, mostly flat, that included the meanders of the River Ely, farmland with cows and sheep, and National Trust meadows. Lots of stiles (traditional wooden ones) to keep us fit and slow us down! 
The walk concluded with lunch at the Sportsman’s.
Saturday 24th September - a 5 mile walk organised by Joan Payne. We started with coffee at the new cafe on Caerphilly mountain and crossed Caerphilly Common, through woods, along public rights of way and minor roads and along Rudry Ridge. Some of the walk was quite steep and muddy underfoot but we were amply rewarded with superb views of Caerphilly Castle, the Brecon Beacons, and the Bristol Channeland Cardiff. We concluded with lunch at Travellers’ Rest. There was however one downside – we forgot to take a photo!
Cherry kindly organised a walk on 23rd July. We met at the “Coast” café in Llantwit Major for coffee and Cherry led twelve of us on a walk to the old Town Square and St Illtyd’s Church, and then across stiles and fields to the coastal path and the beach returning to Llantwit for lunch.
Walkers from SI Cardiff & District were joined by 3 soroptimists from SI Brecon and by Kay T from SI Cwmbran. We met on Saturday 11th June at the Heritage Centre in Blaenavon for coffee, walked to Big Pit and then lunch at the canteen. We then re-joined the Blaenavon Heritage Trail to Stack Square (where BBC TV’s The Coal House was filmed) and the site of the former Ironworks before ending the afternoon with coffee and cake. We are indebted to Kay Richmond for a most interesting and enjoyable day. Kay was brought up in Blaenavon so was able to add many personal touches and stories to the walk and visit.
Eleven walkers enjoyed the walk on Saturday 14th May kindly organised by Joan Williams with help from Kay Richmond. We met at 10am for coffee at The Three Golden Cups Pub, Southerndown and walked inland across fields and eventually down to the banks of the river Ogmore. We went down stream (on dry land not on the river!) and across the headland before turning inland again and back to the Cups for lunch. The walk was about 4.5 miles and was greatly enjoyed by all on a sunny and breezy day.
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Thursday 14th April 2011 - Five met for coffee at Seasons cafe in Radyr, and took a short walk through Radyr woods, around Forest Farm and along the canal. Then it was back to Seasons where two more soroptimists joined the walkers for lunch.
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Saturday 19th March We set off by train to Quaker’s Yard and walked to Pontypridd where we had lunch in a cafe in the indoor market. It was a glorious sunny day and was greatly enjoyed, so much so that Cherry carried on walking to Taffs Well!
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Ten of us met on 19th February 2011 at the Bridge café The Knap, Barry at 10.30 am for coffee. We walked to Barry Island, around Nell’s Point, across Jackson Bay, around the back of the island, across the old harbour to Barry. Approx distance 3.5 miles. We returned to the Knap via the path at the top of Porthkerry Park through the woods, another 1.5 miles. Total time just over 2 hours. We had lunch in the Break cafe.
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Our 2nd adventure was on Saturday 15th January 2011. There was an option of start points. Six set off from Radyr railway station at 9.30am and walked to Llandaff where we stopped for coffee and were joined by two more members. We set off at 11am for the 2nd leg of our walk past Llandaff Cathedral, crossing Western Avenue, through Llandaff Fields and into Pontcanna. We could have walked along the Taff Trail to Cardiff Bay but as it was such a lovely day (not wall to wall rain as Derek had predicted) we opted to cross the river at Black Weir into the Castle Grounds. We left the Castle Grounds at the Cowbridge Road exit and walked along the Millenuim walkway between the river and the stadium and re-joined the Taff Trail to Cardiff Bay ending up again at Kemi’s for lunch. We hopped on the train or bus to get home thus doing our bit for the environment!
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The first walk took place on 5th December – 8 members circumnavigated Cardiff Bay. We met at 10.30am for coffee at Herb and Ellies on Mermaid Quay and set off towards the Norwegian Church; we crossed the Barrage; walked through Penarth Marina over the new Pont-y-Werin bridge stopping for a coffee at the White Water Rafting Centre sitting on the balcony watching the rafters. We resumed the walk along the board walk alongside the river Taff. We crossed the river at Clarence Road Bridge and headed towards Kemi’s for lunch. It was cold but sunny and in places, especially at Penarth Marina was very icy underfoot but we had a great time - the day was given the thumbs up by all who came.
