Twmpa, Capel y Ffin, Offa's Dyke Path & Hay Bluff

A horrible weather day with heavy showers and very strong winds on top - this meant that we were not going to hang around on this hike!

We started at Gospel Pass then headed up on to Twmpa (Lord Herefords Knob), before heading down to Capel y Ffin past the Monastery ruins before a sharp climb up on to Offa's Dyke Path and lastly onto Hay Bluff.

The hike was 17.2km long with a total ascent of 849m which took us just over 4hrs.

Stats courtesy of GPS

Twmpa

Balancing rock and dark skies

Old monastery door

St Mary's Chapel Capel y Ffin

Looking down the Vale of Ewyas

Straightening up the marker stone on Offa's Dyke

Panorama

Offa's Dyke Path

Hay Bluff

Grwyne Fawr Reservoir, Waun Fach & Pen y Gadair Fawr

The last hike of the Easter Weekend saw us walk past Grwyne Fawr Reservoir before climbing Waun Fach and Pen y Gadair Fawr. The hike was 15.2km long with a total ascent of 652m which took us 3hrs 42mins.

Stats courtesy of GPS

Gwryne Fawr Reservoir

Gwryne Fawr Reservoir

Waun Fach

Waun Fach

Looking back from Waun Fach

Pen y Gadair Fawr

Pen y Gadair Fawr

Ancient Church & a Whipping Tree

A shortish walk today to a 13th Century Church, St Ellyw Church in Llanelieu. Just by the church there is an ancient Yew tree which according to local legend miscreant's hands would be placed in two holes within the tree and held there by an iron bar. Unable to move, the captives would then be whipped or left stranded overnight as punishment for their crimes which included sheep stealing.

In total we walked 10km with an ascent of 406m which took us 2hrs 29mins.

Stats courtesy of GPS

Moody mountains!

St Ellyw Church

Whipping tree

Barn ruins

Stream through Talgarth

Talybont Reservoir?

The book called todays hike Talybont Reservoir, but it really was Twyn Du, Carn Pica, Waun Rydd, Craig Y Fan Ddu then Talybont Reservoir! To add to that we had a little surprise at the 15km point when we arrived at a sign saying Taff Trail closed follow diversion! Believe us that is the last thing you want to see towards the end of an 18km hike! BTW the diversion added an extra 0.6km :-(

In total we hiked 18.6km with a total ascent of 777m which took us 4hrs 51mins.

Stats courtesy of GPS

Looking back towards the reservoir

Carn Pica ahead

The climb up Carn Pica

Looking back down from Carn Pica

Carn Pica

Waun Rydd with Pen y Fan and Corn Du in the distance

Heading down

Diversion!

Ok opens in December but what year?

Talybont Reservoir

The Cats Back, Black Hill & Hay Bluff

Today we left Wales to climb one of the highest English peaks south of Yorkshire & the Lakes - Black Hill standing at 640m (Kinder Scout 636m). We got there over the impressive Cats Back or Crib yr Garth before heading back into Wales and Hay Bluff. Weather was fantastic with gliders and paragliders in the air!

In total we hiked 15.6km with a total ascent of 834m which took us just over 4hrs.

Stats courtesy of GPS

Eroded path

Bottom of Black Hill and Cats Back

Cats Back

Heading up the Cats Back

Black Hill Trig Point

Black Hill Trig Point

Paraglider

Glider

Looking back at Hay Bluff