BRECON'BEACONS'PARK'SOCIETY! ! CYMDEITHAS'PARC'BANNAU'BRYCHEINIOG' www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org1 For1the1Park,1its1people,1and1its1visitors111Dros1y1Parc,1ei1bobl1a’i1ymwelwyr1 Registered1Charity1No.110753451 WELCOME'TO'THE'SPRING'NEWSLETTER'2015'

! Walkers know spring has arrived when the wild flowers reappear in our forests, hillsides and hedgerows. ! In this issue there is information about the 23rd Annual General Meeting to be held in Blaenavon on the 13th June, an update from Jim Wilson about the valuable work of Park Society (BBPS), news from Dilys about the series of weekend walks along the , advice on how to reduce the spread of diseased spores, and much more. A personal observation: when plantations are felled to prevent the spread of disease, will they be replanted or redesignated for pay and display car parks as was proposed for the area below ? Since the last newsletter I have walked on the snow covered Brecon Beacons with BBPS (see pages 9 and 10), celebrated the New Year trekking in Oman, and explored Lorna Doone’s Exmoor with the Forest of Dean Ramblers. Where will you be walking this summer and autumn? I would love to hear your news and share your photographs in the next newsletter. Finally, I wish a speedy recovery to my walking buddy who recently broke her ankle and any other members of BBPS who are injured, and I hope all of our readers have an ! accident-free 2015. Wadi Nakhr Grand Canyon of Oman! Jenny Robbins Editor

Annual General Meeting of the Brecon Beacons Park Society The 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Brecon Beacons Park Society will be at the Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon World Heritage Site on Saturday 13 June 2015. The AGM will start at 10.30am. This will be followed by talks giving an introduction to the fascinating local area, lunch, then a choice of afternoon activities, and back for tea. There will be an opportunity to see the famous 18th century Ironworks and other attractions of the World Heritage Site. So, put the date in your diaries and come along to contribute to the further development of the Society and to have a really interesting day! Further information and booking will follow in May. Ceridwen Coulson

1 An update from the BBPS Chairman by Jim Wilson Planning You may know that the site of the Circuit of development, immediately to the south of the Park, is common land. As a result the developer has to provide alternative common land to replace the commons that will be lost if the project goes ahead. The packets of land that are proposed are not a suitable replacement. None are close by, and most importantly all are already open to the public so overall there would be a reduction of the total amount of land accessible to the people of Wales. The outcome is that the application to de- ! register the existing common land has gone to a Public Inquiry. The Jim Wilson! BBPS provided evidence to the Inquiry, however the findings of the ! Inquiry are merely recommendations to Welsh Ministers who will make the final decision.

The Glanusk Estate has dramatically increased its shooting operations in Cwm Mawr with a new bulldozed track, tree felling, and bird feeding troughs and plastic water pipes on the hillside by the Beacons Way. Shooting across the Beacons Way is now much more common with reports of access along the route being restricted (temporarily), and even more alarming at least one instance of people not being warned to stop while a shoot was in progress. The Society is heavily involved with local residents (some of whom are members) in attempts to improve matters and we have been in communication with Glanusk Estate, the Park Authority, and NRW. . Dark Skies The Alliance for National Parks Cymru 1 The BBPS was a keynote speaker at a Phase 1 of the Review of Governance of National Dark Sky Conference in Snowdonia Parks by the Welsh Government has now reported that was very well attended by a wide and was generally positive on how our National spectrum of organisations. The Brecon Parks are performing. The proposed new Beacons observatory is going very responsibilities are very much in line with well with about 400 people having suggestions made by the Alliance. The Planning used its facilities since it opened in Bill is currently making its way through the October (including our Society event). Assembly, and the Alliance members have been The Brecon Beacons International involved in some very heavy duty lobbying to Dark Sky Reserve Management Board ensure that the NPAs retain their planning is now operational with the Society responsibilities. This had been going very well with represented and with local AM and most of our input being listened to and acted on former member of the BBNPA William with nothing in the Bill suggesting that NPAs Powell as its Chair. William is also on should lose planning powers. However we have the influential Environment and had a setback in trying to oppose an amendment Sustainability Committee that may be by the Minister who is trying to gain new powers helpful in getting the Welsh that would allow him to direct NPA to operate as Government further on board in part of a Joint Planning Panel with other Local gaining the benefits of controlling light Planning Authorities. If this were to happen it would pollution for all the people of Wales. mean that NPAs would no longer be the sole To that end we have put down an deciding authority on development applications in amendment to the Planning Bill that, if National Parks. We thought we had this covered accepted, would require all Local but an opposition AM who had said he would Authorities in Wales to specify their support our position in opposing this amendment strategies for minimising light pollution changed his mind which meant the amendment in their Local Development Plans. now goes forward to the next stage in the process.

