Brecon Beacons/Black Mountains. 26-30 July 2006
"Lovely the woods, waters, meadows, combes and vales
All the air things wear that build this world of Wales" — G.M.Hopkins 1877
The poet Hopkins was writing about North Wales, I think, but this will do nicely for the South too and the Brecon Beacons.
A mixed party of 'oldies' mostly took part in this Mini-meths, but we were refreshed for a few days by the younger generation in the form of Christina Petzold and Steven Rainbow. Dave Harrison, Brian Sayers, Mike and Verena P., Ian Mason, Unity Stack, Peter and Antonia Tolhurst (leaders) and Bob Medland attended, most of whom did at least two days of the three. The last evening we were reduced to the Tollies and the Petzolds, the 'rump' dare I say it.
Day 1: Corn Du and Pen-Y-Fan were the peaks. The latter at 2,930ft is the highest point in the Brecons, but can be reached in an hour and a half from the Storey Arms on the A4707 which swings round the base of the mountains. We followed the climbs with tea at the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre.
Day 2: Cribyn and Pen-Y-Fan, the high points. This time we approached them from the North and did a horseshoe route taking in the two peaks, the ascent being partly up the Roman Road over these mountains.
Day 3: Fan-Y-Big (Yes, that really is the name). The approach from the north in conditions which rapidly detiorated into a fierce wind and squalls of rain. Instead of completing the circular route after the peak we retreated back to base and the cars. To compensate for this some of us had a cream tea at 'The Wellington' in Brecon in the late afternoon.
(Next year we plan a return to the Brecons and to complete the route of day three and do two other new ones.)
Meths previously visited the Brecon Beacons in 2001.
© WDYFO, 2006