Stay in Brecon (or surrounding villages if you have a car).
Why and how four nights with five walks? By having a short walk on the Thursday starting around 14.00 or 15.00
hours (after the arrival of people off the first off-peak trains from London),
we maximise time walked vs money spent. That short walk, the Brecon Circular,
is a great introduction to the area as it gives views to the Beacons Range and the
Black Mountain, both walked during the trip. It also has a one hour woodland
and river loop tacked on at the end that is a very rewarding walk in itself for
any later arrivals.
Disclaimer: the last
bus from Abergavenny Station to Brecon leaves at 19.20 from the bottom of
Station Road, necessitating a train from Paddington no later than 16.48.
Order of Walks – Arrivals
Day: see above. Departure Day: the shortest walk that enables a relaxed return
to London including going back to Brecon first to pick up any luggage. The
other three: variety in areas and putting the one that least depends on buses
onto the Sunday where buses are less frequent.
Draft Schedule based on
current train and bus timings:
18.1 km (11.3 mi), with 484m ascent/descent, 5/10. With
shorter and longer options.
Along the Usk River and then through fields and
woods to the remains of Y Gaer (CICVCIVM Roman Fort), follow the Ysgir River
north up the valley and onto Battle Hill, a modest grassy ridge from where you
nevertheless have extensive views of all the spectacular mountain areas around
Brecon. A descent through woods and across pastures leads to the remains of
Pen-y-crug Iron Age hillfort with its extensive views of the central Brecon
Beacons, and also views to a number of neighbouring hillforts.
21.9 km (13.7 mi), with 1062m ascent/descent, 8/10.
Line T6 (Brecon – Swansea) to/from Glyntawe, Field
Study Centre (out at 09.08, return on 15.42, 16.24, 17.29, 18.32 or 19.30). Picnic
lunch.
20.4 km (12.7 mi), with 973m ascent/descent, 8/10.
Line 43/X43 (Brecon – Abergavenny) to/from Crickhowell,
Square (out 08.50, return on 15.13, 16.31, 17.31, 18.29 or 19.38). Picnic lunch.
Table Mountain and an airy ridge walk in the Black
Mountains across three tops with a scenic descent. Many shorter options, but
also the 10/10 Big Loop via Waun Fach.
22.6 km (14.0 mi), with 942/928m ascent/descent, 8/10.
Line X43 (Brecon – Abergavenny) to Talybont-on-Usk,
White Hart (out 08.51). Return bus for the long versions to Storey Arms or
Youth Hostel: T4 at 16.23 or 18.23 (stops near the YH 3 minutes later). Picnic
lunch.
Ascent out of the lush Usk Valley onto the Waun
Rydd upland peat bog – offering superb views, then past a WWII
airplane memorial then continue to the two least frequented of the Central
Beacons four table-top peaks (Fan y Big and Cribyn) via a clear path
around a steep sided glacial valley, part of one of the best ridge walks in
South Britain, featuring some spectacular views in all directions in good
weather. It is exceptionally exposed to the elements though and also requires
one steep descent, but this can be circumvented. Descent to Brecon via a benign
ridge back into the valley. Shortcuts: Either descend
from the ridge earlier back to Brecon or turn left off the Waun Rydd to
a car park (needs two cars). Longer: add Pen y Fan and maybe Corn Du,
then descend to Brecon or the Storey Arms bus stop or even the Brecon Beacons
Youth Hostel and the bus stop there.
From 13.4 km (8.3 mi) with 296m ascent/descent, 3/10.
Line T6 (Brecon – Swansea) to/from Glyntawe, Craig-y-Nos
Castle (out at 09.08, return on 13.19, 14.19, 15.41, 16.23, 17.28, 18.31 or 19.29).
Pub lunch possible (assuming one of them is open on a summer Monday), but in
any case: café at the end.
Rewarding
walk through Craig y Nos Country Park and above the Tawe River or via the
Cribarth limestone plateau, then up a scenic wooded gorge to South Wales'
highest waterfall. Shorter options but also a mildly tougher one.
4 comments:
Walks now posted. No important changes to this draft schedule).
A comment on the expected weather.
You will have seen that the Brecon temperatures for the weekend are largely going to match the ones in London, certainly Friday, Saturday and Sunday are looking to scratch the 30° mark. As per the mwis.org.uk mountain weather forecast just updated, up on the tops we'll still deal with temps between 17 and 24° (and with a slight risk of thunderstorms). All three walks on those days get us up high very quickly (i.e. steeply) though, avoiding the worst of the temperatures, and then we stay high with little to not much re-ascent along the rest of the route. What there is, can often be avoided by following options described in the walk directions (i.e. the Crybin ascent on Sunday, the ascent late on in the Crickhowell walk on Saturday). And the alternative finish on the Friday has far less ascent than the main walk anyway.
But in any case, the average pace will be slower than usual.
More concerning on those three days will be sun exposure (relentless due to no shade) and dehydration (no pubs and no or very few streams to refill water bottles until late on or not at all). Cover up, pack extra sunscreen and carry lots of water. (ed.: down with the nanny state!)
All in then, n=15 different walkers, despite the temperatures, the walks not being new and the closeness in time of the trip to the Lyme Regis weekend, which is quite good enough for me.
No injuries beyond heat exhaustion, general happiness with the routes, and enjoyable group dinners every evening, and at different restaurants every evening. All good then.
But everyone felt a bit for the backmarker, who spent a lot of time walking by herself, doing short versions of the 3 tough routes, while also staying too far away from Brecon to join the dinners.
Thanks to Thomas for the excellent walk planning with many spectacular ridges. It was a fantastic trip with great company
Post a Comment