Brecon Beacons Weekend Report
In a group filled in equal measure by people on their first trip with us, to some of our most regular members, we met up in the cosy Clyngwyn bunkhouse right in the heart of the Brecon Beacons. The weather had started to turn colder and the trees were on the turn, some leaves already falling.
It was with this autumnal feeling in the air that we set off up a misty Pen y Fan on Saturday. The cloud was slowly swirling overhead, and the 20 members and two guides in the group were soon up in it, visibility reduced to the surrounding mountainside as we climbed the sometimes-steep track up to Corn Du.
Despite the lack of a view, we made our way over the Beacons, summiting Pen y Fan and Cribyn before walking down the long wide mountain spur to the next pass, where lunch was planned.
At this moment the clouds cleared, revealing the valley south to the Neuadd Reservoirs, and the rolling hills north, including Brecon itself. Several of us stopped and watched as the cloud shifted, transfixed by the sudden change and the all-too-common feeling in the mountains of vastly changing horizons.
So lunch was had with this great view before us, resting on a pile of the giant bags used to bring stones up for path repairs. After lunch the group split, the regular walk heading back along the high path that skips the summits we’d just climbed, and the more challenging route heading down to the reservoirs and back up along the south ridge of Craig Gwaun Taf towards Corn Du.
By the final descent to the car park we even had some sun, the peak of Fan Fawr opposite shining after the mist. And it had even become warm enough for most people to get ice cream!
After endless dinner and team games late into the night (not obligatory – don’t worry), we set out on Sunday straight from the bunkhouse to walk part of the famous waterfalls walk.
The sun was out in full splendour and shone through the trees as we made our way to the first fall, Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, which actually lies so close to the bunkhouse that you can hear it from the garden. We scrambled over ledges to get as close as possible and admired the giant platforms of rock left by the millennia of constant water.
Three more waterfalls were visited during the day – including a journey on a side-path to visit Sgwd y Pannwr and Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, which we had all to ourselves. As a grand finale we visitied the most famous of them all, Sgwd yr Eira, which the path goes behind, and which we dutifully followed to get a mild soaking.
Already discussing the next trip, we settled down to a great lunch in The Angel, reliving our weekend of autumn walking and satisfied that the famous view from the Beacons had finally revealed itself to us.
Explore the Brecon Beacons on our next walking weekend...