Tuesday 9th July 2013 - 12 Miles
The Big One!
So proclaimed the walk route card I had sent for weeks earlier from the Brecon monutain centre. A 12 mile horseshoe walk, taking in the 3 main peaks of Corn-Du, Pen-Y-Fan and Cribyn.
We had decided to set off extra early due to the hot weather forecast all week. The idea was that a lot of the initial ascent would be done in the cooler early morning, and be finished by early afternoon.
Having woken at 4am and daylight just breaking we ate breakfast at the cottage and set off for our start point South of Brecon, The Storey Arms Outdoor centre.
Arriving here at just after 6am, we parked in the large lay-by car park opposite the main road/outdoor centre. The early morning mist predominated, we waited a while to see if it cleared a little.
It didn`t so we booted up, and set off anyway, crossing the main road, passing thorugh a gate adjacent the centre and trekking along a minor track to the left of the main track, climbing steadily to a point near Y-Gryn.
After around 45 mnis or so the mist did appear to be clearing slightly as the sun gradually began to burn thorugh it. We still had jackets on though till near the top of Corn-Du.
The path then veered right leading us to a steepening path towards the summit of Corn-Du.
We passed the "Obelisk" (no picture - sorry), a stone erected in memory of a small boy that went missing on the hill several hundred years ago. Spooky in the mist!
The trek up Corn-Du was not too bad at all, a slowly steepening ridge path, and some good views, when the mist allowed.
The stony summit cairn was soon reached, and we were there on top of Corn-Du at 2864ft. It was around 8am, and fairly quiet with just one or two other early morning walkers with similar ideas as our own. As you can see we were above the mist looking down upon it, though the view in the other direction was actually clearer.
Coming off Corn-Du we followed the main path straight over, heading for the highest objective of the day Pen-Y-Fan. They are very near neighbours, and a short descent down a few hundred feet, and then a short walk to the flat top seen below and we were there.
The rocky, but flat top of Pen-Y-Fan at 2907ft is the highest spot in the Southern UK.
We stopped for pictures and again looked down upon the mist. OK so we did not get the views at this point today, but better this way to avoid both the heat and the crowds that would no doubt be in evidence later on.
The effect of the low mist was stunning though.
We were surprised that the ascent had been fairly easy for us, and had expected it to be a bit tougher. Though we were only about 4 miles or so into the full circuit so would no doubt not be saying this later on!
The path down the opposite side of Pen-Y-Fan was wide and rocky with improving views ahead as the mist was clearing, and the temperaure rising.
We dropped maybe 750ft joining a narrower path. The route then was to head for Cribyn and ascend a steep path up. The weather was really warm now, and Sue elected to bypass this (and i do not blame her looking at the path I now had to climb in the picture below).
Sue continued along the path we were on, which wound along the edge of Cribyn with no ascent. I headed off left for the scary path up telling Sue I would meet her on the other side as the apth I would follow headed to, across and then back down Cribyn, eventually meeting Sues path on the other side.
After many stops to admire the view (yeah, righto!), I made it ot the top of Cribyn (2608ft), and stopped to look back over to the sideways view of Pen-Y-Fan and the path we came down on.
Arriving at the bottom coming off the ridge path I saw Sue in the distance and we rested before heading off along an easier path for about 2 miles neither gaining or losing height. This headed us along a valley towards the Neuadd reservoir. The day was really warm by now as it was approaching mid-day, and as we crossed the stone end of the reservoir we saw the banked ascent ahead of us to gain the ridge line back towards Pen-Y-Fan/Corn-Du. The pictures do not do it justice as to how long and steeply banked it was.
We worked on the "sheep" approach and walked in a sort of diaganal line across after walking straight at it became frustrating on the now frazzling conditions. Phew!
Nearly there Sue, final push up to the ridge line path and easier walking.
We did not find this easy!
Should not have made that comment earlier about it been easy!
Looking across at the reservoir and the valley path from where we had walked earlier.
Easier walking along the ridge path and marvellous views.
After another couple of miles we saw both Corn-Du and Pen-Y-Fan nearing, though we were taking a path left (The Brecon Way) and heading down rather than joining the crowds up there. Actually it was not that busy!
The shot below shows Corn-du to the left and Pen-Y-Fan to the right. We headed off on the left path where all the paths converge bottom left on the picture.
The Brecon Way path is the busiest path (and most accessible) from car park at the bottom and a long straight path right up to Corn-Du then Pen-Y-Fan.
As we descended there were many sweating, red-faced, toiling bodies heading upwards in the afternoon sun having no doubt thought it would be a great idea. most did not lok to be having much fun, and a lot seemed ill prepared with flip-flops, trainers and little water to hand.
Not my idea of a good afternoon out. We were both pleased to be going the other way, and both tired by now having almost finished this cracking walk.
The path did seem a bit relentless, even going down, and I was pleased we had followed the route we had as it was bags more interesting than a slog up and down a long path.
We eventually arrived down into a car park, bought a coke and Mars bar from the nice man in the a wagon there. Our car park was a little further on, but only a few hundred yards, and we collapsed into the wagon with air conditioning set full on to cool down.
The route had been 12 miles, with nearly 4000ft of ascent and descent (8000ft total) which for us was just on the edge of not wanting to walk much more, expecially in these conditions. Despite the early morning mist, we had some good views for most of the day after the mist burned away, and the Brecon beacons had impressed.
We drove back to the cottage with images of looking down upon the mist, long ridges and rolling green hillsides and flat topped mountains burned into our memories.
Our Walk Score: 9/10
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