The Land of Beginning Again
My travel piece is about my visit to Hafan y coed (haven of trees) a spiritual retreat set in the heart of the Brecon Beacon Mountains. I discovered an advert for the retreat one dark winter’s day whilst looking for a place to escape in the many magazines and brochures I had scattered on my bed.
My journey starts as I board the train in Shrewsbury and we head towards the beautiful countryside of Church Stretton, and Ludlow. I’m surrounded by rolling hills, vast fields and quaint country farmhouses. A feeling of peace descends on me with only the music playing from my iPod and the beautiful English countryside flying past my window. I feel I can switch off from the world.
After a three-hour journey I arrive at Neath Railway station, I drag myself and my luggage down the step of the train onto the platform, and head through the barriers looking for Alan who manages Hafan y coed along with his wife Babs. He is going to drive me to the retreat.
I’m greeted by a cheery elderly gentleman, I’m quite taken by surprise when Alan says hello. I was expecting a deep South Wales accent - instead I discover that Alan is in fact a Londoner. I ask Alan questions about the retreat and how long Alan has worked there. Alan tells me of how he left London and visited the site with his wife and how they decided never to go back.
We drive out of Neath and head out to Abercrave driving through the beautiful black mountains of Brecon. Alan pulls into a lay by and shows me the mountain they call The Sleeping Giant. I can make out the giant’s face and body but according to local people the giant will awaken from his sleep and come to the rescue of his people in their hour of need.
We continue to drive on to Hafan y coed and finally we reach our destination. A small turning on the side of the road leads us up to the retreat. I am more intrigued than ever now as to what the next few days will hold for me.
My first impression of Hafan y coed? It has the characteristics of an American ranch and for a moment I feel like I’m in a postcard with the mountains in the back drop. There is a small stream as you approach on the right and I spot a stone circle in the field - they call it the healing area. The buildings have green corrugated steel faces.
I can’t wait to explore. We enter the retreat and when inside American Indian memorabilia surrounds me - there are dream catchers and paintings of American Indians hanging on the walls and from the wooden beams. Alan introduces me to Babs his wife and she shows me my room.
I’m desperate to explore the area so I leave my things on the bed and head out of the retreat. Bab’s suggests a walk to the waterfall, so I decide to take her up on her suggestion and head in that direction. I cross over the road from the retreat and make my way down a steep gravel path. I think I must be going in the right direction as I can hear the sound of a stream.
I pass a small cottage and through a gate there is a long path ahead of me nestled between two fields. The sun is beaming down and I take my camera out to take photographs. The path starts to enter a wooded area and I can see where the sound of the water was coming from now - there is a stream on the right hand side of the path, the sun reflects down on the water and all I can hear is the birds, and the sound of the water trickling over the rocks.
I find a sign for the waterfall. Henrhyd waterfall is 90 feet tall and one of the highest waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons National Park. The sign advises me it will take just over an hour to get to the top. I decide I will at least explore so far along the path today as the train journey is starting to catch up with me now.
I walk on from the waterfall sign and up over a wooden bridge overlooking the stream. I stand on the bridge for a while watching the water flowing between the rocks and under the bridge. I then continue up to some very steep steps - I’m hoping that there won’t be too many of these on the path to the waterfall. My poor legs are not used to all this stretching!
The path seems to become a bit easier once I’m at the top of the steps. I look down at how far I have climbed and feel quite pleased with myself. I continue on the path, which leads through a beautiful woodland area. I hear buzzards flying above me, and look up through the canopy of trees to see if I can spot them.
I have been walking for more than an hour now and feel compelled to walk right to the top of the waterfall. I can see more and more of the waterfall as I climb higher up the path.
Eventually I reach the top, I’m slightly breathless, but feel a great sense of achievement. The waterfall is beautiful, there is a natural energy here, it’s quite magical and well worth the walk.
Feeling quite satisfied that I have done a walk on my first day here I start to descend from the waterfall and head back to the retreat.
- Lydia Steele
