Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water….

Best laid plans and all that. Aimed to go out for a walk this morning. Unfortunately my car has had a disagreement with me and doesnt want to start. Looks like this morning will be spent down at the car repair centre. Then there is the knock on effect of having to pay for said repairs. Looks like the Scarp 1 fund will take a bit of a hammering then. The most galling thing is that the sun is out, the visibility is good and looks like a perfect autumn day for a walk.

Still, I can always walk off my frustration by walking around town for a few hours….

A blessing and a curse

This week finds me working afternoon shifts. The obvious thing to ask, as per the title of the post, is why a blessing?

 

I last worked shifts around 10years ago, pre kids and pre large mortgages! This meant I had a lot of time to do stuff “out of hours” during the week and also had a goodly sized disposable income. I used to do walking coming off night shifts (going to bed for only a few hours and then making good use of nearly a full day during daylight). Mornings never really allowed for this unless it was high summer and besides which the wife would want me to be around in the evenings. Afternoons was always an odd one. If you got up really early and went out you could more or less get a full day’s walking in before going into work. With kids thats not quite so possible as I find myself doing “the school run” in the morning. Having said that, this week I have had an opportunity to do a few little walks and am planning to do a slightly longer one either Thursday or Friday depending on the weather. I fancy a quick midweek bimble somewhere local just to stretch my legs. Lets see what the weather brings….

 

And a curse? Yes, well working shifts is not conducive to a normal family life, makes you tired and you never quite get a full day’s walking on one of your work days. Having said that, this is in addition to your actual day’s off so perhaps I shouldnt grumble. It also means I get to see a bit more of the sunlight as the nights draw in and winter approaches

 

There’s always a silver lining .

Views from a hill

Just a quick post showing some of the views from Gray Hill (Gray’s Hill according to some), which is my local hill on which I have spent innumerable days as a child and an adult. Its only 900feet at its highest point but it nestles beside Wentwood Forest and Wentwood Reservoir. Views from here on a good day are fantastic, taking in both Severn Bridges, the Severn Estuary and vast swathes of rolling hillsides and fields to the North. Its also another great little bivvy spot I have been known to frequent

The view towards The Second Severn Crossing

I am very lucky in that this hill and the surrounding area including the reservoir and forest is but 3 miles walk from my house. Ok, so the area is not spectacular in terms of towering peaks etc but it is beautiful and even now I will go there for a short walk or even a run if I am feeling energetic. Even the kids like it.

The view to the West taking in the Reservoir, Mynydd Alltir-fach and Wentwood

I didnt quite fully appreciate what was on my doorstep until I moved away to Burton for 18months but now that I am back home, its like finding treasure.

Oh dear – a clear out for my surplus outdoors kit is required….

Well its November and the season has definitely swung into full blustery autumn mode. I took the opportunity to have a rummage around in my loft to sort out all my outdoors kit into used and not-used piles. I have to admit that the pile of gear I have collected and either stopped using, infrequently use or worst of all never use is quite large. Ashamedly large…. I think a bit of a clear out of said kit is in order. Christmas is coming and it would be nice to generate some cash to help pay for it.

The kids will be happy.

I may even be able to put some towards a certain little tent I have my eye on….

Brecon Beacons midweek walk (and er….run)

So,

Wednesday this week found me with a few days off work, the kids packed off with the grandparents and my wife on a course in distant Swansea. Guilt free walking doesn’t raise its head very often and so I needed no second invitation. After checking the forecast the night before (good visibility, light winds, sunny intervals and mild) it was all systems go for the morning.

On Wednesday morning, I grabbed my kit and jumped into the car, hurriedly mumbling a good morning to the In-Laws as I breezed past them, and set off for Brecon. Arriving in reasonably good time (via the Tuck shop), I then had the quandary of realising that I hadn’t actually decided on where I was going to walk for the day. I played it safe and drove along the A470 to Storey Arms and parked the car. Glancing at the massif comprising Corn-Du and Pen-y-Fan, I realised that there was a bit of clag hanging around the 800m mark and above. That made the decision very easy then, I was going to head in the opposite direction and make my way up to Fan Fawr on the other side of the A470 and then make it up as I went along.

I was going for a very impromptu and unplanned route and see where my feet took me. There is a freedom in not having a prescribed route. Conversely, and perversely, it also meant paying a lot more attention to the map as I would be slipping on and off paths all day depending on where my Muse took me. I made my way up around the spur of Bryn Du and then up the south slope of Fan Fawr. I looked south to see three glittering reservoirs and spied heavy dark clouds that way.

I also looked to the West and towards the less frequented part of the Brecon Beacons, my loose destination for the rest of the day. I spoke the names aloud to myself, Fan Dringarth, Fan Llia, Fan Nedd, Fan Gyhirych and just on the horizon line Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog. I knew the last two were way beyond the scope of the day and Fan Gyhirych too probably. I didnt matter, just seeing those peaks and ridges lined up one after the other whetted my appetite and a faraway smile played on my lips. Shaking myself from my reverie, I made my way along the ridge of Fan Fawr towards the trig point.

