Yesterday, I had the pleasure of joining the Merthyr Valley Ramblers for an invigorating walk led by John Holloway. We were a group of 11, including our welcome guests Chris, Steve, and Synta. Despite the misty and damp weather, the rain held off for most of the day, making it a perfect day for a hike! We started our journey from the St Gwynno Forest car park, heading north towards Darwonno. Our first highlight was the beautiful Pistyll Goleu waterfall, where we took some fantastic photos and selfies. From there, we continued through the forest to the now-drained Clydach Reservoir. This reservoir, originally constructed before 1813, was expanded in the 20th century and played a crucial role in supplying water to the Nantyglo Iron Works. After a refreshing break, we continued northward through the forestry before looping back to our starting point for lunch at the picnic benches. This first section of our figure-of-eight loop was just over 5 miles. The second part of our walk took us through St Gwynno Forest again. Although the mist obscured the viewpoint, we used our imaginations to picture the stunning views that would be visible on a clear day. We visited the historic St Gwynno Church, a medieval church on an ancient site, known for its early stone crosses and the grave of the legendary runner Guto Nyth Brân. Guto, born Griffith Morgan, was famed for his incredible speed and legendary running feats in the 18th century. Crossing fields adjacent to the motocross track, we re-entered the forest and returned to the car park, completing our second 3-mile loop. A big thank you to everyone who joined and to John for leading such an excellent walk!