2015.05.24-25 Brecon Beacons

Surprisingly this bank holiday weekend appeared not to be completely rainy, so immediately the sky started clearing up, we set off to the mountains. As for the first visit this year the plan was very mild. For the first day we wanted only to warm up by walking around Pen Tir. I planned the trip using Ordnance Survey map available over Bing maps. We parked the car next to lovely signpost indicating the path, but very quickly it nearly disappeared, and for the next half an hour it was a narrow line on a slope. The map suggested we would join the main Beacons Way trail, but instead we kept walking along farm fence. Finally we were forced to jump over the fence and traverse the hill, but then we managed to join a good path.
 

The views from Pen Tir were lovely, with surprise addition of small lake just at the top. We followed the path down the hill and then got stuck along farm fence again! Since it was coated with barber wire we had to walk along it to get to the road. On the map it looks like it is a through road, with some trail using it, but in reality it appeared to be blocked by farm gates. In desperation we trespassed them and were lucky that we met the very friendly owner who locked his dog.


Plan for the day 2 was Four Falls Trail, but since we stayed overnight in Swansea, we first visited  Melincourt Waterfalls on the way. It was a nice short walk, and for return we chose a path around and above the valley.

When we got to Clyn-Gwyn it was already full of cars. There is no photo of Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, as it was full of people trying to get below, above and in it. Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn and Sgwd y Pannwr are better in that respect, as it takes long link trail to get there. As an aside, this trail used to go directly from Sgwd Clun-Gwyn and must have been diverted recently, making the Ordnance Survey Map erroneous again...

We did walk down to Sgwd-yr-Eira, but path leading there is definitely not capable of handling Bank Holiday Monday crowds, there is no space down at the fall, and with everything covered in mist trying to use few remaining wet rocks was far from pleasant experience. No photo of this waterfall neither, especially that one (or actually many that very day) can walk behind it.

2014.03.30 Brecon Beacons

After first visit to the sea this season, now there was a time for the first visit to the mountains.
We actually were in that area in 2008, and last year had similar round walk nearby.
I have to admit I was overly optimistic, as even in relatively not challenging mountains 5 miles is not the same as on flat. Incline along Upper Neuadd Reservoir easy, if not boring, but climb on Craig Cwmoergwm seriously increased heart rate. The worst was the return back to the car park at waterfalls: the path was generally flooded, so avoiding wet shoes caused us to zig-zac and made the distance much longer, and then final descent from Craig y Fan Ddu killed our thighs. We were pretty lucky with the weather, as all the way to the destination there was strong haze, but when we climbed just to the car park level, it cleared.

When we set off we didn't know that in a couple of hours we would have to roll down that moutain...

I was surprised to find railway track in that area, it appeared we were there just 2 days
before Torpantau station of Brecon Mountain Railway opened after 50 years

Tho whole area was affected by strong winds - here example of trees in different positions.

For the first time I tried panoramas and the result is not bad at all

 

GPX track of our walk is here and KMZ file with map underlay (courtesy of Bing maps) here