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The weather on the beacons is very unpredictable. Even in the height of summer, 4 seasons in a day is almost par for the course!!
Check the forecasts in advance and watch out for high winds, particularly if your yomping over Pen y Fan, as its not been unknown for lads to get blown clean off the top. Its very exposed.
Take decent safety gear (including a radio/mobile), plenty of warm kit and waterproofs. Even if your only going for a few hours, pack for a night in the field as you never know.
Lastly, enjoy it. Its a beautiful place..................and watch out for lads with huge bergans on there backs running about. There should be a few milling around at this time of year :wink:
Keep your feet warm and dry, take a bag of lemon sherberts (a real pick me up) and snickers bars.
Configure your mobile to send a text message as soon as it gets a signal, so that if you are down a gully with no signal and a problem occurs, as soon as you get a signal the text goes and help arrives.
Put groups of kit in drawstring bags, (wash kit in one, food in another etc) it makes it easier if you have to set up camp quickly or leave quickly it's easier to find and re-stow gear.
Make sure that all your gear is secure, there is nothing worse than something going 'Ting' ever other step :evil:
1. Keep your kit dry.
2. Never ever ever use an anti blister lubricant on your feet, despite advice on the walking about link posted above!
3. Check the weather: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/loutdoor/mountainsafety/brecon.html
4. Heed Spenny's advice, Pen Y Fan is lethal in high winds- which are forecast for Monday/ Tuesday- Do not walk on the well worn path along its edge- take a couple of paces in, it may be boggy but it's much safer. The path is well worn by tourists in the Summer months!
5. Be aware visibility will probably be poor early next week so good navigation skills are essential unless you want to walk 30K on day 1 instead of the 18k I expect you need to walk.
6. Are you sure it's the Brecon Beacons or could it be the Black Mountain Region it certainly used to be?
7. Enjoy it and don't take risks, know your escape routes, there are plenty. Remember if you twist your knee or ankle you are going to have to return and do it all over again! Keep an eye on each other, it's a team event not a competition, shall I stress that some more think TEAM.
Find out where you are going in the Beacons and PM me mate. Have a bit of experience of the area. Lovely place. As spenny said though, watch out for blokes with old FN's and orange air identification panels on top of their creaking bergens
There is a cracking chippy in the town centre near the church on the town square.The weather as already stated is very changable to say the least.The best palce to get up Pen-y-fan is from Storey Arms as it is the most direct route and its well used,great views from the top just dont get to far east otherwise you will get blown off .Enjoy!
Many thanks for all your replies, just got back after 2 days on the brecons. It was awesome, covered a lot of km's got the blisters and bruises to prove it!
we walked the route around talybont reservoir and up and down a few mountains! on the second day we went upto the air memorial and along the top of the mountain next to the memorial, experienced some horrific hailstones, strong winds but have lived to tell the stroy.
Next we have Earlstoke so if you have any tips for that please pm me