About

Saturday 8th May 2027, Join Sarah Price, (walking guide), & Emily Mason, (Cold water swim coach), for an unforgettable women-only Wild Walk & Water adventure, combining a beautiful guided mountain walk with an expertly led introduction to cold-water dip.

We'll meet at the atmospheric Keeper's Pond, high on the Blorenge mountain above Abergavenny, and begin our 8-mile circular walk by heading gently upwards to the summit of the Blorenge at 559 metres. Although this is a mountain walk, don't let the word mountain put you off! We start high up, and the route follows gradual gradients rather than steep climbs, making this a wonderfully accessible way to experience a mountain landscape.

From the summit, we'll pause to take in the incredible views across South Wales, with the Sugar Loaf, Skirrid and surrounding mountains stretching out before us. We'll then descend gradually across the open moorland, eventually reaching a beautiful wooded area beneath the mountainside and the tranquil Punchbowl, a glacially formed natural amphitheatre with a pool at its centre.

This is where we'll stop for our packed lunch beside the Punchbowl (please bring your own lunch), with time to enjoy this peaceful and atmospheric spot. The area is now a Woodland Trust nature reserve, surrounded by ancient trees and rich in wildlife, but it also has a fascinating history, the Punchbowl was once reputedly a favourite location for bare-knuckle boxing!

After lunch, we'll gradually make our way back towards Keeper's Pond along the route of an old industrial tramway, once used to transport limestone from the Blorenge quarries to the ironworks at Blaenavon, and iron from Blaenavon towards the canal wharf at Llanfoist.

And then it's time for the second part of our adventure…

Back at Keeper's Pond, Emily will guide us through a gentle and confidence-building introduction to cold-water dipping. You don't need to be an experienced wild swimmer, this session is designed to help beginners feel comfortable, safe and supported as they experience the exhilaration of getting into open water.

Keeper's Pond itself has a fascinating story. Built in the early 19th century to supply water to Garnddyrys Forge, it later became a local beauty spot and acquired its name from the gamekeeper who lived nearby. Today, surrounded by the wild moorland of the Blorenge, it makes a wonderfully atmospheric place for our swim.

Once you're out of the water, we'll warm up with a hot drink and homemade brownie , because every wild adventure deserves a good ending!

With two experienced leaders, a small group and plenty of encouragement along the way, this is a chance to walk, explore, challenge yourself and connect with the wild, without needing to be an experienced hiker or wild swimmer.

Come for the mountain. Stay for the swim. Leave feeling wonderfully alive.