2 Star jelly Strange blobs of an opaque jelly were spotted on the during an energetic walk of eleven miles led by Soo. This walk took place on a balmy Halloween when temperatures hit 20 degrees centigrade, so warm that many of us were in short sleeved summer tops. The lumps we observed on the footpath are sometimes called star jelly, star slough or star shoot, and there is a Welsh name, pwdre scr meaning ‘rot of the stars’. They have excited curiosity since the fourteenth century when Lunch break - Epynt Way astronomers believed they were the fallout from shooting stars and meteorites. Other fanciful explanations range ! from a by-product of the rutting season to unusual algae. Star jelly has also been investigated by a team of biologists at the NASA laboratory and remains a hotly debated topic among scientists and ramblers. The jelly is not a plant although it may have fungi or bacteria growing in it, and DNA tests have so far been inconclusive. The most believable theory is that star jelly is the spawn ! like substance that is formed in the vittelin glands in the oviducts of a frog or toad. It is toxic and swells ! considerably when in contact with moisture, and for these reasons predators may remove or regurgitate the oviducts before digesting their prey. The unfortunate frog or toad could have been predated by a bird such as a buzzard, red kite or crow, or killed by a mammal such as a weasel or a stoat. Thank!you to Dilys for identifying the star jelly. Jenny Robbins ! Star jelly! !

Discounts for members BBPS has negotiated some discount deals with outdoors gear providers, and a discount code will be emailed to all members. If you are a member and do not have a discount code, you can request one using the contact form on the website. Adventure, Crickhowell and Brecon: 10% discount - present your membership card. Gibb Outdoor, Brecon: 10% discount - present your membership card. Up and Under, Cardiff: up to 75% discount (in store and online) off RRP on standard stock lines in their walking, camping, climbing, caving, canoeing, kayaking and industrial access departments – discount code. Cotswold Adventure UK Stores: 15% discount (in store and online) off the full retail value of current season’s product ranges - membership number and discount code.

3 Phytophthora Ramorum and Kernoviae Not the catchiest title for an article in this safety reasons Rights of Way are closed. excellent newsletter, but I was prompted We can find more about these closures to write about these plant diseases after from the NRW (Natural Resources leading a walk for the Society recently. I Wales) web site. was asked why there were areas of conifer felled at Storey Arms and around Talybont. The trees that have been felled are larch and they were cut down because they were diseased. The disease goes by the name of Phytophthora, and you may have come across Phytophthora before, as it was responsible for the potato blight that had such a devastating effect in Ireland in 1845. Recently two species of Larch plantation! Phytophora- Phytophora ramorum and ! kernviae have been causing significant What can we do? I have said that the damage to the environment. disease spreads by spores and these are Phytophthora ramorum was first identified washed into the soil and leaf litter by rain in 2001 as the cause of widespread adhering to our clothes, boots and tyres, destruction of oak trees in the USA and the feet of animals, so we need to (Sudden Oak Death). The spread of read and carry out the biosecurity plant diseases has become more of a measures requested on site to prevent problem with the movement of goods, transportation of spores to new sites. But people and vehicles across countries, most effective is the simple action of and with the timber trade and horticulture cleaning our boots and removing the mud being a global industry. Spores spread and debris when you get home. this fungus-like disease, and as well as Information and how to recognise the larch, bilberry, rhododendron, horse symptoms are on: chestnut, magnolia, camellia and beech http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/plantH are all susceptible. Since 2009 DEFRA ealth/pestsDiseases/phytophthora/ (Department for Environment Food and Photograph and advice has been Rural Affairs) have been issuing advice received from Ecological staff at the and disease control through the National Park. clearance of host plants. Ian Rowat - Welsh Assembly Government How does this affect us? We may find appointee of the National Park Authority that during forestry operations, for public

Fundraising BBPS Love the Beacons visitor-gifting scheme is now operational with the Taste Inn Wales Group. There have been a few teething problems which hopefully are now resolved.

