Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 7.djvu/155

 12 s. viz. AUG. H, i92o.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 123 they lie. Upon them are beds of bluish grey and brick-red slate marl, that yield easily to the air and form the rich red soil of the vale of the Teme. September 11. Having hired two stout horses to convey ourselves and our baggage to Machynl- leth we set out between 10 and 11 for Bishops Castle 17 miles distant. The road lay in great part by the side of the Teme and we gained a considerable advantage both in space and scenery by passing through (Walcot ?) a park near Ludlow. The general character of the scenery is that of rather elevated hills in connected ranges and covered with luxuriant oak wood or cultivated and in green sheep-walks to their summits. As we approached Bishops Castle the brown and elevated ridge of Longmont forest and the adjacent hills began to remind us of our approach towards the mountains. Dined at B. Castle and proceeded to Welshpool by the lower road which is only 15 miles, whereas the hill is 17 m. and not nearly so interesting. We first proceeded along the vale of Montgomery to Church Stoke through a rich and well-wooded country bounded by lofty and picturesque hills and watered by the Camlet. From Church Stoke to Chirbury the road lies for the most part along the summit of a ridge not much higher than the adjacent country but immediately on the right of which you look down the trees into a very deep glen the sides of which are quite covered from top to bottom with rich oak timber, while the little area at the bottom is a green pasture with the Camlet .flowing through and studded here and there with cottages : in short it is one of the most perfectly beautiful scenes that I ever beheld. From Chirbury we crossed a range of hills and again crossed the Camlet which here winds through some extensive flat pastures. To this succeeded another range of hills from which we descended into the rich but rather tame valley of the Severn, in the middle of which is Pool, where we took up our quarters for the night. September 12. Proceeded before breakfast to Llanvair up the valley of a little stream that flows by the side of Powys Castle park, from which we crossed a ridge of high but cultivated ground on the right and then descended into the vale of the Virnwy, a rapid torrent of considerable magnitude hurrying through a rich and romantic valley. Up this valley we proceeded after breakfast as far as Can office where we .quitted the main stream and ascended the valley of a tributary stream, the Bronwy, quite to its source. In this part we saw a considerable quantity of cats partly in shock and partly not yet cut. Th< pasture grounds assume that bright yellowish green so characteristic of N. Wales. At the heac of this valley a pass between high but green mountains conducts us into the valley of a tri butary to the Dovey. The character of this vak is much more striking than the former. The corn fields are less frequent, the grazing grounds 'are o: a still more vivid green, the mountains that bound the vale are higher and steeper and their sides are in many parts richly clothed with oak and birch, the stream is more turbulent, and the lateral valleys or rather glens partake of the general character. ^ At Mallwyd we dined and spent the night. Mallwyd is a village at the confluence of the vale above mentioned and that of the Dovey, Lelightfully situated both on account of the grand views of the mountains that wall in the wo valleys and on account of the romantic falls >f the Dovey at Pont Fachlwyd. The mountains are all of slate, the strata at Pont Fachlwyd dip ,o S.S.E. with a very acute angle. In the afternoon we ascended the adjacent mountain on the S. side of the valley, and with b good deal of labour attained its summit a little jefore sunset. We were amply recompensed 'or our trouble : the sun set in a flood of splendour directly behind the summit of Cader Idris which soared far above the neighbouring mountains ; considerably on the right of this majestic object was Arran Fawddwy of similar outline and' scarcely inferior in heighth to Cader. On the- left was the termination of the vale of Dovey nd a broad extent of sea beyond ; and still 'arther to the left were the two peaks of Plin- immon with a grand mountainous chain pro- ceeding from them to the vale of Dovey. As we descended I observed two Fairy rings composed of thick set tufts of Lycopodium Selago* September 13. Proceeded after breakfast down* The cultivation of the vale is in general very rich' and the river flows through it in fine sweeps :- the immediate banks where it grazes the moun- tainous sides of the valley are precipitous and well clothed with wood. Several lateral vales with their accompanying streams join the main valley and aft'ord many delightful little land- scapes. From Abergwidol nearly to Machynlleth the bottom of the valley becomes quite flat and consists of an intermixture of pasture and peat moss. The farm houses and cottages in the valley are many of them whitened and exhibit an air of comfort and neatness not very common this country. Machynlleth is a moderate sized town, built of blocks of slate rock and al- together presenting a respectable appearance. The chief manufacture of the town and of the whole vale is flannels and webs which are pur- chased chiefly by Shrewsbury factors. In the year of scarcity the inhabitants of this neigh- bourhood suffered considerably, as the principal occupation of the farmers was breeding sheep and cattle, many even of the most considerable not raising grain enough for the supply of their own families : since that time however the culture of potatoes and oats has so much increased that a considerable exportation of these commodities now takes place. The hills abound in moorgame and the river in salmon and sewin though the fisheries are very ill preserved owing to disputes between Sir W. Wynne, the lord of the manor, and other smaller proprietors. After dinner we rode down the vale to th e village of Carreg situated a few hundred yards beyond the boundary of N. and S. Wales, at the head of the estuary of the Dovey. It happened to be high water and a delightful afternoon. The broad expanse of the river opening to the main sea and bounded by high mountains on the northern side, well wooded at their bases, afforded several grand points of view. At Carreg are some yards where merchant ships are built, the
 * he vale of the Dovey on the S. side of the river..