Brecon and the Beacons

Nick Pedley said...

Quoted message said:

Having been given time off work I will be visiting the Brecon Beacons N for
the first time next week.

Storey Arms is NOT a pub. Other than that, the best tea wagon on the
A470 is a bit north of Storey Arms in a rather large layby. As for
walking, er, um, someone else'll be along in a minute.
--
Fran
To email me see 'from' in headers; use your net know-how to find the
domain, and put my real name in front thereof.

Nick Pedley said:

Having been given time off work I will be visiting the Brecon Beacons
N for the first time next week.
Initial studies of the maps suggest getting up Pen-y-Fan and
Fan-y-Big etc, but what other hills and routes should I think of
trying?

Pen y Fan is the obvious one, along with Corn Du and Cribyn. There are two
good horseshoe routes for these, one from the south, around the reservoirs,
another from the north from, which is harder but more scenic. If you're fit
enough you could extend these to include Fan y Big and Waun Rydd further
east (more easily done from the south).

The next highlight is the Mynydd Du escarpment, taking in Fan Hir, Fan
Brycheiniog and Bannau Sir Gaer. If you start at Glyntawe you can make your
way back along an old bridleway, about 12 miles in total. You can make it
shorter if you start east of Llyn y Fan Fawr and miss out Fan Hir, returning
around the lakes.

Fforest Fawr is a much less dramatic area, but it's also very quiet and
largely trackless, as is western Mynydd Du, if you want to get away from it
all. For more high level ridge walking, there are some very long flat topped
ridges in the eastern Black Mountains - the western ridges are the most
interesting (Pen Cerrig Calch etc.), the Offa's Dyke ridge is extremely
boggy.

Quoted message said:

And if as I suspect it will, the weather turns foul, what low level
routes could I try?

Ystradfellte Falls! No better place to be when it's raining heavily and the
falls are at their best. Be careful there though, it's a treacherous area
with steep gorges and slippery rocks. Lots of accidents happen there.

Lots of photos and info on these places on my website and blog.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/
Latest Blog Post: Canary Islands
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/flight-sim/canary-islands/

Paul Saunders said:

Pen y Fan is the obvious one, along with Corn Du and Cribyn. There
are two good horseshoe routes for these, one from the south, around
the reservoirs, another from the north from, which is harder but more
scenic. If you're fit enough you could extend these to include Fan y
Big and Waun Rydd further east (more easily done from the south).

If you are feeling energetic, I'd suggest doing Pen y Fan from the North.
In my opinion, it's the best and most dramatic ascent by a long way!

R.

Fran said:

Storey Arms is NOT a pub. Other than that, the best tea wagon on the
A470 is a bit north of Storey Arms in a rather large layby. As for
walking, er, um, someone else'll be along in a minute.

_Don't_ talk to me about 'Storey Arms'! About 3 years ago on a hot day,
I came off Corn Du via Cribin and Pen Y Fan with my tongue hanging out
with thirst. I'd seen Story Arms on the map and was anticipating a beer
there (alright - I knew it'd only be Welsh beer! ;^) ). I almost kicked
the door down when I discovered it wasn't a pub!

'Storey Arms' is clearly a pub's name - to use that name for anything
else but a pub is devious and misleading! Suppose in England we started
calling churches 'The [censored] and Pheasant' or 'The Black Bull'? We
wouldn't know where we were, would we?

There are few certainties in This World. One of them needs to be that we
can trust a building bearing the name 'Storey Arms' to be a welcoming pub!

Jim Ford

In message <[email hidden]>, Richard Phillips
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Paul Saunders said:

Pen y Fan is the obvious one, along with Corn Du and Cribyn. There
are two good horseshoe routes for these, one from the south, around
the reservoirs, another from the north from, which is harder but more
scenic. If you're fit enough you could extend these to include Fan y
Big and Waun Rydd further east (more easily done from the south).

If you are feeling energetic, I'd suggest doing Pen y Fan from the North.
In my opinion, it's the best and most dramatic ascent by a long way!

I'll second (or third, or whatever) these suggestions. In fact I'm
setting off for Cwm Llwch with the lads and lasses in about an hours
time. No doubt we shall be on the top of Pen y Fan tomorrow, barring
accidents, extreme hangovers, et al.

On a sadder note it's the first time that the terrier Whiz (now aged 17)
hasn't come hillwalking with us since she was a pup. First hill Great
Gable age 6 months. Since then she's done Ben Nevis twice, once the hard
way via the Carn Mor Dearg arete, and many of the major hills in the
country. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard people on
hilltops muttering "It's cruel bringing a little dog like that up here."
Try leaving her behind! An eye problem means that I don't want her to be
too far from a vet - "Corneal ulcers in old terriers are a bummer".
She'll be company for the wife while I'm away!

There are some photos of the Black Mountains and Pen y Fan areas on the
website below.

Regards,
--
Neil Pugh
http://www.blacknail.org.uk/
The online organ of the Black Nail Fellwalking and Climbing Club

In message <[email hidden]>, Jim Ford
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

There are few certainties in This World. One of them needs to be that
we can trust a building bearing the name 'Storey Arms' to be a
welcoming pub!

Croeso i Gymru :-)
--
Bill Grey

Jim Ford said:

'Storey Arms' is clearly a pub's name - to use that name for anything
else but a pub is devious and misleading!

Has it occurred to anyone that maybe it was a pub once?

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/
Latest Blog Post: Canary Islands
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/flight-sim/canary-islands/

Paul Saunders said...

