Weekend Training Camp Brecon Beacons

Last weekend I finished phase 1 of my Aconcagua training regime! Four weeks done and I was able to make up for all missed Krav sessions. I'm feeling good and I just started phase 2.

What better way to finish this first stage off with a walking weekend in the Brecon Beacons? Rich was away so I could up the ante a bit. I was determined to go, no matter what the weather was going to throw at me.

So the plan was:
Run another 10k trail race Saturday morning, quick shower at home then drive 2 hrs to Garreg Lwyd, park up and walk as far as I could in the remaining daylight. Pitch the tent and chill.
Walk the remainder of the 13k there-and-back route Sunday morning, then drive over to near Heol Senni for a circular of Fan Nedd, Fan Gyhirych and Fan Fraith. Another 13k. All with a heavy pack with tent and everything.

Saturday, Nov 11
Weather looked abysmal for Saturday and much improved for Sunday. So I really just had to sit it out. Ran my 10K trail race which was just another lovely wee event organised by Aspire Running. It was terribly muddy, but at least dry from above.

Quick shower and lunch at home, then headed to Mountain Road car park right in the Brecon Beacons, a further 30mins up from Swansea.

Garreg Lwyd Weather Forecast for Saturday

Arrived 2pm. So far it was overcast, but no water from above. Just a steady but slight wind which made it feel a bit colder than the 8C it was. Lugged my 16.5kg backpack up to the first hilltop Garreg Lwyd, then down to a broad saddle and up again to Fan Fraith.

In good spirits at the car park

Looking back down to the car park

Garreg Lwyd up ahead in the mist

Love Welsh mountain walking

The mood was good. Couldn't see much, but when I did, my eyes fell on endless amazing Welsh mountain scenery. Have to come back in better weather!!

Down to another very broad saddle and up to the rocky shoulder of Garreg Las. It was now 4pm and I had about 30-45mins of daylight left. Walked up a bit, but it got ever more rocky so I dropped down again to find a nice dry-ish and flat spot to pitch the tent. Just as I found one, rain finally started to fall.

The big hunk of rock and grass in the back is Garreg Las, with the top at the left and my camp spot at the very right.

Getting cosy for the long night

Settled in, munched my pot noodle and had about 4 hours to kill. Read a bit, did some studying and more lectures of my Spanish audio course.

Sunday, Nov 12
Wind had picked up over night with rain shower after rain shower washing over me. I slept fairly well, got up around 7, had tea and soup for brekkie and enjoyed the wild view outside whilst the rain took a break.

Good morning Wales! View from the tent.

Packed my stuff inside as a light rain had set in and just as I peeled myself out of the tent a proper shower washed over me including some nice strong wind. Joy! Full waterproofs and gloves it was.
Set off at 8am for remainder of the path to Garreg Las, battled rain, wind and hail straight into my face at temperatures of 3C.

Eventually reached the top and had a very brief glimpse of my surroundings. Wow! Breathtaking. The ridge ahead looked stunning, the green flat land to the North beautiful.

Katja 1, Welsh weather 0

A brief glimpse of the ridge ahead

Five seconds of a view

With clothes getting wetter and wetter and the persistent strong wind, I didn't linger long and turned around to walk back to the car park the same way I had come.

I got pretty battered by the weather. Time and again showers with rain and hail washed over me. The worst bit was walking down to the car park. Wind speed must have been around 30-40mph, wipping hail into my face. I actually had to stop and turn my back to it a few times.

By the time I reached the car I was frozen to the bone and dripping wet. Don't get me wrong, I have pretty good top of the line waterproof kit, but even this can only withstand a certain level of battering.
I got out of my wet clothes as quickly as I could, slipped into dry long merino baselayers and sat in the car with the engine running for about half an hour sipping hot tea from my flask until I finally warmed up.

With my only pair of waterproof gloves completely drenched, there was no way I was going up another hill today in wind and rain at 3C. So I called it a day and headed home around mid day. Surely, I had bright blue skies and sunshine all the way from Port Talbot to Bristol. Arg. But often enough (almost always I tend to say), the weather in the mountains is very different.

This was the second time I had shied away from Fan Nedd due to bad weather and both times it had been the right call. It will still be there for another few thousand years, so I have all the time in the world.

Great little adventure this was and again I didn't stick to plan A. Somehow I rarely ever do. You have to make decisions on the spot and this is part of what I love about hillwalking and even more so when walking off the beaten track.
Packing the tent and wild camping overnight somewhere along the path, with no idea where when you set off may seem daunting, doing this mid-November with limited daylight hours maybe even more so. But this is ultimate freedom. No one is telling me what to do and where to go, I don't have to be somewhere at a certain time.
I knew the weather was going to be challenging and I didn't care. I did enjoy my short trip and I would definitely go again. Much better than sitting at home watching telly.