Brecon Beacon - Waterfalls, Mountain and Gower - Coastal walk

Brecon Beacon & the Gowers- Saturday 9th to Sunday 10th July 2022

July will be the good time to experience the powerful waterfalls and mountains in the South Wales Brecon Beacon.  On Saturday there will be 2 large waterfalls during the 6 miles trail and the most exciting part of the walk comes when we walk behind the the waterfall at Sgwd yr Eira.  After a short break we will drive a short distance to walk to the top of Pen-y-Fan, Brecon Beacon’s highest and most famous classic mountain at 886 metres.  This is by far the easiest UK mountain to summit.  That evening we will have dinner at a pub/restaurant in the historical town of Brecon.

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We will also walk in the the Gowers  "Jewel in the Crown" it is indeed very special and known to be the finest Areas of Outstanding Natural beauty.  We will be walking through 12 miles of surfing bays, nature reserves, dramatic cliffs and wonderful golden beaches along the coastal paths of Gower Peninsula.  

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On Sunday morning during low tide we will cross over the highly distinctive profile of Worm’s Head, land that is normally cut off from the mainland.  The profile image is of my group crossing over Devil's bridge and walking to the very end of the Worm's Head.  At Rhosilli we will continue along the finest stretches of limestone coastline with dramatic cliffs and superb views.  Rhosilli was voted the best beach in Wales and 3rd within the UK. 

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Transportation:  I will sort out all of the transportation logistics for the whole group.  Organise the departure point, exchange drivers and members contact details in advance and ensure the drivers get to every location during the event on time.  All my volunteer drivers are experienced and confident drivers. The hired mini bus is very comfortable with lots of space and will have a good group atmosphere.  

Accommodation:  We will be staying at a Premier Inn hotel for Saturday night with 2 sharing with en-suite bathrooms. Room allocation will be based on gender or your own room if you attend with a friend.  Able to provide your own room with an affordable single supplement.  Many other groups would book a youth hostel with 4-6 sharing a dormitory with bunk beds which can be noisy and over crowded.  

PROPOSE SCHEDULE 

The below schedule is tight to maximise our time in the Brecon Beacon & Gowers.  The schedule is subject to change due to weather and the group’s priority. 

Saturday 9th July 2022

08:00 - 11:15      Driving from Hatton Cross to Pontneddfechan (start of the Brecon Beacon waterfall walk)

11:30 - 14:30      Waterfall walk with 2 waterfalls

14:45 - 15:30      Break at a cafe

15:30 - 16:15      Drive toward Brecon for the mountain walk

16:30 - 19:15      Walk up Pen-y-Fan (highest mountain in South Wales 886m

19:15 - 19:45      Drive to Premier Inn hotel     

20:00 - 21:30      Dinner at a restaurant next door to our Premier Inn hotel

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Sunday 10th July 2022

07:00 - 08:00     Breakfast at Premier Inn restaurant

08:15 - 09:15     Drive to Rhossili for our coastal walk

09:25 - 15:30     Walk across Worms Head + Rhossilli Bay coastal walk (12 miles) 

15:30 - 16:15     Snacks at the various cafe restuarants at the bay    

16:15 - 19:45     Drive back to Hatton Cross

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Meals:  I reserve good restaurants in advance to give members a choice of cuisine and budget. Most other groups that stay at hostels will be catering at the hostel. Hostel food is ok but there are many good restaurants in South Wales, it would be a shame not to experience.  I will send members details of the restaurants selected and ask members to choose.  Meals are not included in the cost as we are not staying at a hostel and I want the group to experience regional food. 

KIT LIST

Essentials: 

Good waterproof jacket & hiking boots with good grip are essential- don’t forget to bring good quality hiking socks 

Waterproof trousers are also essential as it can get very cold. 

1 change of clothing. A few warm items for our early morning starts: base layer, warm fleece, gloves, beanie

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Other items: 

Wash kit. towels will be provided at the hotel.  A daypack to hold your day kit (water, snacks, jacket)

A hiking pole will be useful but not essential

Trainers to wear in the cars/minibus 

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Fitness:  This Brecon Beacon/Gower event is suitable for members of an average fitness level.  The waterfall walk is relatively flat and the mountain walk has a very comfortable & consistent ascending and descending gradient. For example, you are able to a walk minimum 2.5 miles per hour for at least 2 hours without a break You should be able to walk on a varied terrain for 10-12 miles within 5 hours.  There will be many breaks to enjoy the scenery, take photos and to rest.

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Flexibility: My approach and itinerary is flexible.  If very bad weather is forecasted, I am happy to change the itinerary.  We will select the best weather day for the mountain day.  Weather can we localised in the Brecon Beacon so willing to drive to a different part of the region for a dry walk. 

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Securing a place: My events are normally over subscribed.  You can reserve your place on any event, months in advance with a £50 deposit.  I understand that member’s work, family & personal situation can change therefore do not require the balance until 10 days prior to the start of each event.  If you can no longer attend before transferring the balance, deposits can be transferred to any other event within the year's programme.