Cymdeithas Parc Bannau Brycheiniog Brecon Beacons Park Society www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org GUIDED WALKS AND EVENTS PROGRAMME AUTUMN 2012 Most of these walks go into the hills. Participants are reminded that the following gear must be taken. Walking boots, rucksack, hats, gloves, warm clothing (not jeans), spare sweater, water and a hot drink, lunch, extra food and of course waterproof jackets and trousers. A whistle and torch should be carried, particularly during the winter months. Participants must satisfy themselves that the walk is suitable for their abilities. You can take advice by ringing the walk leader whose telephone number is given. No liability will be accepted for loss or injury that occurs as a result of taking part. An adult must accompany young people (under 18). MOST OF THESE WALKS ARE FOR EXPERIENCED WALKERS Leaders may change or cancel the advertised route due to adverse weather conditions. Strenuous walks require fitness and stamina to cope with several steep climbs and/or cover a good distance at a steady pace. Energetic walks generally involve two steep climbs but they will still require determined application. Moderate walks will seldom have steep climbs but if they do the climb will be taken at a relaxed pace. Dogs (well controlled) are permitted unless stated otherwise in the programme. It should be noted that under the CROW Act, when taking dogs onto Open Access land they must be on a fixed lead, no more than two metres long, whenever livestock are near, and at ALL TIMES from 1st March to 31st July. Non-members of the Park Society will be asked to make a donation of £5.00 each per walk . Half price for the under 16’s, the unemployed and students.The fee is deductible from the membership fee on joining the Society within two months of the walk. General Enquiries to: Anne Pritchard, tel: 029 2061 0397 e-mail: [email protected] MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES: SEE BACK PAGE REGISTERED CHARITY: 1075345 GUIDED WALKS AND EVENTS AUTUMN 2012 FEATURES Welcome to the Brecon Beacons Park Society Guided Walks and Events Programme for Autumn 2012, we hope you enjoy it. The programme contains a rich and varied programme of walks and events, thanks to our wonderful band of volunteer leaders and speakers. There are guided walks every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday, covering a variety of grades and areas and including a night time walk in the Beacons for the intrepid. Given below are details of an extra event in the Summer programme, last chance for a sauna and barbecue in the Pen Arthur Forestry. In September we will have an illustrated talk at The Bear by Ecologist John Edington on Craig Cerrig Gleisiad (Anne will lead a walk through Craig Cerrig Gleisiad the following day). Then in November we will be at a new venue, The Old Rectory Hotel Llangattock, for our second illustrated talk which will be given by young Welsh adventurer Tori James. If you would like to have a go at leading a walk, have an idea for a talk or event, or any comments or suggestions for improvement of the programme, please contact Anne (walks) tel: 029 2061 0397 or email [email protected] Gerry (events) tel: 01989 565679 or email [email protected] This programme is available to view or download from the website. Postage costs have risen considerably lately and it now costs 79p to print and post each programme. If you no longer wish to receive a posted hard copy, please advise Ben Sladen on [email protected] . Changes to the Guided Walks Programme Occasionally leaders may change or cancel a guided walk, usually because of severe weather which may affect the walk itself or the roads to the start of the walk. Whenever possible, any changes will be added to the Guided Walks Programme page on the website www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org . You are strongly advised to check the Mountain weather forecast for the Brecon Beacons 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. Emergency Contact Details on Guided Walks The emergency services encourage all of us to enter a contact number in our mobile phone's memory under the heading ICE - In Case of Emergency. Paramedics or police would then be able to use it to contact a relative in case of illness or accident. Those participating in BBPS guided walks are also encouraged to carry a card, preferably laminated or encased in a plastic cover, in the top of their rucksack, with their name, emergency telephone contact, and details of any medical conditions and medication carried, which could be useful in case of illness or accident on a walk. Page 2 GUIDED WALKS AND EVENTS AUTUMN 2012 A CHANGE OF LEADER AND AN EXTRA EVENT FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAMME IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE WEATHERMAN Date: Satu rday 25th August From the Tafarn y Garreg car park on the A4067 at GR SN Level: Energetic 849171. Dist: 16km (10 miles) Along the Rotten Stone trail, to see the stabilisation work on Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm Waun Fignen Felen (as seen on TV – Walks with the Leader: ANDREW LEONARD Weatherman). Then to Sinc y Giedd, the second Afon Giedd, Contact: 01874 636674 and back through Carreg Goch and the Crater. