25-Aug-2001 -- On a warm Saturday afternoon in late summer, we set out into the bracken-covered sides of a disused quarry. We parked the car on an up-slope just off the B4337 in Llansawel, South West Wales. We walked along a disused road or parking area – as it was quite flat. But the confluence was on the side of the hill above us. A quarter of the way up the hill was a flatted path – not very wide. With various ups and downs and lefts and rights we decided this was the confluence and dropped the umbrella ceremoniously into the ground.

From this point the view to the East, South and West is spectacular. It takes in the rolling green hills intersected by hedges and dotted with white sheep. Almost directly in front of us, across the road and in a valley and a little to the left, was a large homestead – two storied, the lord of the manor’s house perhaps?

The vegetation around the site consisted of grass, full grown trees, brambles and the ever present bracken. It seemed most of the hill behind the confluence to the north was covered with bracken. A little way along on the same level as the actual point was a small brick building. It looked to have been built quite recently, though by accident or intent never finished. It had virtually no roof at all. It was only big enough for 4 or 5 people to stand up in and had no windows and the doorway was not covered in anyway. There did not appear to have ever had a floor in it but across the centre were 2 planks balanced securely on 2 bricks so that a couple could sit and look out the doorway. Whether it was an outbuilding for the quarry or a refuge for the baby lambs during a cold snap remains a mystery.