Quoted message said:

Jim Ford said:

'Storey Arms' is clearly a pub's name - to use that name for anything
else but a pub is devious and misleading!

Has it occurred to anyone that maybe it was a pub once?

I don't think it was though, was it? Didn't Bill post a history of the
name here a couple of years back?

--
Fran
To email me see 'from' in headers; use your net know-how to find the
domain, and put my real name in front thereof.

Jim Ford said...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Storey Arms is NOT a pub. Other than that, the best tea wagon on the
A470 is a bit north of Storey Arms in a rather large layby. As for
walking, er, um, someone else'll be along in a minute.

_Don't_ talk to me about 'Storey Arms'! About 3 years ago on a hot day,
I came off Corn Du via Cribin and Pen Y Fan with my tongue hanging out
with thirst. I'd seen Story Arms on the map and was anticipating a beer
there (alright - I knew it'd only be Welsh beer! ;^) ). I almost kicked
the door down when I discovered it wasn't a pub!

*Laughter* I remember! You posted here, and you were SO indignant! I
don't blame you though - when I first heard the name I assumed it was a
hostelry of some sort (rather than a private hostel). I quite agree it
should sell a range of fine ales, and be open for breakfast when hungry
walkers come down from a night hike.

--
Fran
To email me see 'from' in headers; use your net know-how to find the
domain, and put my real name in front thereof.

Jim Ford said...

Quoted message said:

I knew it'd only be Welsh beer! ;^)

Only?? Point of Order sir. The Brecon brewery has a very quaffable
thing called Rambler's Ruin, which goes down a treat. Further over, in
Caio, there's the Jacobi brewery, which is a small concern that brews
beer to be drunk by those who appreciate a *decent* pint. I'll allow
that Brains has a lot to be desired, although I'm told that there are a
couple of brews worth a try. Felinfoel's Double Dragon is OK if you
want something light with a meal; however it generally comes in cans
which makes it rather too fizzy for my taste.

Now then, what was it you were saying about Welsh beer?

--
Fran
To email me see 'from' in headers; use your net know-how to find the
domain, and put my real name in front thereof.

Fran said:

Jim Ford said...

Quoted message said:

I knew it'd only be Welsh beer! ;^)

Only?? Point of Order sir. The Brecon brewery has a very quaffable
thing called Rambler's Ruin

etc, etc.

Quoted message said:

Now then, what was it you were saying about Welsh beer?

Didn't urw once drink a barrel of "The Reverend" dry at Pencelli?

Brains SA makes a good pre-match pint in Cardiff, especially when your
team win and you can enjoy a few more afterwards :-)

--
Phil Cook, last hill: Angletarn Pikes via Beda Fell.
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/May07/martin9.htm

Phil Cook said...

Quoted message said:

Fran said:

Jim Ford said...

Quoted message said:

I knew it'd only be Welsh beer! ;^)

Only?? Point of Order sir. The Brecon brewery has a very quaffable
thing called Rambler's Ruin

etc, etc.

Quoted message said:

Now then, what was it you were saying about Welsh beer?

Didn't urw once drink a barrel of "The Reverend" dry at Pencelli?

Probably. I was drinking hot chocolate because it was so flamin' cold!

Quoted message said:

Brains SA makes a good pre-match pint in Cardiff, especially when your
team win and you can enjoy a few more afterwards :-)

It's OK if Brains is all there is, but it tastes of very little IMO.
'Fraid I'm a bit of a beer snob.

--
Fran
To email me see 'from' in headers; use your net know-how to find the
domain, and put my real name in front thereof.

In message <[email hidden]>, Fran
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Paul Saunders said...

Quoted message said:

Jim Ford said:

'Storey Arms' is clearly a pub's name - to use that name for anything
else but a pub is devious and misleading!

Has it occurred to anyone that maybe it was a pub once?

I don't think it was though, was it? Didn't Bill post a history of the
name here a couple of years back?

Never mind about Storey Arms - Hey your back yipee :-)

Only you Dominic and I know what I'm talking about :-)

BTW I think I did once research the name and it never was a pub.

I'll have to check it out again.
--
Bill Grey

In message <[email hidden]>, Fran
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Jim Ford said...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Storey Arms is NOT a pub. Other than that, the best tea wagon on the
A470 is a bit north of Storey Arms in a rather large layby. As for
walking, er, um, someone else'll be along in a minute.

_Don't_ talk to me about 'Storey Arms'! About 3 years ago on a hot day,
I came off Corn Du via Cribin and Pen Y Fan with my tongue hanging out
with thirst. I'd seen Story Arms on the map and was anticipating a beer
there (alright - I knew it'd only be Welsh beer! ;^) ). I almost kicked
the door down when I discovered it wasn't a pub!

*Laughter* I remember! You posted here, and you were SO indignant! I
don't blame you though - when I first heard the name I assumed it was a
hostelry of some sort (rather than a private hostel). I quite agree it
should sell a range of fine ales, and be open for breakfast when hungry
walkers come down from a night hike.

......they'd make a fortune!
--
Bill Grey

Neil Pugh said:

I've lost count of the number of times I've
heard people on hilltops muttering "It's cruel bringing a little dog
like that up here." Try leaving her behind!

I'm not a dog fan myself, but I can understand your point of view. Why
wouldn't a dog enjoy the wonders of climbing a mountain, just like we do?
Most dogs would be lucky to have the opportunity!

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/
Latest Blog Post: Limestone Hill
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/pic-of-the-day/limestone-hill/