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Autumn 1997 - Return to the Brecon Beacons (25th aniversary) (Brecon Beaconsx4)
Thursday 9th October
Travel day Alan Wilson, Dick Grundy and Norman Hart arrived around 14.00, finding the hostel after a short search. Then going for lunch and a short walk along the river Usk in Brecon before going back to the hostel to unpack and have a meal. Whilst they were having there meal Graham Busch, Paul Keech, Dick McKay and Simon Franklin arrived. We all went to the Three Horseshoes for light refreshment. On the way down to the pub we met John Stopani who had some problems finding the Hostel. As we got to the pub it started to rain but was just leaving off as we left to return to the hostel and bed.
Brecon Youth Hostel (Ty'n-y-Caeau).
Friday 10th October
We used cars to go to Llanbedr to start Todays walk in the Black Mountains, Dick Mckay, Paul, Graham and Simon had to go back as they had managed to leave the right map for the days walk in the hostel, this was realised after a short way so not much time was lost. When we started walking we went in 3 groups, Alan and John, Dick Grundy and
Norman, the others making up the last group. The routes taken are as follows: -
Gp 1 Alan and John from the church in Llanbedr along the lane to Penhoelmeirch then via Trwyn Ysgwrfa to Table Mountain back to Llanbedr. This shorter route was taken as Alan had Achilles problems, also it meant they could get a lunch time pint (apparently it was good beer). Some problems were experienced on the walk however, as they were using an old map and had difficulty in finding some of the footpaths causing some "off roaming in the heather" but all was ok in the end.
GP 2 Dick and Norman started as GP 1 but carried on by road to Neuaddfaw then by path past Darren to a point between Pen Trumau and Mynydd Llysiau where several paths meet. The route continued along the ridge of Mynyd Llsiau to Pen Twyn Glas, Pen Allt-mawr (high point 719 mtrs), Pen Gloch-y-pibwi, Pen Cerrig-calch, Trwyn Ysgwrfa, Table Mountain and then back down to the start some 12 miles. Apart from missing the path in the wood the route was negotiated successfully but not effortlessly as it was uphill most of the way. Alan and John met us in the car at the bottom of Table Mountain saving the walk along the road, the extra bit we had done in the wood.
Gp 3 Paul, Dick, Graham and Simon from Llanbedr to Hen-Bant, Blaen-yr-henbant, Crug Mawr, Disgwylfa, Pen Gwylt Meirch, Pen Twyn Mawr, Pen y Gadiar Fawr, Waun Fach (high point 811 ), Pen Trumau to the meeting of the paths and then as Gp 2, about 15 miles.
The walking had been hard with all the ascents, also the wind was very strong at one time blowing Dick McKay over, the strongest wind that anybody could remember on a walk. Although it had been very windy it had remained fine with good but hazy views. We went into Crickhowell to get supplies for the next day and a quick pint at 17.00, then back to the hostel.
We had arranged a taxi for 19.30 to take us into Brecon for a drink as we were getting ready to go Roland arrived and made haste to join us, whilst Roland was moving his car Andy, Pat and John Creasey arrived so another taxi was arranged. The taxi was driven by a mad Welsh rally driver who took pleasure in telling us about and demonstrating his turbo we all shut our eyes and hung on. During the night Andy explained he had gone to the wrong hostel, no fault of the navigators, as Andy knew where he was going.
Saturday 11th October
When we awoke it was raining persistently, the forecast was for more of the same, so we went for a walk along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal to the Star Inn at Talybont-on-Usk, about 6 miles. All got there with no problems apart from Roland and Norman who stopped to look at the map and went to the wrong pub despite being able to see The Star from the canal. After a few pints and something to eat we went back to the hostel. After a wash and change we went to Brecon to see the England game, another ride with the mad taxi driver. As we were leaving to come back to the hostel we could see the Redcaps and police patrolling the town and some of the locals going to disco's.
Pub in Brecon.
Brecon Youth Hostel (Ty'n-y-Caeau).
Sunday 12th October
A much better day sun shining and good visibility all round. The plan for today was to go up Pen y Fan, where the original walk had Gone 25 years ago. A number of routes were used as people had to go home at various times, as follows: -
Gp 1 Dick Mckay and Simon drove to the Storey Arms Center, parked walked straight up to Pen y Fan then back to the car and home.
Gp 2 Andy, Paul, and Graham parked one car at Tai'r Bull Inn so that the other cars could be collected later then drove back to Llanfry nach. There route was along Gist Wen, Craig Cwareli, Craig Cwmoergwm, Fan y Big, Craig Cwm Cynwyn, Cribyn, Pen y Fan, Corn Du, down to the Obelisk past Llyn Cwm LLwch to Cwm-llwch then along the road to Tai'r Bull in time for a late lunch.
Gp 3 Dick Grundy, Alan, Norman, Roland, John Stopani, John Creasey and Pat took the cars to a car park near Allt Ddu. The walk was by road to Plas-y-gaer, Bailea, to the base of Bryn Teg, up Bryn Teg, Cribyn, Pen y Fan, Corn Du, Obelisk, Pen Milan, then down to the road and Tai'r Bull. Only Roland and Norman made the summit of Cribyn, the rest skirted the summit to save themselves for Pen y Fan. On the way down John, John and Pat put a spurt on as there was a danger the pub would be closed and they would get no food, however they did not take a map and went wrong catching the others up as they reached the road. They were able to find their way as they could see the pub all the time, as it had been shown to them by Andy when he went to the wrong hostel on the Friday night, "forward planning or what"! In the end we all made lunch.
Roland was really proud of his 25 year old 1 inch map, dating from the first walk in 1972, but it caused some confusion, as not all paths we used were shown, this resulted in some discourse between Dick and Roland. The intended route was maintained though.
The weather had been brilliant to start with crystal clear and spectacular views, later it started to cloud from the NorthWest but by this time we were on our way down from the summit.
After lunch Andy took the drivers to get their cars, the rest stayed in the pub until they got back, those going home left and the rest went to the hostel at Ystradfellte.
The Hostel was split either side of the road. When we arrived the stand-in warden said he would ring the pub as they did not always open, jolly nice chap so we thought! The pub opened but did not do food so we went to Pontneddfechan (The New Inn), had a pint and something to eat before going back to Ystradfellte, just in time, as they were about to shut the doors. We were the only customers until later when 2 American girls who were staying at the hostel arrived. The bartender was the landlord's son- in-law and most sociable. We left the pub at closing time walking up the hill to the hostel, the 2 American girls accompanying us, as we approached the hostel the warden was standing in the road waiting for us, saying we were lucky, if we had been 2 more minutes he would have locked the doors, it was barely 23.00. As we were "naughty children" we could not make a drink we had to go straight to bed.
Near Pen-y-Fan summit.
Pen-y-Fan summit.
Monday 13th October
Wet and gloomy weather greeted us this morning. Dick, Alan and Norman packed and left for home at a leisurely pace. Andy, Paul and Pat packed and went for a walk to see some waterfalls. The journey home was uneventful passing through several heavy showers.
When we got back to Alan's, Norman's car would not go, his back door had not been shut properly, causing the interior light to be on, and the battery was flat, ironically Norman had been praising his car on the way home!!, after some time all was sorted.
Paul, Andy and Pat did a circular walk from Ystradfellte Hostel via Port-yr-Ogof caves, then on to the Waterfall Walk culminating in a traverse of Afon Hepste behind the Horseshoe Waterfall (Sgwd yr Eira) where they got very wet!
After that they dried off in the Lamb Hotel, Penderyn with a real fire and real Bass before heading back to the Hostel and home.
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