Fan Frynych in the snow - 31/1/2015

It had been a week since we climbed Pen y Fan but we were still craving the delights of the Brecon Beacons. Throughout the week I had been checking the weather uipdates and each day heavy snow had been forecast on the mountains. Our time in the Beacons was not yet finished and we decided to venture to the other side of the A470 and head up to the summit of Fan Frynych

Once again our journey took us over the Black Mountain and, like every other trip over this stretch of road, we had to pull over to get some photos of the amazing scenery. There was still a lot of snow on the ground and the wild ponies were grazing near the edge of the road - two of them came right up to us looking for food. Unfortunately we didn't have anything suitable for them but we did manage to get some lovely pics of them.

One of the beautiful wild ponies

There was still a lot of snow over the Black Mountain

We drove past the Pen-y-Pant car park where we had stopped the week before and were amazed at the amount of cars parked both there and on the road. We glanced up at the path to Pen y Fan and saw people walking up like an army of ants...hence its nickname, the Pen Y Fan Motorway! It was so busy and part of us was relieved that we were going to a much quieter part of the National Park.

Our hike began from a layby  on the A470 (grid ref: SN956227) - a few miles north of the Storey Arms. It is quite a large layby with a picnic bench and information boards - but no toilet or refreshment facilities. We made our way through a wooden gate and into Craig Cerrig-gleisiad nature reserve. 

A cheerful robin greets us

The beginning of the nature reserve

We continued walking up a well laid path which was surrounded by deciduous trees and snow on the ground. It's a fairly steep climb, a little uneven in places and unfortunately not really suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. We reached another gate and as we walked through we were presented with the most beautiful winter wonderland.

The path from the layby

Going through the main gate into the reserve

A winter wonderland with very icy paths

Walking through the reserve we were dwarfed by the overpowering steep crags of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad. This fascinating landscape is the result of the Ice Age 20,000 years ago and over time the ice carved the 150m cliffs we see today.

We made our way along the icy paths which kept disappearing under the thick snow. The reserve is in continuous shade in the winter due to the massive cliffs creating almost an amphirheater and this meant that the paths were getting icier and there was no sign of the snow melting. This shaded area creates perfect conditions for some rare arctic plants that can only be found in this part of the Beacons. The cliffs are also a favoured nesting place for peregrine falcons.

As we climbed we turned around and were starting to get fantastic glimpse of Pen y Fan and Corn Du - they were both covered in snow and you could see the dark wintry clouds surrounding the summits.

Corn Du and Pen y Fan in the distance

The weather was starting to change quite dramatically and as we ventured uphill we were caught in several spin drifts. The sky was turning black in parts and it started snowing off and on, but we continued on the path.

We inadvertently went off path a couple of times due to the snow cover, but luckily we knew the area and managed to get back on track. We could just about see the path in the distance and we followed it, passing the bare hawthorn and rowen trees on the way.

We got to our usual point where we would have a rest and a cup of tea…but the rock we would usually sit down on was completely covered in snow. We didn't mind though - we needed a rest and the views of Pen y Fan were beautiful.

The stormy sky

You can just about make out the path with rowen and hawthorn trees scattered across the landscape

Our rest point - with an awesome view of Pen Y Fan

After warming up with a flask of tea and a Mars bar we continued up the mountain. The snow was getting extremely thick in parts, almost knee deep! In the near distance we could see a cairn and ventured towards it.

Dan battling against the thick snow

The snow was almost knee deep!

The cairn in the distance

When we got to the cairn we once again had awesome views of Pen y Fan and Corn Du in the distance. At this point you have an option to go one of two ways to the summit of Fan Frynych: To the left of the cairn is a ridge which we tried to walk, but the snow was far too thick to see the path, so instead we went straight on (with the cairn behind us). 

Cairn

The sun begins to set

The ridge path was impossible to do due to it being so steep and full of thick snow

The route we took to Fan Frynych didn’t appear to have been touched by hikers for a while, which gave us great satisfaction by making footprints in the unspoiled snow. With the path covered in snow we had to rely on memories of previous visits to navigate to the stile that takes you out of the reserve and onto Fan Frynych.

When we eventually reached the stile the snow was coming down thick and fast with the wind blowing a gale - it was the start of a blizzard!

