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Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales
The bus came a little after eight am and we took it to Storey Arms, and outdoor center, and the trailhead. Before leaving we took a way-point on the GPS. We have a guide and a map, but this is all new to us. It is not a loop trail, so it will require us to take the bus and hike the trail and then to find our way out of the park, across some sheep fields, farms and then back to the campground.
The Brecon Beacons National Park has the lowest profile of Wales's three national parks. Rounded, spongy hills of grass and rock tumble and climb around river valleys that lie between sandstone and limestone uplands, peppered with glasslike lakes and villages that seem to be hewn from one rock. The national park covers 520 square miles in total. Our hike today was almost 11 miles, and was a bit of a stretch for us, but we made it and even found our way back home!!
Pen y Fan is the highest point in southern Britain, 2907 feet and we hiked up, up and up to this point in
about two hours. Oh my was it windy! There was trail work being done and there is a need for lots more work to be done. The trail WAS made of stone but erosion has created a trail of rubble, very difficult to hike up or even worse... trying to scramble down. Missing water bars have made a muddy muck of the trail in places. Now the good news... it was a beautiful and magnificent hike and well worth every effort. The scenery was magnificent and so different. Of course, we share the land with goats and sheep and horses, but that makes it more natural. Hikers along the way are so friendly and stop to make sure we are on the right path.
The total hiking time was almost 6 hours, including breaks and lunch, and this is not a straight trail. It was so good to take off the hiking boots and have a cold drink at... Home sweet home!
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