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4 Walking festivals Talgarth Walking Festival 1st – 4th May 2015 Llanelli Festival of Walks 22nd – 25th May 2015 This is the 20th anniversary of the Llanelli Festival and walks include the Brecon Beacons. Gower Walking Festival The Gower Walking Festival is the largest in Wales and it is with much regret the Gower Walking Festival Association’s (GWFA) committee has announced that due to illness and personal circumstances this year’s festival will not go ahead. Herefordshire Walking Festival 13th – 21st June 2015 MonDean Walking Festival 27th June – 5th July Following the success of the Walking Festival in recent years, the organisers have teamed up with groups in the Forest of Dean to create the MonDean Walking Festival, featuring iconic walks from across these two areas. Experienced local walk leaders will guide you through the spectacular scenery on both sides of the border between England and Wales. On offer will be a range of walks: three to four miles from the Fit4Life healthy walking ! programme; walks ranging from seven to twenty Walking in the Royal Forest of Dean miles exploring the Royal Forest of Dean, the ! Black Mountains, and Monmouthshire. ! Walks may include a pub, tea room or the opportunity to sample excellent locally produced food and drink; heritage and industrial walks looking at the historic mining of both areas and the links between them, taking in tram roads along the Wye or in the Forest; a section of the Gloucestershire Way from Mayhill on the boundary of Gloucestershire to Parkend in the heart of the Forest with its tourist railway, and many more. For full details of the programme see: http://www.walkinginmonmouthshire.org Mike Ingleby

Walking the Beacons Way There are still a few places remaining on each of the 10 days for our 10th Anniversary walk. There will be a waiting list and I will let people know if places arise on walks that are currently fully booked. For full details, including how to book, see Multi-day Walks under Guided Walks on the website. The photograph on the right shows a walk on the Beacons Way. Dilys Approaching 2013 !

5 Solar Eclipse in Monmouth March 20th On March 20th staff at the school where I work gave me a pair of ‘eclipse’ glasses. At first I had my back to the sun and saw the shape of the eclipse reflected in a window, then turning around I saw the moon pass across the sun. This continued until only a small sliver of the sun remained, as illustrated below. Peter Robbins

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Changes to the Guided Walks Programme Don’t forget to check the website for changes or cancellations of walks. Occasionally leaders may change or cancel guided walks. This is usually because of bad weather, but can sometimes happen for other reasons (such as recently when footpaths where closed for felling of diseased trees). Whenever possible, any changes will be added to the Guided Walks Programme page for the current month on the website: www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org. You are strongly advised to check the Mountain weather forecast for the Brecon Beacons National Park before setting out for walks, on the Met Office website: www.metoffice.gov.uk. If in doubt consult the leader whose name and telephone number are given in the Guided Walks programme. Anne Prichard.

Dogs – The CRoW Act 2000 Just a reminder to walkers that dogs must be on a fixed lead no more than two metres long at ALL TIMES on Open Access land (registered common land and areas of mountain, moor, heath and down) from 1st March to 31st July, and whenever livestock are near from 1st August to the end of February. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW Act 2000) gave the ‘right to roam’ to some areas in England and Wales but increased the maximum penalty to a term of imprisonment instead of a fine. Offences that include the disturbance of birds and animals cover reckless as well as intentional actions.

Jim Wilson - A Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society The BBPS Chairman Jim Wilson has been elected to the fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society. He was nominated by two current Fellows, Professor Paul Roche and Senior Lecturer Martin Griffiths, both of the University of South Wales. Jim was the instigator and driving force behind the initiative to control light pollution in the Brecon Beacons area and gain International Dark Sky Reserve status for the Brecon Beacons National Park. !

6 ICE and mobiles

ICE - In case of emergency Do you carry an ICE card, or is it something you are planning to do… one day? Tracing relatives or friends can waste time, and an ICE card will enable the emergency services to notify a nearest relative or friend without delay if you are involved in an accident. Carry an ICE card with your name, telephone number, and medical details you wish known together with the phone numbers of two people you would like contacted and details of their relationship to you. It is fairly easy and takes a few minutes to add ICE details to the screen of a smart phone by placing photograph(s) or a picture on a document, adding your ICE information, taking a screenshot then inserting the picture on your phone. You may have to crop ! and resize to fit.'' ICE on a smart phone! !

