Thursday, August 20, 2015

It Wasn't The Best Of Recces...

but at least I have a feel for the other ways down from Fan Frynych. The mountain forecast's "30% chance of precipitation and some good views out of the mist" turned out to be rain the entire time and bugger all views through the extensive hill fog - not ideal conditions for a recce. That's two wet ones in a row. Wonder which recce will be the third?

Anyway, I set off from the van, having parked in the lower layby and headed up to join the Beacons Way. I got a pretty good line across the corner cut considering I couldn't be arsed to get the compass out and visibility was 100m.

From Fan Frynych I decided to try for the south western track as shown on the OS 50k but I wasn't entirely sure there's anything there as I couldn't see it on the satellite maps and the 25k doesn't show it. So I turned off the main path at the cairn and initially dropped off south before contouring to see if I could intersect any paths or trods but didn't find anything decent until I was down to within a few hundred metres of the valley path. I did think about seeing how far that went back up but I was getting soggier by the minute and I wasn't having the most fun I've ever had so decided to carry on. The valley path was quite pleasant even in the rain.

Once I got to Roman Road I followed it up a little (in race direction) to get a feel for how much 'up' it will involved because I am shocking at ascending these days - having said that I'm not exactly good at the flat or descent either but I'm definitely worse going up.

Then I returned to the hill and made my way up, across the rough stuff, to the main path and onwards back to Fan Frynych. I did a pretty fine job of hitting the path even if I do say so myself because I wasn't sure where to head off the Roman Road and couldn't see that far ahead through the rainy fog - and still couldn't be arsed to get out the compass - but I hit it smack on.

Once past FF it was back along the Beacons Way again - no corner cut this time - and back to the van to change into dry clothes for the drive home.

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