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF LEADER (The original leader, Clive, will be firing the sauna & barbecue ready for this evening – see below) EXTRA EVENT: SMILES OF THE LAST SUMMER NIGHT Date: Saturday 25th August A further, and last, chance to enjoy the Russian sauna in the Level: Easy! Pen Arthur Forestry near Llangadog. Time: 4.00pm – midnight 12 of us went there after the AGM and enjoyed ourselves so Leader: CLIVE EILES much that we wanted to go again, and as the Forestry is Contact: 01550 740188 closing it down on 31st August, this is the very last chance. [email protected] The setting is a sloping woodland glade, and the sauna itself is fired by wood and leads off a round wooden hut. There is also a plunge pool fed by a small stream, and a large wood fired brazier for barbecue and cooking, with a semi-circular amphitheatre to eat and shelter in. There is no charge, but you will need to bring your own food and drink. The sauna will be fired up from about 1700, and since there is a walk earlier in the day from the Tafarn y Garreg the sauna would complete a day in the west. For directions and further details please contact Clive : [email protected] SEPTEMBER CLAERDDU BOTHY WEEKEND Date: Sat 1st - Sun 2nd September Places (limited to twelve) must be booked in advance. Leader: ANDREW LEONARD There will be a charge (no more than £10) for food. Our Contact: 01874 636674 sleeping gear will be transported by landrover. We will meet near Pont ar Elan and walk across the plateau to the Claerwen reservoir and then on the track to the Elan Trust’s Claerddu bothy near the Teifi pools. On the Sunday we will return by way of Strata Florida and the Monks Trod. A good night’s sleep is not promised but there will be two great days of walking. Further detail will be provided to those who make contact with the leader. Page 3 GUIDED WALKS AND EVENTS AUTUMN 2012 A DYFFRYN CRAWNON CIRCUIT Date: Saturday 1st September From car park opposite Llangynidr village hall GR SO 154195. Level: Energetic Up through cairn strewn Pant Llwyd (rough ground) to the Dist: 21km (13 miles) Chartist Cave, then across to Trefil quarry and return via Pen Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm Rhiw-calch and Tor y Foel. Leader: CHRIS PLAYFORD Contact: 01497 820074 FAN LLIA, FAN DRINGARTH, FAN FAWR & GWAUN CEFNYGARREG Date: Sunday 2nd September Meet at Ystradfellte car park GR SN 929134. From Ystradfellte Level: Strenuous walking out to Fan Llia and Fan Fawr returning via Gwaun Dist: 29km (18 miles) 2800ft Cefnygarreg. Time: 9.30am – 6.00pm Leader: JASON WINNEY Contact: 07411 084613 WEDNESDAY WANDER: RHYMNEY RIVER - AN “ANNIVERSARY WALK/WALTZ!” Date: Wed 5th September Start at Machen Village Hall car park, Forge Road, Machen Level: Moderate (behind Social Club) GR ST 212891 Explorer map 152. A Dist: 14.5km (9miles) return to the first WW route, completed in September 2011. Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm Lanes and fields to Rupera Castle before returning alongside Leader: KEVIN MCANULTY & the river. WILLIAM COOPER Contact: 01633 667664 THE GARDEN IN THE CLOUDS Date: Friday 7th September Meet at Llanthony Priory GR SO 288278 for a gentle start on Level: Energetic the low level paths to the west of the Honddu to Cwmyoy. A Dist: 16km (10miles) loop around Cwm Iau with a quick look at one of the finest Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm Welsh farmhouses in the area, before ascending via Tair Leader: DAVID THOMAS Ffynnon – where there is “The Garden in the Clouds”, which Contact: 01873 812011 we may try and see – and up onto the Beacons Way back to Llanthony. Ascent 2000 ft. A SHORT WALK WITH A BIT OF CLIMB Date: Saturday 8th September From the small car park on the Trecastle road (an Level: Strenuous unclassified road running north from the Tafarn y Dist: 16km (10 miles) Garreg on the A4067). GRID REFERENCE OF Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm STARTING CAR PARK SN 856223. (Grid Reference of Leader: CLIVE EILES Tafarn y Garreg SN 850172). Contact: 01550 740188 A rough walk – it is the West – across Moel Feity and [email protected] Afon Trinant and their crash sites.