Cardiff Ramblers - The Gren Way

	The Gren Way
The Gren Way is a 3-mile route created in memory of local cartoonist "Gren" (Grenfell Jones) who died in 2007, aged 72. The route was created around 2010, but not a lot of information remains available. It is mentioned at Caerphilly Council's walking trails pages, where a pdf copy of the route map can be downloaded. Or you can download a gpx file of the route from here. Grenfell Jones was born in Hengoed and lived in Brynavon Terrace, where a plaque marks his childhood home. His cartoons were a regular feature in the South Wales Echo, and his "Ponty and Pop" strip appeared in the weekly Football Echo. The cartoons often involved the fictional village of Aberflyarff and featured life in the south Wales Valleys. Details of his life can be found in Wikipedia, and prints of his work can be purchased at gren cartoons.
	The route starts from the southern end of Hengoed Railway station. It crosses the viaduct; a metal bench at the left hand side of the track marks the route.	Hengoed station
There are good views north and south from the viaduct. At the end is the Wheel o' Drams sculpture by Andy Hazell, which has six trucks displaying the names of companies whose trucks would have once passed over the viaduct. The route continues along the disused railway line (National Cycle Network route 47), to a junction, where the trail turns sharp left along another old railway line. This continues, crossing one minor road, with the occasional waymark or sheep hoarding (one headless), until the route comes out onto Victoria Road (B4252) in Fleur-de-lis (aka "Flower").
		Some sheep and some waymarks on the route.
The route then turns left at The Twyn, taking a grassy track at a hairpin bend, to cross the River Rhymney on a footbridge. It then returns down the busy A469 back to Hengoed. Taking a steep road under the railway line comes to Brynavon Terrace, where a short detour right leads to Gren's childhood home. It is then a short walk back to Hengoed station.