Snowy Black Mountains

[stevesey]

A snowy wander around the SE Back Mountains with the Bristol HF Walking group. Starting at Llanthony we made our way up onto the Offas Dyke path and then headed south to Hatterrall Hill then back along the other side of the valley.

track.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

The overnight snow and blue skies made this a very pleasant walk - especially as the top is often quite boggy - although you needed to be careful about walking on the "flat" snow as you could hear the ice cracking underneath.

The mud could not be avoided once down in the farm yard at Darren - a heavily churned up track with 4in deep liquid mud added some unexpected low-level excitement.

Due to a couple of slower walkers, the leader tried to shorten the route a bit - resulting in coming across a locked pedestrian gate on what the OS has as a public right of way (where the path should meet another behind just before the farm house at Noyaddllwyd). I spotted that the path went behind the farmhouse and looking around found a padlocked gate blocking our route, This stopped most of us wandering into the courtyard. The walk leader had already gone ahead which roused a couple of barking dogs and then the owner - luckily a reasonably friendly conversation followed (perhaps aided by the fact that the rest of us had stopped at the gate) and we were allowed through the gate (with several of us avoiding questioning the obstruction of a public right of way, out loud at least).

Photos here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/106459429880001195754/albums/6106130563924497937

And viewranger track: http://my.viewranger.com/track/details/MTM1MjQ4Ng==

[AJNicholls]

I finished up my set of Black Mountains late last year but they're the closest 2000ft peaks to me so I'm bound to return. I spent a night on the top of Pen Cerrig-Calch back in 2013, my first bivvy.

May try to catch up with your Bristol group that you mention since I'm now based here too.

Good pictures, thanks for sharing.

[stevesey]

HF were a friendly bunch to walk with - some strong walkers - some slower I'll certainly go with them again at some point. Also looking at the Brunel over 40's group as well (might try their trip to Sugar loaf in Feb).

One of the stronger HF guys mentioned the Abergaveny 3 peaks - http://threepeakstrial.co.uk/ - 28th March (20miles, 1600m). I've put the date in the diary and mailed a friend - might to the meeting up forum, others here who are local (ish) might be interested (Ibex perhaps).

[AJNicholls]

Ibex and me were thinking of the Cadair Idris group on 8th Feb. Join us if you like.

[stevesey]

Thanks for invite - looks like SWMBO beat me to that date.

[AJNicholls]

Poor man, good luck with SWMBO!