This is a personal blog mainly to do with hillwalking things but with other stuff as well.....maybe the odd rant..
Monday 5 July 2010
Brecon Beacons – My Greatest Fans
And so on Wednesday, I drove off to an out-of-the-way parking spot on a moorland road and wandered off over the parched moorland to Llyn y Fan Fawr – a lovely tarn on a little bench beneath the scarp slope of some Fans. The Fans, in particular started with Fan Hir, followed by Fan Brycheiniog and then Picws Du, overlooking the Llyn y Fan Fach, which appeared to be almost empty from above.
These fans and the Picws have a fairly gentle, moorland side, and a stupendous terraced scarp side, as do quite a lot of the Brecon Beacons. It makes for exciting walking along the edge and big views.
From Picws, I returned to the bwlch and contoured out the two Fans mentioned above, and returned to the car the way I had come.
A cracking walk – 7 Miles and 2100 feet.
And on the fourth day, the forecast was for heavy rain, so I stayed around the tent waiting for it to start whilst drinking coffee and reading a book.
The chickens visited for a while, but they had to leave early as they had some pecking, clucking and strutting to do
It didn’t rain. In fact it got quite warm. I had fish and chips for my tea. The batter wasn’t very good.
I determined to walk more the next day. Dim Arsio as they say in Wales (No messing about)
And then it was Friday. I had two Hewitts left in the Beacons, and they were both fairly isolated and far apart, so I could only sensibly do one of them. I chose Garreg Las – which is a very Pennine-ish hill immediately to the West of Picws Du. I reached it by a zig-zaggy road from Llandovery.
I’d worked out the easiest route possible which involved contouring alongside some lime quarries on the flank of Foel Fraith to a wide bwlch and then over some big scree fields, resonant of Cross Fell’s stony necklace to a pair of huge and ancient cairns on the wide summit.
I returned by bagging Foel Fraith where I met a couple I’d seen two days earlier by Llyn Fan Bach. They had the day off yesterday, but at least they’d had lots of rain. A rather nice waterfall on the way back provided a long rest stop.
This area is obviously Carboniferous, which explains it’s Pennine – like features, which include loads of sink holes and one or two potholes. Just like home.
Which is where I went then next day.
8 Miles and 1300 feet (I started high)
Must reproof the tent.
The next group of hills in the area for the baggings will have to be The Black Mountains…. ooer….
The Backpackers Club Treasure Hunt may be held in the Black Mountains again this year, it's a great way to explore places you may not otherwise see. And it's fun. Not sure of the date yet, it may coincide with a certain event involving Peebles.
ReplyDeleteWord: foert.
I wasn't me. Honest.
JJ
I am a bit feort of Lord Hereford's Knob as it happens.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Peebles - Moffat.
Its invite only, y'know....
Three walks to bag all the tops, I reckon - or one backpacking trip.
I guess it'll be 2011 for me.