At first glance this old landfill site not far from Carmarthen holds no appeal save for the occasional dog walker or nocturnal fly tipper as a result has never been high on my list of places to investigate.
However as I'm still banned by SWMBO from doing trips away until my level of fitness improves a bit more then I have to scratch my bushcrafting itch with extreme bimbling...
Camping on the open expanse of the badland itself would challange any visitor to this part of wild Wales for just beneath the moss and grass lies compressed stone chippings and concrete, suffice to say it's incredibly resistant to cheap tent pegs. Firewood is difficult to gather and with the high probability of some root systems penetrating into the rubbish below then it's probably wise not to consume any wild edibles on site.
But stay with me this gets interesting...
Vent Pipe for the landfill, one of many dotting the area giving an idea of just how thin the topsoil is.
Whilst the treeline looks appealing from the bushcraft/ wild camp perspective there are no obvious pathways into this wooded area at first glance, but look hard and you'll find small gaps.. just don't wear your best jacket! Most casual explorers are of course detered by the dense waist high gorse,thorn & bramble that borders much of it plus on a more psychological level OS maps and aerial photos give the impression there's nothing but a steep embankment down to the dual carriageway beyond. So as a posibble place to stay the night or indulge in a little bushcraft it's unlikely to even be considered by most. Indeed if you drive along the A40 dual carriageway at the bottom it all looks pretty much as one expects. A 35-40 degree slope, undergrowth that would make a mountain goat stumble with no place to set up camp let alone have a fire without being seen from the road.
Basically you'd have to be mad or desperate to even think about going in there.
BUT..
Looks can be deceiving as it happens and this wooded area is a wonderful example of "The map is not the terrian" for by accident, design or simply lack of space on the map an interesting feature is absent. The slope is in fact terraced, it's not one continious gradient from the top of the landfill down to the main road but rather two with a lovely flat spot in the middle averaging 25-50' across and some 250' long that creates an optical dead zone with any campsite in there becoming completely obscured to people on foot at the top or passing traffic below. As place to practice bushcraft or spend a weekend under canvas it's got some potential.
The only downside is the lack of water, there is a drainage ditch but as it's draining from a rubbish tip personally I'd give it a miss.
Lengthways along the terrace
Five feet from the edge of the flat zone looking down to the main road
So good is this feature of industrial landscaping that two homeless lads spent most of the summer there undetected by locals or the law despite having small fires & day-glo tarps, even now with much of the greenery gone one of the recently abandoned campsites is just becoming visible to casual observers but only if they get close enough.
Seriously nice bivvi tent just left to the elements
Dr Peppers Day Glo camp
I wish them well wherever they are now and thank them for the useful items that they left behind for the next person who needs them,
as for the trash.. clearing this lot out will have to wait till next year.
However as I'm still banned by SWMBO from doing trips away until my level of fitness improves a bit more then I have to scratch my bushcrafting itch with extreme bimbling...
Camping on the open expanse of the badland itself would challange any visitor to this part of wild Wales for just beneath the moss and grass lies compressed stone chippings and concrete, suffice to say it's incredibly resistant to cheap tent pegs. Firewood is difficult to gather and with the high probability of some root systems penetrating into the rubbish below then it's probably wise not to consume any wild edibles on site.
But stay with me this gets interesting...
Vent Pipe for the landfill, one of many dotting the area giving an idea of just how thin the topsoil is.
Whilst the treeline looks appealing from the bushcraft/ wild camp perspective there are no obvious pathways into this wooded area at first glance, but look hard and you'll find small gaps.. just don't wear your best jacket! Most casual explorers are of course detered by the dense waist high gorse,thorn & bramble that borders much of it plus on a more psychological level OS maps and aerial photos give the impression there's nothing but a steep embankment down to the dual carriageway beyond. So as a posibble place to stay the night or indulge in a little bushcraft it's unlikely to even be considered by most. Indeed if you drive along the A40 dual carriageway at the bottom it all looks pretty much as one expects. A 35-40 degree slope, undergrowth that would make a mountain goat stumble with no place to set up camp let alone have a fire without being seen from the road.
Basically you'd have to be mad or desperate to even think about going in there.
BUT..
Looks can be deceiving as it happens and this wooded area is a wonderful example of "The map is not the terrian" for by accident, design or simply lack of space on the map an interesting feature is absent. The slope is in fact terraced, it's not one continious gradient from the top of the landfill down to the main road but rather two with a lovely flat spot in the middle averaging 25-50' across and some 250' long that creates an optical dead zone with any campsite in there becoming completely obscured to people on foot at the top or passing traffic below. As place to practice bushcraft or spend a weekend under canvas it's got some potential.
The only downside is the lack of water, there is a drainage ditch but as it's draining from a rubbish tip personally I'd give it a miss.
Lengthways along the terrace
Five feet from the edge of the flat zone looking down to the main road
So good is this feature of industrial landscaping that two homeless lads spent most of the summer there undetected by locals or the law despite having small fires & day-glo tarps, even now with much of the greenery gone one of the recently abandoned campsites is just becoming visible to casual observers but only if they get close enough.
Seriously nice bivvi tent just left to the elements
Dr Peppers Day Glo camp
I wish them well wherever they are now and thank them for the useful items that they left behind for the next person who needs them,
as for the trash.. clearing this lot out will have to wait till next year.
