Ramblings

Capel y ffin and the Twmpa


Listen Later

Clare meets a passionate proponent of walking today on a hike around Capel y ffin and the Twmpa in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. Andrew Green has just published a book called Voices on the Path, a History of Walking in Wales and for him it’s not just a case of putting one foot in front of the other and admiring the scenery, it’s “an activity loaded with all kinds of social, cultural and economic associations”.

Their immediate surroundings have long attracted writers and artists from across the generations including William and Dorothy Wordsworth, JMW Turner, Bruce Chatwin and Allen Ginsberg. Also drawn to the beauty of Capel y ffin was the poet and painter, David Jones, described in 1965 as the 'best living British painter' by the then Director of the National Gallery. Peter Wakelin's book 'Hill Rhythms' tells Jones' story, which he wanted to share with Clare on the walk but a twisted ankle meant he had to remain at base, however he used the time to seek out the potential location of one of Jones's best loved paintings.

They met at the tiny Capel-y-ffin chapel on the Monmouthshire/Powys border and walked up the Twmpa - also known as Lord Hereford’s Knob - in the Black Mountains returning via the valley of Nant Bwch. A walk of just over six miles.

Grid Ref for where they met: SO253316

Presenter: Clare Balding

Producer: Karen Gregor

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

RamblingsBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

149 ratings


More shows like Ramblings

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,996 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

488 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

49 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

284 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

259 Listeners

Scotland Outdoors by BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland Outdoors

255 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

110 Listeners

Gardening with the RHS by Royal Horticultural Society

Gardening with the RHS

274 Listeners

Open Country by BBC Radio 4

Open Country

88 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,024 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

242 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

68 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

100 Listeners

Off Air with Jane & Fi by The Times

Off Air with Jane & Fi

188 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

529 Listeners

What's Up Docs? by BBC Radio 4

What's Up Docs?

105 Listeners