Follow the path as it begins to descend, until you reach another cairn at Bal-bach. Turn left down an obvious path towards Llanthony.When the path narrows, take the right-hand fork and follow a steep, stony path beside the stream. Once you have passed from the stony hillside into pasture land, the way is well marked with signposts and yellow arrows. Ahead you will see the Sugar Loaf and the Skerrin, two distinctive hills that dominate the horizon.

Enjoy the views of the tiny patchwork of fields that sprawl along the valley to the north east. To the north west a huge reservoir is restrained by a massive dam, and there is a stretch of woodland running to the west.Turning to the south east, follow the ridge along a well-trodden path. The raw ground cover of heather and whinberry provides a perfect habitat for upland birds, so watch out for raven, merlin and grouse. Follow the ridge for about three miles, until you reach the trig point of Bel Mawr where, weather permitting, you may see the ruins of Llanthony Priory deep in the valley below. This is the only steep climb on the walk; if you lose the path, just keep scrambling upwards.Once on the top, the path is easily recognisable; follow that to the summit, which is marked by a large cairn. He died before his dream was realised and the community closed in the Twenties.

The remains of the monastery became home to the notorious commune founded by Eric Gill.After the riding centre, follow the bridle path left up a stony track, keeping a small wood on your left. From here turn right towards the daunting ridge and follow the path, a swath of green that winds up the hill amid the rocks and heather. Start in the village of Capel-y-Ffin (about seven miles from Hay-on-Wye) at the enchanting whitewashed church of St Mary’s Glance inside to see the engraved glass window by Eric Gill. Here you read the words “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help”, and sure enough, through the window the huge, heather-clad mountains rise dramatically heavenwards.
Leaving the churchyard, cross the road diagonally and follow the sign to the Grange Trekking Centre. Turning left to the riding centre, you pass the ruins of Llanthony Monastery.

This was established by a Victorian churchman, Joseph Lyne, to restore the monastic tradition to the Church of England. It is located beside the A498 in Snowdonia, and opens daily from 10.30am to 4pm Adults pounds 4.50, children pounds 3.Simon Calder. This spectacular walk is not for the faint-hearted, but it provides a great day out along the high ridge of Charwel-y-Fan and along the peaceful Vale of Ewyas, with a pub lunch and a wander around the imposing ruins of Llanthony Priory. In the Rhondda valley, the Big Pit Mining Museum in Blaenafon (01495 790311) describes the story of the coal industry in Wales in the days when the country had one. It opens daily at 10am, with the last tour at 3.30pm: pounds 5.50 adults, pounds 3.75 for children (who must be at least five).The Sygun copper mine in Beddgelert (01766 510100) describes the history and geology of mining the metal. The day I travelled, a bewildering succession of substitute buses had been laid on to cope with a familiar Welsh problem – torrential rain had led to flooding on the line.Notes from the Welsh OvergroundOn days when the trains are running, eight narrow-gauge railway networks gather together under the banner of “The Great Little Trains of Wales”.