Brecon Beacons - Feb. 2001

2001 has been a bad year for hill walking in Britain due to Foot and Mouth disease. My last walk was just before the first outbreak - in the Brecon Beacons - during a glorious weekend in February of this year. I think without this walk this year I would have gone mad.

We drove over to Wales on the Saturday morning and climbed from Llanthony Priory just before lunch. We circled around on the ridge to the east and north, then walked north a few miles along Offa's Dyke Path before descending again past some wonderful trees just to the north-east of the priory for the evening. That night was spent at Ty'n y Caeau Youth Hostel near Brecon.

On Sunday we climbed Pen y Fan along the north east ridge. It was one of those perfect winter days - blue sky and not a cloud in sight. Who would have believed I could have been walking sleeveless on the hill tops in Wales in February?