Walking in untouched snow

The stile that leads out of the nature reserve and onto Fan Frynych

The two of us caught in a blizzard

It wasn't long before we could see the trig point of Fan Frynych. The mountain is 629m above sea level and part of the Forest Fawr section of the Beacons. There is usually a well worn path that leads to the trig point, but due to the snow we couldn't see it. So with the summit straight ahead of us and watching where we were walking we headed straight for it.

I filmed the walk to the trig point… it was freezing, windy and visibility was poor -  it wasn't very pleasant but definitely an experience! On top of the blizzard we had to be aware that there were deep pools of water in this area, so each step on the snow was risky.

Where did the path go? The trig point in the distance

Dan in the blizzard to the trig point

When we finally got to the trig point the blizzard was in full force - it was so cold and the wind was very strong. We got our obligatory trig point photos and then, within ten minutes, the blizzard had ended and the sun came out which brought blue sky and amazing 360 degree views. Please watch the video above to see what we experienced on the summit.

The video of the walk to the summit

Me with the trig point

Dan in the Antarctic...errr actually Mid Wales :)

The Awesome Welsh Dragon trig point of Fan Frynych

We spent a good few minutes up on the summit and as we were loosing light fast it was time to make our way back down the mountain. The footprints we had left whilst walking to the summit were now completely covered over due to the recent snowfall, but eventually we got back to the icy path and then found the stile to get back into the nature reserve.

Going down was both fun and scary. When we have climbed this mountain previously the path up is rocky, sometimes steep and very close to the edge - now it was completely covered with snow. We just had to go for it and spent most of the incline sliding, falling and just hoping for pot luck!  We did however have a lot of fun too... snowball fights, snowmen building and endless falls...the snow in the Beacons was awesome!

Snowman!

Snowball fight anyone?

The sun started setting whilst we descended creating a beautiful pink and purple sky, it was also joined by a full moon. 

We always have a fantastic time when we visit the quieter side of the Beacons and it was extra special in the snow. I would certainly recommend this area if you are fed up with the large numbers of people on Pen y Fan - the walk is challenging but you are rewarded with magnificent views of the National Park…and solitude. 

The sun sets with the moon

Red Kite Feeding Centre & Usk Reservoir - 3/3/2014

For years I have wanted to visit the Red Kite Feeding Station in Llanddeusant, situated within the Black Mountain in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It was the start of my week off so we thought, why not?

It's almost an hours drive from Swansea and arguably the most scenic route to take is through Pontardawe, then Brynamman and over the breathtaking Black Mountains. As we drove through the mountains we saw a few red kites hovering above us, we pulled over into a safe lay-by and tried to get a pic. Unfortunately they were too high to get a decent pic but we knew within minutes we would see a sight we would never forget.

We got to the Station around 1.30pm and parked in the car park next to a building called 'The Red Kite' which was a cafe and gift shop (unfortunately it wasn't open when we were there and I wonder if it is permanently closed or just for the winter?).

A sign pointing where to go...

The hides are situated 250m down the road on the right hand side, passing the Caravan Park on the left. As we made our way to the hides we could see red kites already hovering above us and, because it was a beautiful clear day, you could see their magnificent colours reflected in the sunlight. There were 3 hides - the middle one was an indoor one with seating, the left and right ones were outside ones without seats - and we opted for the left one, as we didn't mind standing and the view seemed better.

A number of red kites were already circling above.

The gate you enter to go to the hides.

Feeding time was 2pm (it's 3pm in BST) and we could already see at least 20 red kites hovering above and perching in faraway trees - they obviously knew what was coming up and couldn't wait for their treat. As we waited in the hide it began to fill up and just before 2pm both the left and inside hides were totally full. We were relieved to have gotten there early and obtained a good spot. As we were waiting the owner came in to collect our money, which was a very reasonable fee of £3 per adult, £2.50 OAP & £1.50 child.

The red kites wait patiently in the nearby trees.

Just after 2pm he appeared again on the field in front of us with a large bucket full of meat and started throwing the contents (20lbs in total!) on the ground. Within minutes the red kites were diving down, even when he was still throwing the meat. We couldn't believe it - it started with one or two kites, then a few more - before we knew it that were over 30 red kites swooping down and collecting their prize.

Feeding the red kites.

It was amazing to see their agility and viewing them so close was just fantastic - they are definitely one of Wales' best looking birds. Check out the video below to see them getting fed...

