As I previously mentioned, it's been a busy time of year for me and I hope to make a number of posts in the next week/month/decade.
I've been relandscaping my garden and the light at the end of the tunnel has just started to glow. I should have 'designed' it this way years ago but I got the 'plant collectors' syndrome and spent ridiculous amounts of cash on ridiculous plants that would never do well in our ridiculous climate! Ridiculous really. Anyway, a post to follow soon with before and after photos.
I've also gotten (right word??) back into art after a number of years being a pencil free zone. One particular commission I just completed is worthy of posting here, but I'll wait until its been presented to the new owner as a birthday surprise, just in case they read this blog (which is doubtful!)
Into my busy schedule, I shoehorned a 9 mile walk around the Ystradfellte waterfall circuit last Saturday in proper Welsh drizzle. Photos and report to follow. I wore my new Inov8s - first time I've owned a pair. Comfortable!!
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Bike Theft
Some mugging little Chav B*****ds broke into my in-laws garage on Monay night and relieved me of my mountain bike! It was the only thing they took so I imagine they must have spotted it whilst perusing the area. The ironic thing was that three weeks ago we heard of two other burglaries in the street and I mentioned to my wife...'I hope my bike's safe in their garage!'. 'Yeah, it'll be fine' was her response! :( It wasn't a particularly expensive bike and I didn't use it that often, but that's not the point.
Hopefully the insurance will payout. It seems these burglaries are rife at the moment. The police said they will try and send someone out if they have the resources.! WTF? I know it's just a mountain bike but reactions like this simply suggest to the thieves that they can go ahead and steal whatever they want.
Goodbye dear friend - I hope you collapse and maim the person who currently 'owns' you!
Hopefully the insurance will payout. It seems these burglaries are rife at the moment. The police said they will try and send someone out if they have the resources.! WTF? I know it's just a mountain bike but reactions like this simply suggest to the thieves that they can go ahead and steal whatever they want.
Goodbye dear friend - I hope you collapse and maim the person who currently 'owns' you!
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Galloping Across the Glyders
Well, not galloping as such, more like a sedately paced trudge across the Glyders, but a most enjoyable one at that. Myself and a Kiwi friend from London, Dave, set off from South Wales on Saturday morning with the intention of getting a good afternoon's walking in followed by a nights camp at Beddgelert, returning on Sunday.
We arrived at the Ogwen valley at 10:45 after a good journey and set off up the North Face of Tryfan. It was fairly quiet, as the north ridge goes, and we made good progress, despite the few times we needed to backtrack and search out another route. I hadn't spied the cannon-stone on previous ascents so I made sure we sniffed it out this time for the usual 'tourist shot'.
Conditions were pretty good with excellent visibility making for some good shots.
Adam, Dave and Eve. He wimped out of doing the 'jump'.
A snack at Tryfan's summit (with around 30 others for company - which sounds crowded but if you are a Tryfan regular you'll know it's not too bad at all) before we descended to Bwlch Tryfan and opted for the scree slope, over Bristly Ridge, to get up to Glyder Fach.
First, time for the self timer shot
On top of Glyder Fach's summit plateau, there were still large areas of snow, some drifts up to thigh depth. But nothing other than a decent pair of boots were required....on your feet at least!
Onto the Cantilever stone for a bit of arsing around...
The Ogwen Valley looked great and made for a postcardesque picture.
We made good speed over Glyder Fawr and before dropping down in to Devil's Kitchen, we took the short detour to the summit of Y Garn where more photo opportunities presented.
Back down the hill and down the steep steps of Devil's Kitchen...I always think of Tolkien's description of the Dimrill Stair out of Moria is exactly like the Devil's kitchen descent. (LOTR fans will know what I'm talking about)
Lyn Idwal and Pen Yr Ole Wen from halfway down the descent.
Just before we got back tot he car the moon was positioned nicely over Tryfan. The cannon stone from the first pic in this post is clearly visible in centre shot.
7 hours of excellent walking!
We spent the night at the campsite in Beddgelert accompanied by half a dozen pints at two of the small pubs in the village. Next morning, we visited the acclaimed 'Pete's Eats' in Llanberis for a superb breakfast (Bacon is more like gammon!) before heading onto our appointment at 'World of Ferns'. More on this nursery in a future post.
We arrived at the Ogwen valley at 10:45 after a good journey and set off up the North Face of Tryfan. It was fairly quiet, as the north ridge goes, and we made good progress, despite the few times we needed to backtrack and search out another route. I hadn't spied the cannon-stone on previous ascents so I made sure we sniffed it out this time for the usual 'tourist shot'.
Conditions were pretty good with excellent visibility making for some good shots.
Adam, Dave and Eve. He wimped out of doing the 'jump'.
A snack at Tryfan's summit (with around 30 others for company - which sounds crowded but if you are a Tryfan regular you'll know it's not too bad at all) before we descended to Bwlch Tryfan and opted for the scree slope, over Bristly Ridge, to get up to Glyder Fach.
