A taste of winter on Pen Y Fan
Saturday 19 November 2016
Just last week I was walking near Dursley surrounded by glorious autumn colours. This week, over in the Brecon Beacons, it was definitely winter. We walked up Pen Y Fan, again attracted by the snow. This time we came from the south, along the Graig Fan Ddu ridge. Climbing up to this ridge from the Neuadd reservoir, we passed lots of bags of stone - there's a new path under construction, seemingly starting from the top, which will help pass through this boggy region.
Up on top, we were in cloud and it began to snow, adding to the layer already on the ground. Not easy conditions for navigation, but I had a map and compass (and know how to use them). As we continued, the sky briefly cleared a little, giving us a beautiful view of Pen Y Fan in one direction and Cwm Crew in the other. But the clouds soon descended back down and we only had views of fog from Pen Y Fan summit. As we continued round to Bwlch ar y Fan ("The Gap"), we dropped out of the cloud and it began to snow again. It was great to get a little taste of winter - I do hope we get plenty more snow.
White out conditions
Icicles on the frozen moorland
Watercolour Pen Y Fan glimpsed through the clearing hill fog
Craig y Byllfa from Rhiw yr Ysgyfarnog
Cwm Crew
Last glimpse of Corn Du before the cloud returned
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