 

It was tricky getting photos of the ones swooping down but there was one cheeky kite that stayed grounded throughout the feed, giving us great photo opportunities...

So lucky he stayed grounded, you can really see the fantastic markings :)

Within 20 minutes most of the food  had disappeared and when the red kites appeared to have gone other birds came down to enjoy the leftovers: magpies, crows, even a chaffinch.

A carrion crow gets in on the action...

The owner came back into the hides to give us all leaflets and to tell us there were videos online and to check them out on Facebook. There were only about seven people left now and he said if we all stood at the back of the inside hide the red kites would come back thinking the 'humans' had gone. So that's what we all did, within minutes they were back, swooping down for any last remnants of the meat - I actually got some decent pics from the hide...

Red kites in flight

A red kite flies away with it's meaty treat

Mesmerized by the kites, I noticed a bird perched on a fence and realised it wasn't a red kite. I zoomed in on the camera and realised it was another bird of prey - I was pretty sure it was a buzzard but wasn't 100% sure. So that evening I sent the pic to the respected wildlife photographer Simon King on Twitter and in the morning he replied with this tweet:

@sandraevans Hi Sandra. 100% correct, buzzard (Buteo buteo) it is! Pale phase.
— Simon King (@TVsSimonKing) March 5, 2014

Here is the photo of the buzzard I tweeted to Simon King - such a beautiful bird.

Once the red kites started to fly away we knew it was time to go. We walked back up the road and as we looked up there were still many kites circling around. We got back to the Red Kite building and realised that across the road there was a stunning view of the Black Mountain. As we started taking photos of the landscape the red kites were once again above us and we couldn't resist taking some more pics.

The stunning view of the Black Mountain

The red kites were flying so low you could get some great pics!

After a fantastic experience that I would recommend to every bird lover we headed back to the car. I would definitely do this experience again and knowing that there is a camp site on it's doorstep its the perfect place to go camping in the summer. The only downside was that the cafe/gift shop was closed, it would have been nice to get a memento and maybe a cuppa. Perhaps next time they will be open. Apart from this the day was perfect, after all these birds are wild and there's no guarantee they will come down, so to see so many in one place was mind blowing!

For more information on the Red Kite Feeding Station check out their website here & their Facebook page here - Also for more general information on red kites read this on Wikipedia

5 facts on Red Kites:

1. In the 1930s there were only two breeding pairs of red kites, both in Wales
2. Road-kill plays an  important part of the diet (eg. pheasants, rabbits and squirrels)
3. Red kites usually breed for the first time at 2 or 3 years old and they usually pair for life
4. When the hatchlings are young the female can signal for them to play dead when a predator is near
5. They live in a wide range of habitats from woodlands and valleys to wetland edges and rough pastures

 Usk Reservoir & Mynydd Myddfai Walk

Once back in the car we decided to go to Usk Reservoir as it wasn't far away. Usk Reservoir is situated in the Brecon Beacons National park and took five years to build - it was opened by HM Queen Elizabeth and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on 6 August 1955.

We parked in the car park near the dam, which had space for many cars. The time was getting on so we didn't walk all the way around the reservoir (which is a 5 miles circular route), but instead crossed the dam and took a forest path up to the Mynydd Myddfai trig point. The views were spectacular and you could even see Pen Y Fan and Carreg Cennen Castle - a really pleasant walk that was about 6 miles. Here are some pics from the walk...

This is the view from the car park - Usk Reservoir is massive!

The dam we crossed that seemed never ending!

The view from the other side of the reservoir

The start of the woodland walk.

A beautiful chaffinch greeted us with his song

The road was quite easy to navigate and the climb was gradual

My first frog spawn sighting of 2014!

As we climbed up to Mynydd Myddfai we had good views of Fan Brycheiniog, Fan Hir and Fan Foel...

 

...also views of a snowy Pen y Fan & Corn Du in the distance

On the way we found a lucky horseshoe, which we took home with us...still haven't won lottery yet though!

At last we reached the trig point...

...just as the sun was setting

Fantastic views from Mynydd Myddfai trig point

The sky resembled an artist's canvas

We headed back the way we came and just missed the sunset on the reservoir - it was still beautiful though.

Usk Reservoir is definitely worth a visit :)

For more information on the Usk Reservoir visit the Brecon Beacons National Park website here