Brecon Beacons - Table Mountain

Date; Friday 9th December 2011
Start Point; Crickhowell
Distance; 4 miles
Time; 2 hrs
Guiness enjoyment rating; 7/10 (not long enough!)

On way back to Devon stopped off for one more walk to the summit of Crug Hywell, known by locals as Table Mountain.

It was quite a climb actually, or perhaps my limbs were now ready for a rest. The walk down was lovely, mostly along a winding stone wall and across various streams.

And to end my Brecon Beacons adventure a pic of my trusty companion on the way back to Crickhowell.

Brecon Beacons - Mynydd Illtud

Date; Thursday 8th December 2011
Start Point; Brecon Beacons Mountains Centre
Distance; 8 miles
Time; 3 hrs
Guiness enjoyment rating; 9/10

Yes, well you can't have nice weather every day can you? It was horrid all day and I chose a walk from the Pathfinder book (16) that was easy to follow and without hazards. It starts by crossing the Traeth Moor Nature Reserve and follows roads and bridleways to emerge onto the only open moorland part of the walk at Cefn Llechid.

Guiness actually had a great time, his enjoyment of walks seems to rise in accordance with how much rain there is. His Dad was secretly pleased to get back to the car.

Brecon Beacons - Sugar Loaf

Date; Wednesday 7th December 2011
Start Point; Llangenny
Distance; 9.5 miles
Time; 4 hrs 30 mins
Guiness enjoyment rating; 8/10

Sugar Loaf is one of the most popular mountains in the Brecon Beacons (according to the book!) and when you get there you can see why; there are many routes up it and all are very walkable and it's great for dogs.

It was a very windy day and once at the top it was time to turn straight around and come down again, but not before a photo of a windswept dog.

This is walk18 in the Pathfinder book but I veered away from the suggested route back and headed south and back via some woodland to emerge near a stream and another view of the mountain behind us. Mum, I was here when you called me...

The walk back to Llangenny was easy and relaxing across farmland. Really enjoyable walk.

Brecon Beacons - Pen y Fan

Date; Tuesday 6th December 2011
Start Point; Cwm Gwdi
Distance; 9.5 miles
Time; 5 hrs 15 mins
Guiness enjoyment rating; 9/10

Best walk ever! Got to start point at dawn and headed south toward the mountains. In this picture, Cribyn is left and Pen y Fan right.

Heading bewteen the two summits the route crosses the Cwm Sere up an extremely steep climb to reach the Bryn Teg pathway, and you are then faced with the ascent up Cribyn...

Guiness found this climb almost too much and I had to carry him up some rocky inclines and he was much relieved to reach the summit where the next climb came into view.

Actually the climb to Pen y Fan was pretty easy and Guiness soon had the distinction of being the highest dog in Southern Britain.


From the summit the next target is Corn Du a short distance away.

The route back is relatively easy and ended a fantastic walk.

Brecon Beacons - Ysgyryd Fawr

Date; Monday 5th December 2011
Start Point; Car park lay-by, east of Abergavenny
Distance; 3.3 miles
Time; 1 hrs 41 mins
Guiness enjoyment rating; 8/10

First of 5 walks in the Brecon Beacons (sorry Dartmoor, but I'll be back). This was a little tiddler on the way to my cottage. It starts up through Caer Wood before following the Beacons Way to the summit of Ysgyryd Fawr. This is walk 8 in the Pathfinder Guide (thanks Gill) and it advises to return the same route but I ventured further north and returned via woodland on the western side.