Beacon n Eggs !

Mark, one of my two older brothers lives just North of Cardiff, South Wales, in a lovely little village. At short notice I'd arranged a visit and on early Saturday morning found myself struggling to get myself on the road early to beat the traffic. Luckily Mark texted me late the night before saying a good hearty breakfast awaited my arrival. So it was with this thought that I managed to summon enough...just enough energy to go...
Bleak aspect to the relentless climb to Corn Du...the picture doesn't do the cold wind any justice!

My efforts were well rewarded by a swift effortless drive and a timely arrival! Breakfast was every bit as good as I'd hoped, bacon, eggs, beans n toast. Just the kind of stuff to base a good day out on. Not far North of Cardiff is the Brecon Beacons National Park. This was on Marks suggestion where we drove, with the idea to walk to the highest peak in Southern Britain, Pen Y Fan. What a great way to spend a day!
Final frenzy to the summit of Corn Du with a hint of the mist to come on Pen Y Fan to the right..

I haven't walked in this range before and hadn't realised how accessible the almost twin peaks of Corn Du and Pen Y Fan are to the A470 road. We started close to the Storey Arms, just South of a small wood, along with many other walkers. Despite the clear blue sky and wall to wall sunshine, the most noticeable thing was the icy Easterly wind, which was blowing relentlessly into our faces. Bracing against this and pushing hard up a fair slope brought us sight of Corn Du. From here summit fever took hold and we soon found ourselves glorying in the achievement and celebrating by taking lots of pics of each other and getting very cold hands.
Mark, racing ahead for a closer inspection of Fan Y Big!

Pen Y Fan is barely more than a good stones throw away from Corn Du and our next peak. Up till now the sky was cloudless. Then almost as though to make things more interesting, a cold mist descended and Pen Y Fan hid...not to re-appear all day. Moody mountain! Once on the top, we did get fleeting glimpses of its North escarpment face, plunging vertically at first, in shadow and all frosty and foreboding. Exposed and cold we descended a little and found a spot out of the wind for a snack and time to decide our next move.
Looking back across to Cribyn, the North face all cold and still frosty.

Looking East, the next peak, Cribyn looked temptingly close and beyond the interestingly named Fan Y Big was definitely worth a visit. Maybe my map reading is a little rusty and perhaps my legs not quite as well used to hills recently. But the steep grassy descents and climbs between these summits really made for a testing time. Nonetheless enjoyable and the views worthwhile. Mark did really well. I'm far more accustomed to slogging up and down hills, yet he kept on going...showing more than just physical strength, as the last climb was hard.
Delightful Wild Welsh ponies, seemingly oblivious to the cold and poor grazing.

With the Winter sun lowering and shadows lengthening, the constant cold was now feeling all the keener. We retraced our steps and now made our way back. We timed our return to the car park exactly to make our rendezvous precisely for a drive back home with that glow that comes as circulation returns. Made all the easier by that dozy feeling and anticipation of a big pan of curry on the stove and steaming piles of rice!

Kauto Star..??

Boxing Day and a chance to ride. Beautiful cool clear weather and I had a plan for something a little different. I spent yesterday like many other people, eating and drinking and watching far too much tv! I really seem to have lost the knack of eating three Christmas dinners though. Anyway sunshine and blue sky soon had me up and about today.
Not quite Kauto Star...Heather today happy to be going out.

I've not kept up to date with Heather's progress here recently, I'll try and fill in some gaps soon. But essentially, she's living out, un-stabled 24/7. This has both advantages and drawbacks, but I'm keen to try and adapt to anything thrown my way. Over the holidays many of the other school horses have been turned out as well, and I half expected some trouble in the field today. Last Winter it was when all the "hooligans" were out that Heather got kicked. Fortunately I found her safe, stood in the deepest mud where the others probably wouldn't go. Not doing much to help her Mud Fever, but that's another story!
Down the lane from the yard as on so many other days...but never with such a shadow!

Soon brushed off the worst of the mud and tacked up. The wind, well breeze had picked up from the East and I was surprised how cold it was, despite the sun. I almost changed my original plan and decided to stay safe in the back outdoor school. There have been a couple of accidents out and about with riders falling and I was all too aware that there'd be plenty of walkers cyclists and loose dogs around...plus I had little light road work in mind.hence my hi-viz tabard.
87 South Drive....the house where I grew up and never in my most imaginative thoughts, dreamt I'd ride here on horseback!

So off down the lane with the sun on our backs. Quickly over the green bridge to the other side of the river. I wanted to hack over to Chorltonville and ride past the house where I grew up and where I re-settled until recently. Most people I grew up with or knew there have moved away, but I really secretly hoped to surprise an old friend...no one there would know me on horseback!
Lovely hacking through Chorlton Ees and somehow managing to find the place to ourselves.

Heather behaved impeccably all the way. We even managed to dodge a big ride from another yard..some ten or more horses heading for a pub. We didn't trample any children or kick any dogs and she stopped and waited and moved on when asked...very good horse. We went past the old house and continued down memory lane and though I was concentrating on riding I was feeling quite proud. We didn't see any familiar faces but I was pleased to be heading back to the yard without any problems...we were quite a distance away.
Urban contrast! Heather judging the graffiti under the M60 motorway..

On the way back we headed through Chorlton Ees. I really love riding through the woods there and as we were homeward bound, Heather had that extra spring in her step. Strangely enough she had her only spook of the day here....at a little girls pink bike! Blowing and snorting. It was at this point that one of the many friendly walkers we passed today commented on Heather's resemblance to a famous race horse, Kauto Star! After another such comment later on I decided to find out more...Yes at a quick glance and it seems her race double did quite well today...so that's two happy horses. As we returned to the yard, I turned round to see who was trotting so quickly behind us. A riderless horse with stirrups banging and reins flapping...rider was later found safe!