Welshpool to Castle Caereinion - including part of Glyndwr's Way - 10 miles there-and-back

I wanted to do this walk there-and-back so that I knew it really well, but really it’s a walk designed to use the light railway between Welshpool and Llanfair Caereinion – catching the train from Welshpool and getting off at Castle Caereinion, walking over Y Golfa on Glyndŵr’s Way.

The start of my walk from Welshpool, taking Glyndŵr’s way from the Raven Pub, took me through some very smart, well-kept park land. There is something about walking early on a Sunday morning, and today was particularly still, it was so quiet and tranquil – perfect. Glyndŵr’s Way is a long distance trail of 135 miles forming a meandering loop from Knighton to Welshpool.
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The oak trees in the park land, scattered across the fields, either side of the lane lead that up to Llanerchydol Hall, were magnificent and I'm sure would look even more beautiful in early summer. I didn’t know this hall even existed - certainly hidden away. It is privately owned and was built in 1776  by  David Pugh  -  a local man who had made he fortune selling tea in London (he also owned Aberbechan Hall). I noticed an ice house near the back of the property, apparently there are two, possibly joined. Very intriguing, and imagine having enough ice on the rivers and ponds to fill these things. To be able to preserve food and, so they say, enjoy ice creams in the summer must have be high tech in its day but I expect only to be enjoyed by the gentry of the big halls. The lane continued and eventually became a track at Home Farm and just passed here, gradually getting higher, the views were fabulous although visibility could have been better.

I followed the well-marked Glyndŵr’s Way all the way to open access land / Welshpool Golf course and took a foot path around the perimeter. On the way, though, I detoured to the Trig point on Y Golfa where 360° views can be enjoyed, shame about the clouds but it was still very colourful and I had buzzards and kites souring above me. There is a fort on the footpath to look out for. Then the path follows the edge of the open access land down into the valley and to the main road, crossing the little railway and over fields to Castle Caereinion, all fairly well marked.

The village used to have a castle and there is a mound in the churchyard which they say could possibly be the remains of some sort of fort. The village its self was very quiet and petty, the shop was shut but outside was a rack with the papers in and a little old post box – all very quaint.  There is a pub too which would have made a good lunch stop  but I was too early for lunch so walked to the station where I had my packed snack and coffee on the platform bench (no trains today!) and then I walked all the way back. 10 miles all together and all done by 2.15 in the afternoon!