On my way I came across three fellow walkers coming the opposite way. They were dressed for winter, adverts for Paramo, and it made me sweat just to look at them. The wind was light, the temperature even up at 2500feet in the mid teens Celcius and no rain. Bizarre. Having said that I am sure they must have looked at me with just a short sleeved baselayer, Ron Hill tracksuit trousers and trail shoes on and muttered something about loony lightweight faddists….. Pushing on, I made my way down into the valley that feeds the Ystradfellte reservoir across pathless rough grassland and geared myself up to find a crossing point across the Afon Dringarth stream.

In any case the crossing was easy and nicely placed boulders meant I kept my feet dry this time. I then made my way up the flanks of Fan Dringarth and found myself on a plateau with grand views all around.

After taking in the scenery for a while, I walked along the ridgeline to Fan Llia and then dropped down into the valley on the other side, crossing the thin road that follows the Afon Llia and finally up to the summit of Fan Nedd. looking at the time and the distances I needed to cover to get back to the car, I decided that pushing on towards Fan Gyrhirych would be pushing it indeed. A wistful glance towards her distinctive shape and then I went back down into the valley, across the road again and up towards the Craig Cwn-du promontory.

I now picked up the Beacons Way and found the going reasonably good, so much so that I actually ran for a couple of miles. It felt good to push myself and even though the slope kept rising steadily the track was fine and easy to traverse. Having sated my urge to run for a while, I slowed to a brisk walking pace again as I reached the top of the ridge at Fan Frynych. The ground underfoot started to become very muddy by now, the slurping sliding kind of mud that laughs at walkers and their fancy expensive boots and shoes. My Montrail Streaks were no exception and got a thorough caking in the stuff although to be fair I was looking to test them out in all kinds of terrain during the day to put them through their paces so to speak.

I rounded Craig Cerrig Gleisiad and back towards Craig y Fro and the route back to the car. Who says the Brecon Beacons are just rounded grassy humps? The escarpment all along the pathway was sharp, steep, rocky and precipitous so that I had to keep my wits about me as the pathway was but 2 feet from the edge.

Finally I made my down towards the car park passing a small stream cutting its way down the hillside along the way. The two trees that were there already had their winter apparel on.

The burger van opposite my car wafted enticing smells in my direction but I resisted instead prefering to munch on a couple of museli bars. I then stripped off and critically examined my Montrail Streaks which were wet, soggy, caked in mud and yet had kept my feet comfy all throughout the day. They had been through the mill and had performed well though having read my previous post you already knew that…. Finally I started the car and drove back towards home happy in the knowledge of a good day out and the prospect of a lovely drive home.

Montrail Streaks – an update

Back in the summer I bought a pair of Montrail Streaks (half price I might add!) and said I would give them a really good test and report back. For one reason or another I havent done that until now, prefering instead instead to wear my CTCs whenever I have had the chance to get out and about. Yesterday I had chance to go out for a long walk in the Brecon Beacons. I purposefully chose a route that would take in mud, grass, rock and streams as well as up and downhill bits with no paths. This wasnt just to test the shoes but also because I wanted to get away from any half-term crowds that might be around. I also managed to do a few miles of running on a variety of terrain just to see how they responded to that.

Well, I tested them out in wonderful weather conditions. The temperture was in the high teens, there was a light breeze and no rain. The off-path terrain was wet underfoot and boggy in places but the paths themselves were reasonably well drained and compact. I did around 15miles and really put the shoes through a vigorous testing including immersion in a foot of mud! All day long they felt comfortable, very light (being lighter than even my CTCs) and responsive. The extra flexibility in the sole and uppers meant that even in heavy mud, my feet and ankles felt free of restriction and able to respond quickly. I knew that they (and my feet) would get wet rapidly but since it was mild and I was wearing wool blend mid socks this wasnt going to be a problem. They best aspect was definitely that fact they didnt feel restrictive in anyway and I never turned or even threatened to turn my ankle all day even when running in heavy “wet” mud. At the end of the day’s walk/run they still felt comfy even though muddy and wet and had dealt well with the terrain I chucked at them.

If I have a slight reservation about them it would be about walking on wet rock and really gloopy mud however I have yet to find a pair of shoes that do this well! All in all a successful outing although in wintery conditions I will probably revert back to my CTCs as they have a higher rand/less mesh which helps keep out a little bit of water. For summer, spring and autumn I will be wearing the Streaks though!

Pro’s

Lightweight

Flexible sole and uppers

Comfy (even when wet)

Cheap (especially when bought at half price!)

Good over a variety of terrain whilst walking, climbing or running

Con’s

Ok for traction on wet rock and really wet mud, but not great (I am being picky here!)