The Caerphilly Twmpath

The people of the Rhymney Valley once rubbed the Devil up the wrong way, making him breathe brimstone, fire and fury. They were just too good for words and the Prince of Darkness was having the devil’s own job stealing a few measly souls.

So, thirsty for revenge, Satan dug up a spadeful of soil from Rudry mountain and set out to dam the Rhymney River near Bedwas. If God can flood the world for being wicked,” he blustered, “then, I can drown the Rhymney Valley for being on the side of the angels.”

Nearing Caerphilly, the Wicked One felt tired. It was a sunny day, hot as Hades, so he sat down to mop his brow. Soon, a cobbler approached carrying a sackful of shoes that needed soling.

“Upon my soul,” remarked Satan, enjoying his own joke, “tis a blazing day to be out walking. How much further is it to Bedwas?”

Now, the cobbler was nobody’s fool and realised at once that he was dealing with the Devil. He emptied the contents of his sack onto the road, displaying scores of shoes in need of repair. “Good Sir”, explained the cobbler, “I have worn out all these shoes walking from Bedwas, which must be at least a hundred horizons away.”

The Devil was too hot and bothered to continue what he thought to be a far journey and, in a huff, hurled the spadeful of soil over the hedge into a field. The mound, or “twmpath” as it is called in Welsh, is there to this day proving the truth of the story.

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