Off we set again, this time to cross Mynydd Epynt off my list of want to do hills. I found this walk several years ago and added it to my list and now, today, finally we would bag it to add to our 500 miles! And how I will always remember it!
We set off on a clear and sunny morning and were just getting our first views of Pen-y-Fan from the uplands when the tyre warning light came on so it was let's just pass the visitor centre for now (and as it turned out not for the last time that day....) and see if it needs fixing.
Didn't want to arrive back at the end of the walk in the middle of not very much, which is Mynydd Epynt, with a flat tyre! As it turned out the tyre was OK, the warning light is not always a reliable source. So back again to the visitor centre just a lot later setting off than intended, now it was 11.30.
To give a brief explanation of where we were, the land here was at the beginning of the second world war being farmed by about 58 families. The whole area was requisitioned in 1940 to use as a training centre for the Army, and indeed it still is. Parts of the training area are, quite rightly, out of bounds but a group of people got together a number of years ago and opened the Epynt Way, a 40 mile circular walk right around the edge of it. Within the 40 miles, there are one or two circular walks and this today was one such, a 12 mile walk......
The old farmhouse here now makes a good visitor centre which I looked round briefly and just as we set off a group of young people had arrived and set off in front of us. We followed them up a track with old signs giving the details of the geological information. The ice age left us with lots of interesting countryside, didnt it?
The group of people soon went a different route as we looked back towards the Beacons....
.....and the Black Mountains.
We had a bit of a route description but it didn't always appear to make sense...but there were lots of posts to follow so we kept going. It was quite rough walking so quite hard but beautiful although the clouds had descended now and it was quite breezy.
Here and there was evidence of the training area use. Here was a hidey hole for the soldiers.
Still I was intent on catching Pen-y- Fan but not too successfully!
We realised shortly, well after about an hour and a half's walking, that we were in fact going around in a circle and sure enough, after 4 miles, we returned to the visitor centre!! As I mentioned earlier, now our second time of passing it. As it was now 1.30, we had to decide if we should actually do the walk after all or just leave it for today. But having waited so long to make it here, we decided we'd press on!
And here was the post right near the beginning of the walk which explained the route we took was a short circular walk and NOT the Epynt Way!!!! We had blindly just followed the group of people without seeing it earlier. Not to worry, after all the miles we've walked, we are quite used to getting lost but this lost is maybe the best so far!
Here we were glancing across to our left at the route of earlier that day!
And this is the Epynt Way post that we should have been following!!
Lots of red kites were around most of the day....
And I did like the humour of this sign..........DANGER - soft ground.....
It seemed much easier walking now still with great panoramas to look at...Beacons
.....and there the Dragons Back in the Black Mountains, which we have walked several times now
The trig point here was surrounded by spent ammunition
and in many places the old roads for tanks and vehicle standing were clear to see. Now only used by lots of sheep and walkers! These roads did make the walk easier now and again.
We enjoyed a lunch stop and then trekked on. Now with views back to home, Radnor Forest, it seemed a long way away now and then today!!
It was always good to see the correct sign to follow although towards the end (or rather the beginning of the end, it did go on a long time...) we did get lost once more. It was possible for a while that the great walking duo may not see eye to eye and the going was rough in more ways than one. It was getting late so a bit of panic overtook me!
But we got there once the signs became more apparent and Radnor Forest kept appearing as if to encourage me!
And we even got a clear view of the top of Pen-y-Fan at last!
It then seemed a really long walk, albeit on a clear track with gorgeous views to the north and west.
We then caught sight of the road complete with its red flag signalling the no go area and headed down the road once more to return to the visitor centre.
We passed the old pub, The Drovers Arms, and how I wished it was still open! It did seem an awfully long way along the road on foot! I may have complained a little.....
And so it was 7.30 when we got back after a total of 16 and a half miles! As you can see even the camera lens was steamed up!
There are many signs in Wales asking us to remember haunting, historical incidents using the command form for Remember, Cofiwch. This refers to Epynt because of the farms losing their land but I also join that refrain for my personal reasons too.....
Cofiwch Epynt! I will not forget it!
And what's more, we may now try to complete the whole 40 miles as part of our challenge!
Hope you might be able to help with our fundraising!
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