Emergency calls - 999 or 112? Have a look at the keypad on your phone and there should be an emergency button that will connect to 999 or 112. Either number can be used in the UK, neither is more reliable than the other and both can be dialled on a pay-as-you go phone that has no credit. Use 112 not 999 when the emergency occurs in Europe or USA. If your phone or iphone is password protected, the emergency button will be situated below the password keypad enabling anyone to make an emergency call without entering the password. An emergency call will be routed through the nearest provider, and if there is no signal try moving to a different place or higher ground. Carry a torch and a whistle for back up.

Emergency Text (SMS) This service was initially set up for people with communication disabilities but many people in walking clubs have found it useful in an emergency situation when the mobile phone signal is weak. When the signal is too weak to make an emergency call, an emergency text (SMS) may still alert the emergency services. A text takes longer to send than a phone call so this service should only be used if there is no other option. To use this service you must register your mobile phone with the Emergency SMS Service BEFORE an emergency happens, and you will need to register again if you change your mobile phone number. This will only take a few minutes but could save a life. Go to http://www.emergencysms.org.uk/ for information on how this service works and how to register, or send the word ‘register’ in a text to 112. You will receive a message about the service and need to read it then reply by sending ‘yes’. The service will send you a text message saying you are registered or informing you if there is a problem. If you do not receive a registered message, you are not registered. After sending an emergency SMS, the service will message back in about two minutes. If you do not get a message back or you receive a Delivery Report’ your message may not have been received, and after three minutes you need to send another message. SMS gives the option of sending a photograph.

7 Free Echo 112 app Echo 112 is a free Swiss global emergency app for smart phones. Enter your details and switch on location services. If there is a GPS signal, pressing the SOS button will give your details and location to the nearest emergency service wherever you are. News about the worldwide ICE/ emergency app RAPIDSOS One-Touch-911 will be in the next issue.

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Have you lost a Leki Cristallo walking pole? A walking pole was left in the lower car park at Cyfarthfa Castle after a Wednesday Wander last October. Contact Dilys 01454 775731, [email protected]

BBPS Courses Gloves-do you have the answer? http://www.breconbeaconspar Does anyone have advice on the best gloves that can be worn in the cold and wet? No, ksociety.org/courses/! washing up gloves aren't breathable. I seem to Get Lost have spent loads of money on gloves / mittens Saturday 18th July - Sunday 19th that supposedly keep your hands warm and dry July. This two-day basic navigation in the cold and rain, but don't. course is limited to 10 places and I did go to a cycling shop and bought some costs £20 for members, £30 for gloves (pretty light blue SealSkinz and the only non-members. thing that I am likely to wear from a cycling shop) that are ok-ish, but they haven't really been Get Lost Again tested yet. Saturday 31st October - Sunday I have learned to keep some glove liners on 1st November. This two-day more underneath gloves so that when I have lunch I advanced navigation course is can vaguely get my gloves back on without my limited to 8 places and costs £20 hands swelling up in the cold. Surely there is for members and £30 for non- someone who has the definitive answer. Violet members. !

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BBPS Walks The things we do for you lot! I (Malcolm Winney) am leading a walk on Sunday 29th of March and part of the walk goes into Cwm Oergwm in the Beacons. Wendy and I walked it out in late February and found it difficult to get over the stream (Nant Menasgin), too wide and too deep. On Friday March 20th we set out from home with a six feet long plank in the car and drove to Llanfrynach. I carried the plank three miles to where we had to cross the stream and we spent two or three hours building a walkway over the stream with rocks from the surrounding area. ! The plank was used to get out to the middle of the stream to place the rocks in the water. We slipped about on the stream bed in the water but after a lunch break and a rest in the sun we managed to build the walkway. After testing it we walked back to Llanfrynach and tea in the pub. The plank was hidden away in case of emergency and the fact that I did not fancy carrying it the three miles back. We hope that after this the whole of the BBPS will come out on the walk and cross the stream with ease. Malcolm and Wendy Winney !

Above Talybont Forest Walk March 20th Leader Chris Playford

‘Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery’. John Ruskin

Thousands of tired, nerve- shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity'.! John Muir ! !

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Black Hill Ridge Walk 12th December Leader Chris Playford Was this the first snowy walk of the winter? The start point was the Stone Circle car park below Hay Bluff. Led by Chris we climbed steeply through low cloud up to Offa’s Dyke Path. As we turned towards Black Hill the mist cleared and gave way to sunshine and panoramic views along the Cat’s Back. After lunch at the picnic site, a chilly wind swept over the ridge and heavy flurries of snow slowed progress over flooded ! streams and slippery stiles. Although the Below Hay Bluff! sun reappeared later in the afternoon, ! the temperature dropped to below freezing, and heavy ice had to be scraped from windscreens when we returned to the car park after a most enjoyable walk.

