A WALK ON THE WIDE SIDE ...
THE BRECON BEACONS are neatly sandwiched between to the west, Black Mountain, and to the east, The Black Mountains in mid-south Wales.
In the summer they can become a midges' paradise, so be warned, take along some good insect repellent. It is also a rugged terrain that can be quite treacherous towards the unprepared, despite the apparent tranquillity and relatively small scale of the mountain ranges.
It is here that British SAS troops are trained in survival techniques, dropped by
parachute in the dark of night in isolation often in storms at an unspecified spot and without compass, map or any other survival equipment. They have to reach a specific location within a time limit. In short, they are on their own.
Likewise the explorer – there may not be anyone within miles of you so go prepared.[see essential survival guide]
Perhaps the best approach is from Glyn Tarrel to the north west of the Beacons, though the more serious explorer might start from the base of Alli Ddu, take in Pen Millan and then the Beacons, which provides an exhilarating final climb to the summit base.
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The summit itself provides breathtaking views all around and the explorer can choose several directions in which to continue, from the easy to the more advanced. Do not be tempted to take the more advanced and serious looking routes unless you are prepared and have some real experience of fell walking or mountaineering. Certainly do not put yourself at risk of being caught out overnight without adequate equipment. Simple advice, but vital.
To the SSE, a small isolated reservoir is visible far down a long valley and several hours' walking away. It is the perfect point to aim for but a reminder, don't forget the repellent. And do remember if it is growing late in the day to adequately mark the lie of the land if intending to camp out.
The less experienced walker can take an easily walkable route off the Beacons towards the reservoir while the more experienced might like to negotiate the steep rear face of the mountain with its crags and gullies. Whichever way you choose, always take your time. Relax, there are no prizes for speed, you will miss a lot and could easily end up in trouble or in need of rescue.
If you arrive at the correct reservoir it will be unmistakable by the neglected dam at the far end and by its disused appearance. The reservoir now simply serves as a feeder to later built reservoirs further downstream.
There are perfectly ideal locations to pitch a tent at the far end from the dam. But be warned if you arrive between the months of May to early October and especially in the late hours of the day.
Do not attempt to wash or bathe in the shallow waters at the edge of the reservoir unless you surround yourself with naked flame. Insect repellent is useless if you wash it off and you stand the chance of practically being eaten alive. To explain, let me recount.
I'd arrived at the edge of the reservoir after an almost two and a half hour walk from the summit to the Beacons with my companion.
Happy with the peacefulness of the place we soon set up the tent and enjoyed a hot cup and some food, before venturing down to the water with towels to wash the Billy cans. Dusk had descended and the mountains and valleys were in growing shadow. We washed the pans and threw water over our faces. Then my head and face started itching, as did every exposed part of my anatomy. A moment later with horror I realised we were both completed engulfed by black clouds of tiny insects who had decided to feast off us.
Thinking quickly amidst the bites I told my companion to dump the towel in the water and swab her bare flesh then dump her head under the water before pulling the wet towels over our heads and running for the tent.
I always kept the tent flaps closed against insects and had to unzip the entrance to allow us to scramble in, quickly closing the double flaps and the insect net behind us. It proved of little use - bugs were everywhere.
When I switched on the Maglite hanging from the roof of the tent, we discovered we had been invaded by hundreds if not thousands of the tiny black midges with a bite straight from hell. No bigger than a pin point, these bugs sure pack a wallop.
Removing them was a long process of opening the exterior and interior flap enough to hold my hand outside with the torch and attract the bugs out to the light, before shutting the inner flap and turning off the light to let the bugs fly off. The process required repeating many times before we finally cleared the interior of the tent of unwelcome hungry guests and resealed it. Getting into the double sleeping bag was a true pleasure, after lighting a safe fumigating candle to deal with any stragglers.
We made certain to stay away from getting wet by the water's edge, wet flesh seemed to excite them.
The dam's concrete walkway was sealed off with faded signs warning of danger, but we ventured across, taking care across a short section of rotting wooden boards spanning a deep drop with raging water at the bottom. Returning to the reservoir two days later after exploring the surrounding region, we found an ideal place to pitch up at the top of the rapid flowing boulder strewn stream feeding the reservoir. And you know, there were no bugs at the spot.
Not one.
Except for the seven-inch spider...
Next issue – encounters with the Pyrenee Wind
Essential Equipment Tips for hikers.
First Aid Kit Always take a good quality emergency outdoor first aid kit.
Rucksack Lightweight but sturdy with alloy frame and sufficient pockets. Balance the kg capacity with the duration of your trek. Waterproof it before setting off and also put plastic bin liners or plastic bags in all compartments to ensure all contents remain dry.
Tent Lightweight but sturdy. Get one that you can erect in just a few minutes, four or five at most. The best kind require the outer tent erected first so the inner stays dry in rain. Make sure it has space for all of your gear and you. A built-in cooking windbreak area is useful, but the tent should not weigh more than a few pounds. Take along a tear repair kit too, plus a small tube of sealant.
Sleeping bag An all round rating good to withstand temperatures of minus 15 provides a good investment. Make sure you have a stuff sack for it. Take good bed rolls too. Heat reflecting types are available for extreme cold conditions. Always remember mountains can be killers.
Clothing
Boots Above all, comfortable and waterproof with good grips. It is worth investing up to £150 or more in some good mountain boots if you want to enjoy your walking. The grip design should be such as to allow you to stand on steeply sloping wet or mossy rock without slipping. Go to a specialist mountaineering store, not a regular shoe shop. Take a tin of good quality waterproofing wax (not dubbin) along and rub wax well in with a finger every night before turning in.
Waterproofs Jacket with hood and leggings should be 100% waterproof, with ankle and wrist ties and lightweight enough to roll and pack in a small pocket of your rucksack.
Socks Take several pairs of good quality, knee high walking socks from a good camping shop. Your feets are your best friend on the mountains, treat them like royalty.
General Don't overdo it. Take proper clothing for the time of year.
Equipment
- Compass - a reliable compass that you can use with a map.
- Whistle - always carry a pea whistle around your neck for emergencies
- Maps - get good detailed maps and a waterproof map cover
- Billy cans, lightweight cutlery kits
- If taking a gas cooker also take a caked fuel burner.
- Waterbottle + plastic cups. Water purifying tablets - choose these carefully from speciality suppliers.
- Emergency lightweight hi-tec survival blanket [packs in a 6x6-inch envelope]
- Torch. Sturdy, lightweight Maglite, spare batteries and bulbs. The Maglite can be unscrewed to operate like a candle hung from the roof of the tent.
- Camping knife - you can't do better than an original full Swiss army model on a chord to your belt
- Waterproof matches in addition to a windproof lighter
- Line all compartments of your rucksack with bin-liners/plastic bags
Food
Always take more than enough supplies. High protein mountaineering food packs are ideal, and always take along some bars of Kendal Cake - a highly nutritious survival addition. Take along several hi-glucose tablet packs too and some quick-cook oats.
