19/6/11 - Not one place pronounceable in the West Brecons

Distance - 12 miles
From - Spring 2011 Trail Magazine
Confusion - Where to Park
Geocaches - 2

Picws Du

Reading through Spring Edition of Trail magazine and I realised that the Western side of the Brecons has been neglected.  This has more to do with the distance involved, rather than whether the mountains are any good or not.  Set the alarm for 6am and was out for 6:40am, with everything important apart from a mobile phone.  The journey at this time of day is a pleasure - Brecon in 75 mins and then another 40 down the most bizarre roads known to man - even going through a farmyard at one point.  There is no way this would be possible in Winter.

Sat Nav - are you sure its this way?

Arrive at Llanddeusant.  The magazine article provides the grid ref for the start of walk and a picture of a nice area for parking.  The two things are unrelated.  I drive around for a while looking for somewhere reasonable to park and end up popping into the the YHA (co-ords for walk start) and the nice man allows me to park there.  Why you would show a picture of a nice car park 1.5 miles away from the walk start is beyond me - unless they want to hoodwink inexperienced midlanders into making the journey.

Worried about the start of the walk for two reasons.  1)  I am going downhill, which means the last leg will be uphill and 2) The weather doesn't look the best.

My head will soon be in those clouds.

At the end of the road, turn right onto what has to be the most poorly signposted long distance path in the world.  The brecons way.  The way back takes in a decent stretch of this and not only is it not on the OS map, there isnt a single waymarker on the ground either.  The way is clear enough when you are there though.

Start the stiff climb up grassy banks to the starts of the unpronounceables - Bannau Sir Gaer to Waun-Lefrith.  You know what, I am sick of this.  Lets just call them hill one, hill two and look at the pictures.

We are on a ridge path that circumvents Llyn y Fan Fach (can't help myself, lake 1).  Impressive views, as once up, its a clear drop down and we just skirt the edges for some great photo opps.

What views.

no sarnies - just a cache at Hill 1

I love it once you have gained the height.  I have good views, but the light isn't great for the photos.  Still, you cannot have everything in life can you.  Work my way around the edge, meeting the first groups of walkers of the day, both pairs coming from the opposite direction.  What do they know that I don't?  Work my way around to Fan Foel, my favourite, as I can spell it and it has a shelted and a Trig Point.  I can eat my malt loaf in comfort.

Trigger

Then have a bit of ticklisting to go up and straight back down Fan Hir.  This isn't required for the walk, as we retrace our steps to drop down a staircase to Lake 2. 

This makes the walk - we see the lakes from the high ground and then drop down and see the high ground from the lakes.  A unique experience for me.

Simple walking now, although I do see 2 elderly gentlemen, who either still love mountain walking or have been on this route for a considerable time.  Walk with them a while, overtaking as they stop for sandwiches and then them catching me up as I finish off whatever else I can find in my sandwich box.

Mappiman at Lake 1

Then its a simple case of taking the access road down running parallel to the run off from the damned lake.  Not sure how it all works, but its pretty and I am sure there are fish leaping out of the pools at the bottom.

Lake 1 Spill Off

Past the car park (!) and then the mile uphill on the access road back to the hamlet that begins with two ls.  I have noticed on the map that there is an intriguing entry called the "Red Lion".  Could this be a pub to offer refreshment to a weary walker?

No, its the Youth Hostel.

Summary of things I have learned...

1) YHA people are lovely, even if they don't sell beer.
2) Trust your sat nav
3) Cause asking for direction is futile.
4) All walks should take you to a mountain ridge and then bring you back along the bottom.