Walking in Wales

We had a long weekend in the Black Mountains, aimed partly to practice navigation for the OMM, and partly just for some good walking. It didn't really work out that way!

We went up in twos and threes on Friday, converging on a campsite next to Llanthony Priory.  It was a beautiful setting in a quiet valley, with the ruined priory providing a dramatic and ethereal backdrop.

Alice and I went for a brief run in the evening.  Well a walk uphill (it was steep!) but then along a contouring road and past an idyllic cottage, before turning round for a long downhill jog back to the campsite.


Friday night saw some 15 or so of us in Big Blue, our big tent, eating pasta and drinking a wide variety of beverages.

Alice, Pete, Gail and Big Blue

Up early on Saturday (I was awake at about 0530 and brewed  a brew still in my sleeping bag, stove at arm's length with me still in my Laser).  By 0830 we were (nearly) all assembled and by 0845 we were off, climbing the steep hill out of the valley and up onto the ridge for a long (17 miles) horseshoe walk along the Black Mountain ridges.  I was already feeling a bit sore throaty and snuffly as we left, and by lunchtime at the half way point I was decidedly coldy.  Three of us decided to take a shorter easier route back, and headed down the valley, rather than continuing round the ridge.  It turned out that out route was actually longer, and the navigation considerably more complex, as we worked our way through woods and farms and fields back to the tent.  We arrived back at about 1900, and after a quick chat I went to my tent to get changed.  By then I was feeling properly poorly and I just crawled in to my sleeping bag and stayed there until morning.  Alice and others kindly spent the evening checking on me and bringing soup and snacks, but I managed to sleep through the raucous barbecue and partying around me.

Sunday morning dawned and I was in no fit state for running or climbing (let alone walking).  Pete and I had hoped to do some navigation practice at Llangattoch, and it was even perfect conditions (foggy and drizzly) but I wasn't up to it.  Most people went off for an (abortive) attempt to climb, while Alice, Gail, Andrea and I mooched around the campsite for the morning, and then went and wandered around Hay on Way for a while.  Quiet night on Sunday, and then home on Monday, still sweating and feeling sorry for myself.

Not quite the active training weekend we'd planned!