So time for our last walk in the Brecons, and we’d been talking to Andy from SurfnSlide about walks in his local area. We’d agreed a meet up time and a walk around the Grwyne Valley, which he’d done before, admittedly in some lovely warm conditions with sunshine. After a long drive down a long lane, we turned up at least 15 minutes late, mainly due to the fact that I doubted my directions and pulled in twice to check. We met Andy and booted up for the walk, starting deep in the Grwyne Forest from a decent sized car park which was filling up, even at 9.15am. The walk out is a good one, ignoring the first bridge and crossing the second one, over the Grwyne Fawr. Then it got interesting as the gradient ramped up steeply, heading towards Pen y Gadair Fawr. To be fair it was a steep climb but not as bad as the previous day to Pen Cerrig-Calch, but it felt it on the second day of walking. It was a shame on reaching the summit of Pen y Gadair Fawr that the cloud had dropped, as it is the better summit for views. However as we left the summit, the clouds lifted and we got the views. The walk to Waun Fach and beyond that summit is now better due to the extensive path improvements, making the peaty sludgy areas an easy gravel path walk. We crossed easily to this summit, still confused at how Waun Fach’s summit is marked higher than Pen y Gadair Fawr. We then descended on a good path and traversed to the head of the Grwyne Fawr before dropping into the valley holding the river. We stopped for lunch in the lea of the wind before continuing along the ever improving valley to the reservoir and beyond. It was a pleasure to finally meet up for a walk with Andy, and this will certainly not be last time, as he is an excellent guide. All that was left was a fine pint in the Skirrid Arms (the oldest pub in Wales), where Andy then left to watch his team Man City win comfortably in the FA cup against Newcastle and we had the long drive home to Plymouth.
Start – Car park at the end of the Grwyne Forest lane
Route – Pen y Gadair Fawr – Waun Fach – Pen y Manllwyn – Grwyne Fawr – Grwyne Fawr Reservoir – Car Park
Distance – 9 miles Start time – 9.20am Time taken – 5hrs 40mins Highest Point – Waun Fach 810 metres
Weather – Low cloud down to start, then cleared for Waun Fach with a cold wind, then we descended down the valley to warmer weather. Poured with rain as we reached the car
To be fair the walks when the weather is a bit wild are the ones you talk about in 10 years time, its the reason you keep going and not throwing in the towel. The nice walks in good weather need something very special to make a memorable list
A great day out despite the rather grey weather. It was great to meet you both and really enjoyed the company which always makes for a much better day (a pint at the end always helps!). Hopefully we can meet up again either up here or down your way.
It is an odd experience to see myself on someone else’s blog!!
Lovely to see a part of the Brecons that I would probably not visit, without an expert in the area to guide us around. Definitely won’t be our last visit to the Brecons.
You managed a couple of fine Black Mountains Routes over the few days – still plenty left for future visits. The Black Mountain out west is the best though.
It’s the Beacons by the way rather than the Brecons! 😉
Always a treat to get out with some good company. I guess we’re like a little community of regular commenters conversing and chatting electronically. It must have been good to meet up properly for the walk
It was a good day and a long overdue meet up, which we’d missed out on a couple of years ago. My email address is on my About Me page if you ever visit this way and need a guide of a coastal path or moorland walk. I promise I won’t mention the rugby league!
It certainly good to see lots of different parts of the Beacons, away from the obvious Pen Y Fan. I found the walking there more accessible than the Lakes, due to it being less busy
What a hardy lot you are, but the views are stupendous.
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To be fair the walks when the weather is a bit wild are the ones you talk about in 10 years time, its the reason you keep going and not throwing in the towel. The nice walks in good weather need something very special to make a memorable list
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Happy Easter 🤗🩵
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Feliz Pascoa!
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🤣🐰🍫❤️
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Beautiful walk. It is nice when the view open at the summit.
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A great day out despite the rather grey weather. It was great to meet you both and really enjoyed the company which always makes for a much better day (a pint at the end always helps!). Hopefully we can meet up again either up here or down your way.
It is an odd experience to see myself on someone else’s blog!!
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Lovely to see a part of the Brecons that I would probably not visit, without an expert in the area to guide us around. Definitely won’t be our last visit to the Brecons.
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You managed a couple of fine Black Mountains Routes over the few days – still plenty left for future visits. The Black Mountain out west is the best though.
It’s the Beacons by the way rather than the Brecons! 😉
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I thought it was Bannau Brycheiniog now 😁-
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If I remember rightly neither me nor Andy could pronounce it, and I couldn’t remember what it was called anyway
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Well quite! 🤣
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“Never ask for directions in Wales Baldrick. You’ll be washing spit out of your hair for a fortnight”
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🤣🤣🤣
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Always a treat to get out with some good company. I guess we’re like a little community of regular commenters conversing and chatting electronically. It must have been good to meet up properly for the walk
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It was a good day and a long overdue meet up, which we’d missed out on a couple of years ago. My email address is on my About Me page if you ever visit this way and need a guide of a coastal path or moorland walk. I promise I won’t mention the rugby league!
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That looked a bit like type B fun. Been ages since I did any walking in Wales. Probably needs rectified at some point.
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It certainly good to see lots of different parts of the Beacons, away from the obvious Pen Y Fan. I found the walking there more accessible than the Lakes, due to it being less busy
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Great to see the frog spawn, a sign of Spring. I bet the pub was welcome after the walk.
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It was a bit of a treat, had no idea it was the oldest pub in Wales
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