Destress Beacons 1: Pen y Fan sunrise

[litljortindan]

Had a pleasant morning on Pen y Fan.
Was down in Cardiff for a couple of days at a conference (no, not that one) so thought I'd see if I could fit in a bit of walking too. I had been up Pen y Fan in 2007 with my wife and ran down to catch the end of the Champions' League final that year. On that occasion we'd taken the longer of the two western routes to the top. This time I opted for the more southerly and direct route up.
Set off from Cardiff at 3am and reached the Pen y Fan car park at 4.20am in plenty of time for the 6.30am sunrise. Sounds like a long journey but it is only 38 miles and it felt like an easy drive along the fairly direct A470.
In the dark I missed the correct start but soon realised that I couldn't possibly be on the right route. No matter, after a bit more hunting about I found the substantial and well constructed path.
After an hour of steady plodding I was up at the beallach beneath Corn Du and another twenty minutes saw me on the summit, having bypassed Corn Du. I'd planned to go east beyond the summit to get some pictures of the steep north east facing summit slopes and I estimated that I had about half an hour to spare for this before returning to the summit for sunrise.
First though there was quite a spectacle to admire in seeing the reddened moon sink beneath the western horizon. I then wandered about on the summit until there was enough light for photographs and then descended eastwards for quarter of an hour.
I got back to the summit just a few minutes before the sunrise proper and had an enjoyable half hour ambling about in the changing light. Stopped off at Corn Du on the way back down and then had a nice easy and shaded return to the car at 8.30am. I even managed to arrive in time for conference registration at 10am.

moonset, if there is such a word

at the summit, waiting for the sunrise



looking east to Cribyn

looking north from Pen y Fan summit

looking across the north east facing steep slope of Pen y Fan from east of the summit

Cribyn getting a bit brighter

the sun makes an appearance at last



looking north form below the summit

mist following the sun upwards in the sky







back on the summit again

looking south east from the summit

watching the sunrise



so green in the morning light



the sheep already busy

looking west to Corn Du

sheep pretty much everywhere



looking back east to Pen y Fan from Corn Du





more sheep no doubt wondering why I am on their hill



near the bottom



Long version of video:

[Gordie12]

That looked brilliant. I had planned to do something similar this year but have never got round to it - seeing your photos I wish I had.

[litljortindan]

That looked brilliant. I had planned to do something similar this year but have never got round to it - seeing your photos I wish I had.

Quite a few hills in the area and impressive landscape. Once the weather forecast looked favourable and I'd managed to identify two hills for the two days it made sense to try. Always easier on paper I suppose but all went reasonably smoothly though lack of sleep told during conference I was at.

[Gordie12]

And to think I lived in Caerphilly for 3 years and never climbed a single hill in Wales. Truth be told, I never even noticed them as all my walking was done on a golf course at the time.

[litljortindan]

And to think I lived in Caerphilly for 3 years and never climbed a single hill in Wales. Truth be told, I never even noticed them as all my walking was done on a golf course at the time.

Never mind, the hills will be there for a long time yet.