The trip I soooo wanted to do in 2016 was in October to Jordan. Unfortunately, for very valid reasons, it got axed, which got me thinking of where next? I got to looking for last minute availability and through Meetup, came across Som and his Adventureologists group. A mid-October weekend  set in the idyllic mountain of the Brecon Beacons, sounded very appealing! The hike was approx. 36km over 2 days. Now I wouldn’t say I am fit to climb Kilimanjaro, but I’m not hopelessly unfit either. Merrily I signed up to join a group of 15 odd strangers for a weekend in the welsh countryside.

So I set off after work on Friday evening, picking up Rita, who I’d never met before, from Barons court station in London. The 3.5 hours to get to the converted farmhouse which was to be our “base camp” for the 2 nights in the beacons was tedious on the M4, till we got to Wales, when the winding roads, signs for villages with unpronounceable names (if not from Wales) got exciting and scenic. I’d downloaded a new set of classic tunes for this trip; 70’s and 80’s rock classics, The Eagles, Journey, Floyd, the Boss etc. etc.

Rita, it turned out was preparing for a climb on Aconcagua, in Argentina and the Beacons were one of her “test run”! We arrived late in the evening and joined the rest of the group for a drink in the farmhouse restaurant. Tasting some nice local brews the group bonded well and by the time we got to bed, everyone was relaxed and eager to get on the hike.

Day 1:

Fun and not difficult if you are like Rita and training for a serious mountain challenge.

Tough and at times excruciating if like me, sweating in a hot yoga studio is all the cardio you’re doing!

The hike began around 9am and we walked through some of the most stunning landscapes. Winding mountain trails, sheep grazing, gorgeous river scapes, we hiked up Pen y Fan, then on to Fan y Big and then on to another mountain, by which time I was ready to get an Uber Helicopter back home! Dinner that evening was a 10 min drive from the “base camp”. A fun traditional restaurant with an extensive wine list!

Day 2:

We set out again around 9am. The forecast was rain all day, but as luck would have it the gloomy clouds cleared and we had sunshine and bright blue skies! Much easier day overall, as we hiked through forest trails and waterfalls. The constant presence of water creates a humid and wet atmosphere and the trail we took was off the beaten path and seemed untouched. We came across tall oak and ash trees that had been felled by heavy rains the week before. As we climbed over the huge fallen trees, a deep ravine on one side, slipping on the wet moss, I felt transported to “middle earth”  as the Welsh rainforest has a very Tolkienesque feel to it.

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The weekend ended with a group of strangers forming a strong bond in a matter of 48 hours. Wales is welcoming, beautiful, pristine and truly only a handful of places like this exist anywhere in the world.

My travel tip: pack a good pair of worn in hiking boots. The climb up is easier than the steep walk down! Layers are a great idea always, and some emergency rainwear as showers can be upon you with no warning!