Over the Misty Mountains – A Hobbit’s tale

A Hobbit in the Misty Mountains! Well, let me clarify that statement a bit. I am slightly undertall. I absolutely love food but I dont have hairy feet (not yet, anyway). I did however encounter some misty mountains the other day when I found myself going out for a day’s walk. I hadnt completely finalised my choice of walk but I did know it would be somewhere in the western Brecon Beacons.

The forecast was for a little bit of mist in the early morning between 500 and 700 metres up but generally good visibility. The rain was due to hold off and the outlook rather good. I got up early, drove through the valleys of South Wales and somewhere along the way decided to opt for the rising ridgeline of Fan Hir and a visit to Fan Brecheiniog. Now I hadnt been on this particular walk for a while and the views are always spectacular from the top. Well the alternative was a walk through Forest Fawr nearby and although a good walk was not as lofty as the Fan Hir ridge.

Daylight was drifting in as I climbed out of the car. It wasnt cold but there was a dabble of rain in the air. Hefting the pack I struggled up Llwyn-yr-ynn the first slope of the Fan Hir ridgeline. By the time I had gone a mile, I was already starting to sense an ever encroaching fog surrounding me. Still my heading was clear to me and my compass work holding true.

Another mile and the fog was now all around me and visibility down to a few yards.

Where was my sun and clear views? Still it was not even mid morning and I had all day. The fog was bound to lift later on and I was confident of splendid views when I reached the northern edge of the range. As I pushed on, the familiar shape of a low drystone stone shelter and trig point came out of the gloom. Taking this opportunity to have a spot of early lunch, I also took stock of my walk.

It was even foggier than before. A sleet shower had started up and I was getting the foreboding sense that my great views were just not going to materialise. Having chewed over my options, and finished my lunch, I decided to push on for a while and attain the edge of Fan Foel. At this point I would have the option for continuing west along Bannau Sir Gaer (my original plan), dropping down Fan Foel and picking up the Beacons way alongside the ridge or just retracing my steps back down Fan Hir. Always good to have options. Upon reaching the Fan Foel pathway it was obvious. The fog wasnt lifting and if I pushed on west the plateau would become difficult to navigate back south later on. I didnt want to retrace my steps so I made my way down Tro’r Fan Foel pathway to pick up the Beacons Way that would take me past Llyn y Fan Fawr and the route south.

As I dropped down, the visibility improved marginally although the mist swirled and chased around me. Pushing past the lake with the ridge looming up on my right hand side I started to make my way back to the south. Llyn y Fan Fawr is a great spot for a wildcamp although the wind can skim off the water at a fair pace.

Sometimes its best to camp a little further south and over the slight rise in front of the lake. From here you get a great impression of Fan Hir ridgeline, the lake itself and sweeping views to the south and east towards Fan Gyhirych and Fforest Fawr.

This is great wild walking country (although not as wild as the plateau I had just come down from). Still you get a real sense of open expanse and solitude with only the crows for company. On another day, I would have potentially made my way towards Fan Gyhirych and then drop down through Fforest Fawr picking up the Roman road (Sarn Helen) along my way. Today however, I was to continue south hugging the terrain at the bottom of the ridge.

The ground slowly dropped away in altitude and bent back right bringing the little single track road that bisects the terrain back into view. As I neared my starting point I had to navigate through some serious boggy sections and discovered to my horror that midges were happily trying to drain my blood. And boy do they like my blood.

Still soon enough I was back at the car. No sooner had I changed and got ready to set off then the heavens opened and there was a real downpour. I was lucky that I had cut short the walk as I would have still not seen much through the fog, would have had to navigate more carefully and then would have gotten thoroughly wet.

As I drove home I realised that I didnt mind my altered and shorter route as I had done a decent 9 mile walk and made the best of an otherwise poor day. The route had actually given me some impetus to look at planning a Beacons Way trip at some point (probably next year). Its great walking country and the west really is a bit wild.

And I didn manage to find a rather nice cake shop on the way home

A week is a long time – a few thoughts from a brewer’s pack

Some weeks are long, some weeks are short, some weeks are monotonous and some weeks brimming with events. Do you ever get times when there is just so much to get done, cram in or achieve is a short space of time? I guess last week was one of those long, eventful ones.

• I completed my annual review at work which went pretty well followed swiftly by….

getting a new job (although not quite related to the 1st point)

• selling a lot of old gear and other bits….

allowing me to buy a few new gear items (to be revealed at a later date!)

• having some really great conversations with fellow outdoor enthusiasts leading to…..

some interesting thoughts for trips, meets and gear (see earlier point re new gear)

• Planning a long walk…

and finding out that flexibility is key to avoiding disappointment in the outdoors

• Meeting up unexpectedly with a bunch of old friends….

and immediately plotting some social outdoor trips away in the spring and summer

• lastly that time is relative….

and that I have had a really good week which has just flown by

I will give a write up of the walk I did in the next few days. Also I will take up a bit of a theme that Robin has started over on his blog about all his kit and the reasons which he likes them. Its been really thought provoking (added to the discussions held on line on various social networks but mainly Twitter) and made me start to revaluate what I like about my gear, what I dont and what my aspirations are for the next year. More on that later. For now I will leave you with a picture from my latest walk…..

Is this hopeful or what?

Ok, so you will probably laugh.