The , Nature Reserve and Enchanted Valley Walk 18th January Leader Anne Prichard When poor weather conditions are forecast, a leader has to juggle the risks posed by ice and snow against the disappointment of enthusiastic walkers who may have travelled many miles to arrive at the start point in good time. Walkers met at the Storey Arms on a cold January morning for the Taff Trail guided walk. The plan was to walk along the Taff Trail before crossing to Craig Cerrig-gleisiad, and down the old ! turnpike road to Cwm-du, and in the afternoon a steady climb onto the shoulder of Fan Fawr via Fan Frynych before ! descending to the start point. Aware that the forecast said weather conditions would deteriorate in the afternoon with a warning of a -15C wind chill, our leader Anne rejigged the route and we climbed to the higher moorland before returning along the lower Taff Trail. Our reward was rosy cheeks, snowy ! peaks, blue skies and green valleys.

10 Member’s feedback Reply to comments by walk leaders I recently joined BBPS having led walks for FOD Ramblers for several years, and with reference to your article Walk Leaders on page 4 of the Autumn 2014 Newsletter, I would like to add the following types: The Sulker This walker is a subspecies of the Map Reader. After you've pointed out his map-reading error, he refuses to speak to you ever again. The Invisible Man or Woman He or she phones you on the eve of a walk, wanting full details and directions. They say, 'see you tomorrow', then do not appear. The Zoo-phobe They complain halfway round 'there are too many cows on this walk'. Was I expected to shoot them all on the recce? It goes without saying that 95% of walkers are not at all like this, though I sometimes think the level of gratitude expressed is in direct proportion to the quality of the weather - the more sun, the more thanks. Best wishes Iain Crawford !

Problem car parking It is an undeniable fact that many of the spots but not in front of driveways! walks in the Brecon Beacons Park The Wednesday Wanders in February Society programme have start points and lost the use of a car park area as it was times that make it difficult if not filled with British Waterways machinery: impossible to access them by public totally their prerogative as they own the transport. It is also a fact that car sharing car park. Two years ago there was an is not a widely used method of transport almighty outcry as we dared to park in a among members. I tried it once whilst I village hall car park. Although there were was still teaching and it failed after two no signs saying we could not park, there weeks as it was just not convenient. Our were threats to block us in. I did cars, in which we invest large sums of apologise to Anne P for my response! money, are purchased primarily for our own convenience. No criticisms implied at any level, these are hard facts. What is also an accompanying hard fact is that the Wednesday Wanders (WW) is becoming even more popular, which is good. The problem however is that car parking at the start of walks is becoming a bit of a nightmare. I arrived to co-lead ! January’s WW in Gilwern with William (who always arrives early) to find that the Parking is becoming more of a problem car park we were using was full half an and I wonder if other walk leaders have hour before the start. We were a bit experienced the same issues and/or have frantic as other cars were arriving and we any answers? Kevin McAnulty sped off (not too fast) to find alternative

11 Walking and talking – finding the walk car park

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A group of us shared the lack of confidence we felt when we were newer members, especially when a walk was situated in an area we did not know or started in an isolated car park hidden along a narrow country lane. Strategies ‘newbies’ employed ranged from setting out at least an hour earlier than necessary to allow time for getting lost, to one member who admitted recceing the start point the day before a walk! Our attention was drawn to the ‘Find your car park’ on the map page of the BBPS website. There is a choice of areas, Western, Eastern, Central and Outside the National Park, and each park area displays a list of the car parks used by the Society next to a map showing where they are situated. There is a choice of Google maps or satellite, and zoom + or – see: http://www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org/walks/guided-walks/map-page/

And Finally I hope you have enjoyed reading this Spring Newsletter, and I would like to thank all those who have shared their news, views and pictures. I cannot emphasise enough how much the continuation of newsletters such as ours are dependent on members finding time to forward their articles and photographs. My other concern is the availability of this newsletter. Please can you make your views known to the committee if you would like to see the newsletter given a higher priority on the website. If you would like to contribute to the next issue, please email photographs, information, articles and comments via the website marked For the Autumn Newsletter between now and the deadline of the 30th September 2015. Best wishes Jenny Robbins

Please note that while factual information is as correct as possible, any views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the Executive Committee or the wider membership of the Brecon Beacons Park Society. !

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