Im planning to drive to the area around Waun Fach and try to activate the summit (or others around) on the 24-25th of Feb.
Ive never been around the area so any tips will help a lot.
Im planning to drive up on Friday, sleep somewhere close, maybe a camping site and start the hike Saturday.
Fishing pole seems a must. No tries around hehehe
Snow covered at the moment?
Anyone around the area that might be interested in joining etc please let me know (or pm me).
Or maybe having a pint or fish and chips.
Canât make that weekend or Iâd come along.
You can easily stay overnight at the carpark (Mynydd Du) at the end of the Grwyne Fawr Reservoir road.
Alternatively you can come up from the west side (Pengenffordd).
Itâs best to pick a day where itâs frozen, as the summit is a bog fest, although they were building a new path last year when I was there.
It will be no help in the snow however
What do you mean by dog fest?
Are the conditions almost certainly snowy around end of Feb?
I dont have snow specific gear just gear for very low temps.
Layers, goretex etc but not for snow exhibitions.
Ill probably pitch some sort of shelter for protection.
Sorry not around on the weekend otherwise I would join you.
Here is my route to Waun Fach. Not much room for the car but I usually reverse a few metres up the track leaving enough room for the farmer to get past with his quad. Hardly any boggy bits on this route and the last few metres have stone steps to the summit which is no longer boggy.
This is the top of Waun Fach approaching the summit from the east.
Itâs big and featureless.
Be prepared for poor visibility and make sure you know how to navigate when thereâs nothing to see.
Thereâs no guarantee of snow.
Last year (24 feb) was very cold but dry and sunny.
Iâve been looking at your list of completed activations. Now I donât know what your experience is of hill walking but I would suggest that you look at activating Pen y Fan GW/SW-001 as the route to the summit is âeasy navigationâ. I can assure you that you will not be alone as it will be busy on the weekend which means you must get to the car park as early as possible (at least 8:00 am).
Plenty of room on top for to get away from the hordes whilst activating (VHF works well also). Check MWIS (Mountain Weather Information Service -Google it) for weather conditions in the Brecon Beacons.
You then have the option to activate Fan Fawr across the road.
Apologies if you are an experienced hill walker but I had to let you know that there was another option to Waun Fach.
Hope this helps.
73 Allan GW4VPX
PSâŚlooked at my diary and I may be available to join you for Waun FachâŚ001 already done this year.
Indeed im not an experienced hill walker. Minor defence might be that I do well with maps as my work is all about maps and orientation apart from that i have two left feet
The idea is that its the closed to london and from google they seem ok (im using plural as there is another summit on the left). Also there seems to be a camp site at the nearby village.
It would be great if you want to join!
Ps: ive got 1:25k OS on paper and gps too heheh and i grow up at an altitude and mountain that you probably cant cant find in England (G i mean)
Great, now I know how youâve opted for Waun Fach. Whatâs the name of the village where the campsite is?
I take it that the summit on the âleftâ is Mynydd Troed GW/SW-009âŚfor this one we usually park at SO 160283 and also activate Mynydd Llangorse GW/SW-015 to give 12 points (inc winter bonus). (See my blog for info on these).
Anyway, keep in touch and let me know your plans a little nearer the date or e-mail me.
Ill probably camp there: http://www.campingbreconbeacons.com
As its going to be late and i dont want disappointments by camping wild.
Its 3:30h drive so ill try to leave work around 4pm on friday.
YesâŚmost definitelyâŚgood quality waterproof over trousers. Prepare for the worst as it will still be FebruaryâŚrain, low cloud and/or mists, wind and possibly snow. Good quality waterproof coat and plenty of layers with spare in the rucksack. Quite a few posts here on the Reflector regarding clothing and walking boots etc.
IMHO definitely some protection from the wet is essential and take gaiters if you have them. I used to wear waterproof overtrousers, but havenât used mine for anything other than local walks since moving to Paramo gear for the hills. I also wear gaiters all year round as they protect not just against mud, but also vegetation and those nasty little ticks.
Sounds like it would be good if someone could accompany you on this one Tasos. Unfortunately I will be up north on a GM/SS summit on 25th February.