"For a short stroll along the famous Wye Valley Walk to Garth Hill start at the Cosy Corner in Builth Wells, cross the High Street road and walk uphill towards Bank Square. Continue straight ahead past Spring Gardens and then turn right into Newry Road.

Walk past the grey houses over the stone bridge and uphill under ivy-clad green trees.

In the dappled light a few bluebells wave to the insects and the cuckoopint stands tall and proud, here there are over 30. Continue past the modern, white-washed houses and then downhill.

Watch the red kite soar high in the clear blue sky over a nearby deciduous wood and listen to its call.

The yellow, pink, white, purple and blue flowers shine in the sunlight and there are fabulous stands of greater stitchwort, cuckooflower, garlic mustard and water avens. The fields are full of mothers with lambs; most are lying down in the shade of the hedgerow field boundaries.

Past Newry Cottage and another uphill climb, birdsong, the rustling of leaves, buzzing bees; nature plays her harp in the breeze of spring.

Sunnybank is on the left, her occupants busy in the garden and the hedgerow banks yield a bounteous spectacle of bitter-vetch, white bluebells, yellow archangel and hawthorn flowers. A lone pied wagtail surveys the countryside from the power lines.

On the left is a wooden stile that has Wye Valley Walk chiseled into it. Go over the style and walk up the left hand side of the field. Continue uphill through a latched gate and admire the hawthorn bushes as the wind becomes stronger.

Another latched gate is in sight, go through it and explore the hill-slopes for patches of wood anemones, now starting to seed.

The pathway leads straight to the summit of Garth Hill marked by a white triangulation pillar; it is c. 281m above mean sea level.

Here you are alone with the wind and a few grazing ponies. The views are spectacular in all directions and rival anything seen from the Eiffel Tower.

Return to Builth Wells by the same route and then pop into the Cosy Corner for a cup of tea and treat yourself to a buttered teacake or two.

This article has been written as part of the Powys Flora Conservation Project, a project that aims to encourage gardeners to grow native plants in their gardens throughout Mid-Wales.

Article written by Dr. Elisabeth A. Harris and all photos are from the Powys Flora Photolibrary.