A recent walk with our children and grandchildren found us at the disused quarries at Llangatwg above Crickhowell and the Usk Valley of Wales. The area, called Llangattock in English, was extensively quarried in the nineteenth century to provide limestone for iron-making, for "sweetening" the land, and for making whitewash, among other uses. A series of tramways were used to deliver the limestone to the canal and other locations.
Today much of the cliffs, spoil heaps and the higher plateau is an open-access area and nature reserve. We saw plenty of ravens, common buzzards, red kites,wheatears and a noisy pair of peregrine falcons. We also came across climbers making use of the worked cliff faces.
photos © T. Boughen Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2
