The June walk was a triumph, with Red Lifford leading a group in a rough figure of eight from Strata Florida up through forestry tracks and across to the Teifi Pools, commenting as we went on the birdsongs all around us. Real ornithologists barely try to spot birds unless they’ve heard the song and know already what it is they are looking for and where. It may be simple with a lifetime’s practice, but it is an eye- and ear-opener to those of us coming late to the field.

Mike demonstrates the use of the Cambrian Way bench

The track up to the Pools from the road has very recently gained a fingerpost to mark the halfway point on the Cambrian Way from Cardiff to Conwy, and a bench for weary Way walkers to rest a while.

We stopped by the first “pool”, Llyn Egnant, for lunch and to watch reed buntings busy with nesting activities by the shore, then followed almost (and sometimes actually) invisible paths round Llyn Bach and Llyn Gorlyn, with occasional stops to admire sundews and Sphagnum, to come out above Llyn Teifi itself, bereft of humans but garnished with Canada Geese and one or two other birds.

Following the Teifi down through its ‘gorge’ lined with well-grown

Young Gina admires a young oak

trees brought us back onto the road just short of the graveyard of the Abbey.

The day was fine, the company congenial and both dogs superbly well-behaved throughout.