Teithiau Tom: Over the Hill from Brynbuga to Cefn Ila
Tom Maloney
Well, over a hill or two really, but it does start with a gentle walk over the hill on which the castle stands imperiously in the village of Brynbuga.
Where is Brynbuga? These days as a Welsh learner I am drawn to the Welsh place name first, but this little village, which is famed for its flower displays, is more usually known as Usk.
I like Welsh place names, they are usually quite informative, telling you exactly what you see, as with Castell Coch which literally means Red Castle, but they can also have a sense of mystery and Brynbuga has that for sure.
‘Bryn’ is the easy part to understand and it appears in lots of Welsh place names and quite simply means ‘hill’. Buga on the other hand seems to have different possibilities.
Various sources suggest it could be linked with a person’s name or have a connection with ‘bugail’ which means a shepherd or guardian.
I was drawn by the word ‘bugad’ in the ‘GPC Geiradur Prifysgol Cymru Dictionary of the Welsh Language which gives the following definition – roar, bellowing, lowing (esp. of cattle or oxen), bawling, rant (esp. in derision or threateningly), loquaciousness, babble.’ * See Sources
Perhaps the answer to this conundrum lies in one of these possibilities, but I rather suspect it will probably stay lost in time.
And so, to the walk.
The trail through the woodland to the side of the castle is as picturesque a way to begin a walk as you could wish for. I absolutely delight in the aroma and simple beauty of Wild Garlic and I was in my element here.
I have walked the path several times, but have never caught this wonderful wild flower in full bloom here at this time of the year before and so for me it was a like receiving a lovely, unexpected present that will ensure that I visit again to enjoy the ambience of this setting more regularly.
It seemed to have the same positive effect on everyone I encountered as well, as it was noticeable how people walked more slowly and took a little extra time to take in the extraordinary beauty of their surroundings as well.
Following this delightful route fit for the inhabitants of the fairy realm brings you to where the railway was once centre stage and it is so surprising to see just how much is left and at the same time just how much you have to imagine.
Firstly, the entrance to the old railway tunnel here is simply magnificent. Although blocked off now and somewhat hidden by trees, the grandeur of the design and execution of its wide arch, dated 1857, fills your eyes with wonder.
The dressed stone features are so exquisite and with such clean lines they give the impression that the scaffolding that would have been in place for the construction was taken down just yesterday.
But … elsewhere, you have to use your imagination more. A station once graced this tranquil setting and if you look carefully, you can still see where the platforms and associated buildings were set out.
Just a short walk away will afford you a wonderful view over the river from the railway bridge and yet this charming view also hides a wealth of problems for this waterway, which has become one of the most polluted in Wales and the UK*, that is so hard to believe really.
The bridge itself is another magnificent structure, with bold rivets, immaculately set out in lines, sandwiching layers of plate steel and a home to countless spiders now as well.
Crossing the main road will take you into the countryside and into the realm where farming plays such an important part in the lives of all of us, but often remains unseen.
I was welcomed by a rich, emerald green field carefully cultivated around trees spreading with their spring clothes and I was enthralled by the artistry of farming.
And just a gentle reminder here that great care should be taken to follow the country code and to keep to designated paths.
Another low hill is all that separates Usk from Cefn Ila and there is a lovely sense of freedom in walking this landscape that brings so many joys from the earthy aromas to rich birdsong. The distinctive call of Stonechat, just like the stones being hit together, seemed to be just ahead of every footstep.
And then there were the buttercups … such a spectacular panorama of buttery yellow wild flowers spreading in waves and gently swaying as flags on their elongated stalks reminded of so much of the paintings of Monet, especially of ‘The Poppy Field at Argenteuil’ painted in 1873, only this is all about the colour yellow.
And the thought crept into my head as well, to be mindful, take in these moments, these are the real treasures of life.
Arrival at Cefn Ila brought a whole new ambience in the surroundings and a new magic with its huge ‘Sequoiadendron giganteum – Giant Redwoods’ and other specimen trees beautifully placed as if to let you know that you have arrived in a special place. It really is an exceptional woodland in every way.
Perhaps it may have been wishful thinking on my part, but it seemed to me that the birdsong was on another level here as well, that one could easily describe as orchestral with crescendos happening all the time.
‘Cefn’, which means ‘ridge or back’ is another word that is fairly common in Welsh place names and as with Brynbuga the second part of the name ‘Ila’ is less clear, though some sources again connect it with a person.
I wonder if there is a possible connection here to an early Welsh Saint by the name of ‘Ilar’ with the place name being shortened to ‘Ila’.
Cefn Ila has had a fair history of change. In bygone days it was once a great house with a walled garden, but I rather suspect that many people locally will know it more from its time as a maternity home in its latter years, though sadly, the buildings were destroyed in a fire after its closure*. See Sources
Today, it is owned by Coed Cadw, The Woodland Trust in Wales who have done a magnificent job to develop the grounds with new plantations of broad-leaved trees, but all the while preserving insights into its past.
And how strange life is at times … some time ago, while leafing through an old family album I came across some lovely postcards of the great house. After a little endeavour I discovered ‘H. Dunning, Photography’ impressed into the corner of each card.
Though the indentations are a little hard to see clearly now, I am fairly certain that the photographer here is Henry Dunning of Usk, who died in 1920 at the age of 71. This would pre-date the time when it was a maternity home. *See Sources
The walled garden, which still remains, is a lovely reminder of the past days and to me is like a secluded haven.
Taking a little time here reveals so much. While the greenhouse has been replaced by a shelter, an associated brick built growing frame which would have been heated is largely intact and gives a good understanding of just how the garden was used for growing vegetables and probably fruits as well.
After a tranquil lunch in the shelter, surrounded by nature, it was time to head for home.
Useful Information
Photographs
All the photographs were taken during the first two weeks of May this year. Although I did the walk on the 1st May, I returned several times to walk sections again and to take additional pictures.
Usk Castle
The Castle is quite unusual in that it is also part of a family home. It is open on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from April to September and is well worth a visit. It has everything really that one might expect of a castle.
Getting To Usk
There is no shortage of places to parking in Usk. The town centre car park is probably the most central and the largest, but there are other convenient places as well, such as Usk Island. Both of these car parks have toilet facilities.
For this little excursion I chose the Newport Bus 63 Service, which follows a route from Cwmbran to Chepstow, calling in at Pontypool and Usk along the way.
As with my previous article, where I used a bus service, I really enjoyed the freedom of not having to drive and on this occasion I had the added benefit of first ride on an electric bus which was quite different.
N.B. There is no Sunday service for this route, so it does not work with a visit to the castle.
As bus stops go, I think it would be pretty hard to find better than Twyn Square, Usk. It has to be one of the most picturesque that I know.
Newport Bus Service 63 Timetable
Sources:
GPC Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru – A Dictionary of the Welsh Language
https://www.welsh-dictionary.ac.uk/gpc/gpc.html
Usk River Pollution
https://www.savetheriverusk.org/
https://nation.cymru/news/wye-and-usk-pollution-plan-to-be-considered-by-councillors/
St. Ilar – GENEALOGIES OF THE BRITISH SAINTS
https://www.celticchristianity.infinitesoulutions.com/Iolo_manuscripts.html
The Woodland Trust – Cefn Ila
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/cefn-ila/
Cefn Ila Maternity Hospital
Henry Dunning, photographer
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