Meeting at Wick Village Hall, it was great to see many walkers had arrived early and were ready to head off to Cottrell Park Golf Club.
Now numbering ten in all we started the walk on the track that divides the Mackintosh and Button Gwinnett courses, these are two 18-hole golf courses at Cottrell Park. Interestingly, Button Gwinnett, whose family once resided at Cottrell Park, was one of the fifty-six men who assembled at Philadelphia in 1776 to sign the Declaration of Independence, thus becoming one of America’s immortals, not bad for a boy from St Nicholas!
Taking the tunnel beneath the road that leads from the A48 at St Nicholas to Pendoylan, we continued our walk along the footpath now bathed in wonderful autumn sunshine. Another 10 minutes or so and we were walking through woodland, though wet and muddy we were not deterred and continued back under the road and toward the Mackintosh course. By now there was real warmth in the sunshine and the course was looking excellent with many golfers out playing in the Saturday competitions.
We were now walking parallel to the A48, but not too noisy for a Saturday morning. Crossing the road and entrance to the golf course, we were soon heading up a steepish hill, finally flattening out, we could now enjoy splendid views across the golf course toward the valleys and hillsides above Llantrisant and Talbot Green.
Now descending through another woodland with many different species, and some enormous trees, we arrived at the fishing ponds and time for the group photo. I did the honours and thankfully the photo turned out ok.
The walk nearly complete, we headed back towards the car park, club house and bar, most of us staying for a while to enjoy the sunshine on the patio and a very nice lunch.
Thanks everyone.
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