Come join me on a countryside walk, the views are amazing.

For today’s walk I revisited an area that I am all too familiar with. The hills that overlook the Vale of Glamorgan are the one sat right on my doorstep, and the one's I've walked with 1/2pint most days, since the start of lockdown. I grew up in this area, I've discovered many of the hidden gems this beautiful area has to offer, and I have walked these trails on countless occasions. During my younger, healthier days, I would often run them too

The route today starts from where these walks always start, my front door. I take the dog with me, my rucksack and a map, but have no use for the latter as the memories of the trails slowly start to regurgitate in my mind.

It is an early April morning when I start the upward journey towards Llantrisant Forest. For the novices the paths are well signposted with little chance of getting lost. Although the days are surprisingly warm for this time of year, the cold morning mist is lingering below which dulls the view of Llanharan as I ascend.

There is very little wind, and within a short period the sun not only melts away the mist, but also wakens the beautiful colours that are to be a feature of this amble.

With woodland flanking the path next to hill pasture the climb is made so much more enjoyable by a variety of birds feeding between the two. After a mile of quite strenuous walking I reach the edge of Llantrisant Forest whose entrance is "Blair witch" esque.

Resting for a while, I am joined by this beautiful Robin. These iconic British birds are so plentiful one wonders the secret to their evolutionary success given their red breast is not exactly camouflaged!! There are few times during this walk when I am not in their presence, in fact, I'm wondering if this bird followed me my entire walk.

Llantrisant Forest is a joy to meander through at this time of year. New growth on the woodland trees, and carpets full of bluebells give the eyes a constant source of enjoyment, whilst the sound of meandering streams and the songs of dozens of birds fill the air.

The trail takes a meandering and undulating route through the forest which I have always called "The Smilog", for reasons I know not why.... Here I come into contact with humankind as I am nearly run over by a pair of mountain-bikers, who regularly use these woodland, downhill fast tracks to get their kicks. Fortunately they are few and far between today.

Eventually the track leads out of the cold cover of tge tree line, but I have appreciated the joy of watching treecreepers flit from tree to tree, and I am back in open countryside and take the mountain tracks along their edges. The colours are incredible and the Ewenni Fach Valley is as beautiful as I remember.

Resting for longer on the rocks of Mynydd Portref there is a strange stillness and the only noises are the flocks of fieldfare and starlings, the lone cries of roving seagulls and the distant screech of a buzzard. This is one of my favourite seating places.

Behind me there are views to Llantrisant and the Royal Mint in Ynysmaerdy.

The views on this path look over the Vale of Glamorgan and on days like today you can see over the Bristol Channel to the North Somerset and Devon coasts. This colourful display catches my eye of dyed wool of a sheep caught in gorse.

Soon we are at one of my favourite places in Wales sitting on the rocks on Mynydd y Gaer that overlook St Peters Church. I would visit this place regularly as a child on country walks, and be fascinated by the gravestones strewn around. Unfortunately the place was raped by some archaelogists in the 1990s who believed it to be the place of King Arthur’s burial site. Read more about that HERE.

The view though remains unbroken and I rest here for a long while, taking in the view but I always have to wander the ruins. A lone headstone stands defiant but its words have been eroded away.

A few more are dotted on the ground that can be read dating back to the 1700s.

So I bid farewell to the spot and take the steep path back to the house, that is only a mile away now. A wonderful stroll for a Sunday. All smiles in from the Smilog.