A Weekend In Hay On Wye

Last weekend we were visiting a friend in Hay on Wye. John still works for Unipart & another colleague who left about 10years ago Andy joined us. We arrived just after lunchtime and as we were not expected until later filled a couple of hours with a walk along the river Wye (this also had the benefit of tiring the dogs for some peace later). We wandered through an area called The Warren. An Acer tree The walk was flat & a good surface firstly in some woods & then out into this big open space. We latterly discovered it is a route of a disused railway.

Then back into the trees, Crag watching some ducks below.

The next day we set off for some higher fells on the Brecon Beacons, we cheated a bit by parking beyond Talybont Reservoir at just over 400m. A waterfall on Nant Bwrefwr.

The weather was forecast to be better than it was & we were only just below the cloud line as we started to climb.

Footpath repairs are imminent here as the stones have already been delivered.

Our first break as we meet the main ridge to the Beacons. (Karen, Andy & Andy)

Karen, Andy & John

We now had a relatively flat surface to walk along the tops

Pen y Fan in the distance with the ridge lines of Cribyn & Fan y Big (nearest)

The mist lifted a little & you could see Brecon in the valley

Looking down Cwm Cwareli

As the views weren't there today we decided to drop back down to a track that would complete a circular walk back to the cars. The sun is trying to come out now - typical.

Crag removing stones from a stream

Looking down on Upper Neuadd Reservoir

And back up Pen y Fan still in the mist but Cribyn is clear

As we descend further Pentwyn Reservoir

Beautiful autumnal colours in the trees

A short road walk back to the car that is Craig y Fan Ddu which we climbed earlier

Just before the car some more waterfalls.

John lives in a beautiful old house that has been in the family for some generations & fell into disrepair some years ago & he has painstakingly renovated it back. This is the back.

And the large tiered garden

The Buddha looks over

And from the front, his house runs from the bay window on the left to the end of the garage, John's brother Robert lives in the house to the left. The next day we set off for a lower level walk at Bredwardine, John's words "this is a flat walk" !!!!

The bridge spanning the river Wye built in the mid 1700's.

The dogs head for the river

It had rained very heavily as we drove over from Hay & we were all kitted up in our waterproofs which thankfully we didn't need again.

The sun glistening in the river

St Andrews church is the burial place for the diarist Francis Kilvert

The south doorway & much of the nave date back to the time of the conquest

Three llamas posing for us in the sunshine

At the furthest point of this circular walk we reached Arthur's Stone which are the remains of a Neolithic burial chamber dating back over 5,000 years

After lunch we set off down a very steep field back into Bredwardine, remember John said it was flat!!

Saturday night was our last evening & like the previous two nights John made a delicious three course meal for us all.

The weekend has been a long time in the waiting, we started planning when we could all get together back in June! But it was worth the wait, great to all catch up again & do some walking together.

Finally we have to say a Great Big Thanks again to John for being an excellent host, feeding us so well (the diet has already started) & accomodating us & both dogs in his house, we look forward to seeing John & Andy again soon.