I have an aspiration to go out more this year and especially further afield from South Wales. I got looking at trips to remote areas and inevitably got looking at bothies. Now I love camping but I also love bothies too and a bothy trip (or 2) is already on my 2012 things to do list. I have been looking at the ones in Wales, The Lakes and especially Scotland. Having seen other bloggers reports of bothy trips I am increasingly keen to get a few more under my belt. Thanks James btw, its all your fault!!!

The thought of a really remote bothy, with a wood fire and nothing but mountains and sky for company really appeals to me. And I dont mind if its on my own or with others I just have this hankering to get at least one (new) one done this year. That doesnt mean to say that the tent is taking second place. No, because the bothy trip or trips (hopefully) will take some serious planning (route of walk in, extra stuff to carry – wood mostly, etc)  and so will be a special occasion. I will also be trying to plan one for me and the kids as well sometime in the spring or summer but that will be “less remote” for obvious reasons.

So the hopeful bit? Well that’s the aspiration of several bothy trips in one year, but in a fit of enthusiasm have also joined the MBA. I know that you dont need to be a member to use the facilities but its a kind of paying it forward exercise if you like…. Well it makes sense to me anyhow I just like the fact that there is an organisation that maintains these shelters and provides for the safety and enjoyment of those that seek it out in all the wild and lonely places

All I have to do now is decide which one to go for first

All change…..please alight here for a new direction

Quick update.

I have a new job. 

Same company but different role covering the whole of the UK, not just one site and a fruition of 2.5 years of bloody hard work. The last few months have been unsettled with lots of changes afoot but its all finally been announced and I can breathe a sigh of relief. In the current climate job security is an aspiration and not a guarantee so I am chuffed to beans this one is in the bag now. Walking and camping in some respects might be more difficult but in others easier so I am hoping it will even itself out. Right this moment I am just in a very good place.

And I think I just might go for a long walk this weekend

Castell Dinas – a very short Black Mountain walk

Last Sunday presented an opportunity for a quick walk in reasonable conditions. The forecast was cold but with the possibility of some sun quite in contrast to recent weather. I didnt have all day as I had promised to take the kids out in the afternoon so decided on a quick yomp up Castell Dinas and Y Grib in the Black Mountains.

The drive was very pleasant in the early light, twisting and turning through quiet country lanes. My destination for the day was a short spur of the great Black Mountain ridgeline that runs north from Crickhowell. Castell Dinas is a ruined castle with stone remains from around the time of the Norman Conquest, but was possibly a hill fort before that period. It commands an outcrock on a hill around 450metres up and on the way to Y Grib and the main ridgeline beyond.

 

The walk up to the castle was short and sharp in the cold morning air but nothing too difficult. The tumbledown ruins that sit atop the promontory command a great view of the surrounding area and especially of the ridgleline to the east

Amidst the rocky top the 360 view is fantastic with Mynydd Troed to the West (another fabulous walk in itself)

and the skyline to the south encompassing the distinctive shape of Pen Allt Mawr in the distance

After spending some time just taking in the views, I pushed on briefly up the spur of Y Grib to stretch my legs a little bit extra but the lack of time meant I couldnt go too far. It was soon time to turn around and make my way back down to the car and the drive home. A very short walk of only a few miles but it was worth it just to get get out, take in the stunning skylines and enjoy a cold but wholesome day

Samsung S3350 – an update

Ok, so I have had a few weeks now to play with this phone and abuse it a bit. So far so good. I havent killed it. I havent even, to be fair, dropped it or wetted it out. So, robustness aside how has it fared?

Well I really like the torch on the phone. I know, I know…little things please little minds but it is incredibly useful especially in the winter months and probably for camping as a backup. The phone is functional, the keys very responsive and easy to type on. Some of the predictive text suggestions are a hoot but it all works well . The internet is surprisingly fast and responsive. The toughness is as yet untested but the phone has no scratches and it lives in my pocket so seems good so far. The camera is actually quite good. I went out today for a walk in the Black Mountains and decided to test it out versus the Lumix LX3 for a laugh.

I decided to take a “standard” hill shot with both cameras on their normal settings and then take a sun-orientated shot the same way.

Very little to choose between these two. The LX3 image is a touch sharper and the Samsung a touch “fuzzier”. Also the LX3 shot has a touch more colour and depth but as I said (to my untrained eye) very little to choose between them.

More of a difference with this shot. The act of pointing the camera at the sun has forced the LX3 to compensate in auto mode and allow more of the image to come through rather than being “shadowed” by the light intensity. The Samsung shot is definitely grainier and slightly less well defined. Having said that my preference with sun shots is to darken the foreground to accentuate the effect of the sun. On the LX3 this means choosing the “sunset” mode normally. Thinking about it I should have done that rather than auto-exposure but didnt realise until I looked at the pictures at home.

So, overall thoughts? Yes, the LX3 is superior and has alot of settings and the ability to take in different aspect ratios or raw pictures etc etc. However, if I was stuck with no other camera I would happily take pictures with the Samsung but wouldnt expect miracles obviously. I will continue to take pictures with both the LX3 and the Samsung on future outings but I have no immediate reservations in just taking the phone camera. Sometimes I really do forget to pack a camera but I always take the phone.

Oh, and I’ll do an update for the walk I did yesterday, when I took the pictures, soon