A Trip to the Brecons
The plan was that Sam (son) would come down to Worcester for a couple of nights and on Thursday afternoon we'd load the car up with camping gear and the dog and head for North Wales to do Tryfan on Friday. Then we read the weather forecast, gales and rain for North Wales. I've done Tryfan a few times at least 3 of them in heavy rain and howling winds and to be honest the prospect of doing that again somehow didn't feel that attractive especially if it also meant sharing a tent with a wet dog! So over a cheap curry in a Balti House on Lowesmoor we came up with an alternative plan. Forget driving anywhere on Thursday, get up early Friday and take the at most 2 hour journey down to Brecon to do Pen-y-Fan.
Seven o'clock or not long after and walking gear and dog were safely in the car, by 0845 we were in the car park at the bottom of Pen-y-Fan. We worked our way East round the base of Alt Ddu and after some battles with bracken got ourselves on the path going up Cwm Cynwyn, crossing Nant Cynwyn just above some waterfalls we made our way over untracked slopes up on to Bryn Teg and then up a steep rise to the summit of Crybin. I think I should now mention that I'd managed to forget something - my walking poles and because of that I felt every last one of my 56 years by the time I reached the summit of Crybin where Sam and Ben (dog) were sat waiting in a howling gale.
That was the hard bit done and it wasn't 1200 yet, just a couple of hundred meters of height to lose and three hundred meters to the top of Pen-y-Fan and then if we could find shelter - lunch! I perhaps should mention that the gales and showers had migrated South and we'd got wet and dried out three times already and nearly been blown off our feet going up Bryn Teg. Anyhow I eventually made the summit of Pen-y-Fan where once again son and dog were waiting patiently for me.
It was now I really regretted the forgotten sticks , the descent back to the valley over wet grass and slippy rock with a pair of boots which are well worn - they need replacing. It was also when the weather decided it hadn't had enough fun already and decided that we needed to walk through a hail squall for around 20 minutes. Me and Sam not impressed but the dog didn't seem to notice! Still no shelter for lunch and the car park 15 minutes away we decided that lunch would be eaten in the car - as is traditional.
I was getting changed into dry clothes while another father and son team were getting ready to start up Pen-y-Fan. As we chatted it emerged that they too had been planning a trip to Tryfan and changed there minds on the basis of the forecast. They set off as we finished lunch and left the car park for the trip home. Again I regretted the forgotten sticks and worn boots as I experienced intermittent cramp in my ham strings! A short stop for strong tea and a welsh cake each just before Abergevenny and home for 1645. A good day out rounded off with a pie and a couple of pints at the Oak for dinner.
No photo's too windy and wet!
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