DEEP DITCHES ON 

GELLIONNEN MOUNTAIN

(article below) (please hover mouse over pictures for short description)

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Please note: Gellionnen and its congregation have had no part in the digging, or decision to dig, these ditches.  We believe the area bounded by the ditches to be common land, therefore any comments/complaints should be directed to the relevant authorities.  However, we welcome anything you have to say on the matter.  Please leave messages on the Message Board or email us (gellionnen@hotmail.com).

CAUTION: The ditches have destroyed natural passing places (necessary on a single-car-width mountain road) and also prevent cars from parking/manoeuvring on the grass bank opposite the chapel.

A week or two ago, the Gellionnen congregation observed the digging of ditches right across the mountain.  We knew that by the time we attended the service on October 5th, more ditches would have been made.  However, what we didn't expect was a ditch almost up to the perimeter wall of Gellionnen, intersecting the public bridleway (photo 3) that runs past Gellionnen.  The presence of a tree appears to be the reason why the ditch was not actually all the way up to the wall (photo 6).

The apparent reason for the digging of these ditches seems to be to "stop the bikes" (referring to the motorcyclists who regularly use the mountain for recreation).  Although the ditches are deep, they are probably not impassable for experienced bikers.  Even if they were, the ditches are interrupted by roads or access points, which the bikers could infact use to access the patch of land on which they ride.

In the process of digging the ditch, a cable has been cut (photo 4).  The nature of this cable has not been confirmed, but it does not appear to have affected the electricity supply to Gellionnen.  Also, the ditch has destroyed a natural stream (which served as a form of ditch - photos 2 and 3); the ditch mainly follows the course of this stream at this point.