Machen Mountain Coal Spoil

For the past couple of weeks Euro Forest (whoever they are) have been cutting down the conifer trees on the mountain we can see from our garden. We decided to go for a walk to have a closer look but for a large section of the track to the top of the mountain they'd blocked the footpath so we had to take a detour. The mountain looks bare and they'e not finished yet; it'll take years to grow back to the lush green it was.

The blipfoto shows Machen Coal Spoil on top of the mountain between Machen and Risca, (with Mrs BB on the track) - a legacy to the bygone industrial age of coal mining. It's slowly being reclaimed by nature. There was proposals to remove it but due to cost it remains. It'd would be starnge if it went and I think it's best left as part of the landscape history.

A lovely sunny day but cold. Great to get out.