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!