Who could ask for a better Sunday walk in the Cambrians – a lovely Spring morning and the company of eight CMS members? Essentially it was a circuit around the Caban Coch Reservoir in an anti-clockwise direction, starting from the Elan Visitor Centre. The route passed the Nant y Gro dam (of WWII Dambusters fame) and the lovely 16th century long house of Llanerch y Cawr before crossing the Afon Claerwen.
A short road section reminded us just how popular Elan is with visitors but we soon left the traffic behind, turning uphill by some large old pollarded oaks. The return route climbed up the steep hill side on the western side of the Reservoir before dropping down to Nantgwyllt Church (rebuilt in Victorian times after the old Church was lost when the valley was drowned to provide water for Birmingham). A final stretch along a footway/cycle path completed the circuit. Spring was on its way into the Elan valley but sadly no cuckoos yet.