In the Brecon Beacons NP, Wales

---

---

IN ENGLISH

London to Merthyr Tydfil, Wales: 179 miles each way - 23 - 26 August 2013

Three days off over the August Bank Holiday weekend, we arranged to go to the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales famous for its country side roads, valleys and walking treks.

We left London after work on Friday at about 5pm and stopped over en route in Chipping Sodbury (close to Bristol) where we arrived at 8pm. John had booked a night at the Cross Hands. The story goes that in the 70s Her Majesty the Queen took refuge here from a bad snowstorm.

Saturday we left mid morning and arrived at Merthyr Tydfil early afternoon. Our room reservation was for two nights at the Tregenna Hotel. Our stay was very basic, facilities are not great in the hotel and we had a bad experience in the restaurant for diner. Not a place I would recommend to anyone. Having said that the hotel is conveniently located close to the Brecon Beacon park boundaries, but nonetheless accommodation inside the national park would have been better.

Sunday we set off in the morning to the east of the national park to the ruins of Castle Dinas via the town of Talgarth . We left the bike on the parking of Castle Dinas Inn (£1 per day donated to charity) and hiked up to the ruins. At the top, we enjoyed the panoramic view of the Black Mountains range. The Norman-era castle is almost completely destroyed, and only a few rocks remain.
From there we then rode to Llangorse Lake , the largest natural lake in South Wales, where we spent a few hours relaxing.
On the ride back to our hotel, we made a detour to Abercraft in the west via secondary roads A40 and A4067. Diner was spent at the Abercrave Inn : a very good meal highly recommended.

Monday morning, our final day in the Brecon Beacons NP, we checked out early and rode to the National Trust car park located shortly after the Beacons Reservoir on the A470, the starting point of a very popular walking trek to the highest hill (watch the 2 videos on the link): Pen y Fan , 886 metres, the highest point in southern Britain. It was sunny and very pleasant, until we reached the very top and the weather closed in, what is called as ''hill fog''. We were sudenly in the fog, poor visibility, windy and cold. Fortunately we were prepared for the eventuality and had brought warmer cloths. This demonstrates how quick and unpredictable weather conditions can be in altitude.

We stayed a short time at the top and eventually made our way back. As we walked back down, the weather got better again, and more and more people were walking up. It is worth starting the climb early to avoid the crowds! At the bottom we bough a hot dog for lunch from the van in the car park, then changed again to our motorcycling gear and rode back home. We arrived around 7pm. A very good escape to Wales 😱

EN FRANCAIS

De Londres a Merthyr Tydfil, Pays de Gales: 188 km aller simple - 23 au 26 aout 2013

En ce long weekend de trois jours de la fin aout, nous avons organise d'aller au Parc National du Brecon Beacons au sud du Pays de Gales, repute pour ses petites routes, vallees et chemins de randonnees.

Nous sommes partis de Londres le vendredi soir apres le travail et fait un arret en route a Chipping Sodbury (pres de Bristol) ou nous sommes arrives vers 20h. John avait reserve une nuit au Cross Hands. L'histoire raconte que dans les annees 70 Sa Majeste la Reine a pris refuge a cet endroit lors d'une tempete de neige.

Partis mie matinee samedi, nous sommes arrives a Merthyr Tydfil au debut de l'apres-midi. Chambre reservee pour deux nuits au Tregenna Hotel. Notre sejour fut tres rudimentaire, l'hotel n'est pas terrible. Je ne conseille pas! 😞 Cela dit, l'hotel est bien situe tres proche du parc national.

Dimanche, partis du matin vers l'est du parc national avec comme premiere destination les ruines du Chateau Dinas. Nous avons garre la moto sur le parking du pub Castle Dinas Inn (cout de 1£ reverse a une oeuvre carritative) et grimpe jusqu'aux ruines. Au sommet, vue panoramique sur la chaine des ''Montagnes Noires''. Le 'chateau' de l'epoque Norman est pratiquement detruit, et il ne reste que quelques blocs de pierre etouffes par la vegetation. Quelques photos plus tard, nous redescendions.
Nous sommes ensuite alles au Lac Llangorse, le plus grand lac naturel du sud du Pays de Galles, ou nous avons passes quelques heures a se relaxer.
Au retour a l'hotel, nous avons fait un detour par Abercraft a l'ouest du parc national par les routes secondaires. Diner au pub Abercrave Inn: tres bon repas vivement conseille.

Lundi matin, notre dernier jour dans le Brecon Beacons, fut consacre a une marche (voir les deux videos) au plus haut sommet du parc national: Le Pen y Fan , a 886 metres d'altitude (faire defile les photos). Au depart de la marche il faisait beau, tres agreable, jusqu'a ce que nous arrivions proche du sommet et la meteo a tourne d'un seul coup. On s'est retrouve dans le brouillard, maigre visibilite, venteux et froid. Heureusement nous etions prepares a l'eventualite et avions pris des polaires et k-way. Ceci prouve comme le temps change tres vite en altitude !

Nous sommes ainsi restes un petit moment au sommet. En redescendant, le temps s'est ameliore de nouveau, et nous rencontrons

We stayed a short time at the top and eventually made our way back. As we walked back down, the weather got better again, and more and more people were walking up. It is worth starting the climb early to avoid the crowds! At the bottom we bough a hot dog for lunch from the van in the car park, then changed again to our motorcycling gear and rode back home. We arrived around 7pm. A very good escape to Wales 😱[

---