First, time for the self timer shot
On top of Glyder Fach's summit plateau, there were still large areas of snow, some drifts up to thigh depth. But nothing other than a decent pair of boots were required....on your feet at least!
Onto the Cantilever stone for a bit of arsing around...
The Ogwen Valley looked great and made for a postcardesque picture.
We made good speed over Glyder Fawr and before dropping down in to Devil's Kitchen, we took the short detour to the summit of Y Garn where more photo opportunities presented.
Back down the hill and down the steep steps of Devil's Kitchen...I always think of Tolkien's description of the Dimrill Stair out of Moria is exactly like the Devil's kitchen descent. (LOTR fans will know what I'm talking about)
Lyn Idwal and Pen Yr Ole Wen from halfway down the descent.
Just before we got back tot he car the moon was positioned nicely over Tryfan. The cannon stone from the first pic in this post is clearly visible in centre shot.
7 hours of excellent walking!
We spent the night at the campsite in Beddgelert accompanied by half a dozen pints at two of the small pubs in the village. Next morning, we visited the acclaimed 'Pete's Eats' in Llanberis for a superb breakfast (Bacon is more like gammon!) before heading onto our appointment at 'World of Ferns'. More on this nursery in a future post.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Europe's biggest Sand Dune
Merthyr Mawr is a gem of a village near Ogmore by Sea and Bridgend in South Wales. It reputedly has the biggest Sand Dune in Europe, 'The big Dipper' and it's a great place for a walk on a nice day. It's very popular with dog Walkers, Horse Riders, Runners and people just looking for some fresh sea air.
Just a few pics of myself, my wife, son, sister, brother-in-law and their dog enjoying the sunshine (albeit with a cold wind). The 12' driftwood sculpture appeared to be built at random by whoever and looked like it totally belonged there!
Just a few pics of myself, my wife, son, sister, brother-in-law and their dog enjoying the sunshine (albeit with a cold wind). The 12' driftwood sculpture appeared to be built at random by whoever and looked like it totally belonged there!
Saturday, 20 February 2010
The Black Mountains
The Black Mountains weren't today, they were white. Beautifully white, encrusted in a layer of snow that gradually receded as your eye followed the ground from the ridge down into the valley. It was a perfect day for a walk.
We did 8 miles in a fairly swift 4 hours. starting from Llanbedr, we climbed to table mountain, then along the ridge to Pen Cerrig Calch, Pen Allt Mawr, then looped around the small spur at Pen Twyn Mawr in the centre of the valley. The views were immense, but my photographic skills weren't. I'm trying to learn how to use my camera correctly, and that means learning from my mistakes, of which there are currently zillions! Still, here's a few to give a taste of the conditions today.
We did 8 miles in a fairly swift 4 hours. starting from Llanbedr, we climbed to table mountain, then along the ridge to Pen Cerrig Calch, Pen Allt Mawr, then looped around the small spur at Pen Twyn Mawr in the centre of the valley. The views were immense, but my photographic skills weren't. I'm trying to learn how to use my camera correctly, and that means learning from my mistakes, of which there are currently zillions! Still, here's a few to give a taste of the conditions today.
I love the remote feeling you get in the black mountains. We saw three other people all day, one from a distance of about half a mile.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Cutting back.
In gardening terms, this UK winter in my little corner of Wales, has been severe. Many of the 'exotic' plants I grow have been killed or sustained a lot of damage from frost, snow and sub zero temps. I'm not bothered. In a strange way, I'm glad. I've grown pretty tired of the hobby in general - it seems pointless at times, but I guess that's the way with many hobbies that are essentially 'collections'. I would visit nurseries and buy plants, because they caught my eye, without any thought of where to plant them or whether they would look right.
So, I'm culling a lot of what I grow and I'm going to reclaim a lot of garden space for a bigger lawn where I can play with my young son and my wife can enjoy the sunshine. I'll post some photos when the weather improves. I will still retain a number of the larger evergreen stuff I grow in a border around the edge, and I still have a fondness for ferns, especially treeferns. But anything that just isn't suited to my garden/climate/family will be going. There will be a few things I can sell to recoup a bit of money, but most things will be given away or composted.
So, I'm culling a lot of what I grow and I'm going to reclaim a lot of garden space for a bigger lawn where I can play with my young son and my wife can enjoy the sunshine. I'll post some photos when the weather improves. I will still retain a number of the larger evergreen stuff I grow in a border around the edge, and I still have a fondness for ferns, especially treeferns. But anything that just isn't suited to my garden/climate/family will be going. There will be a few things I can sell to recoup a bit of money, but most things will be given away or composted.
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Proper winter snow
This winter has been a real winter...and it's not finished yet. We've had more snow this winter than for many years. It's cleared now and we seem to be back in the usual winter groove of cold, damp days with a dominant south westerly.
I managed to pop out for a walk when the heaviest snow had fallen, back on January 10th. There's a ridge above Cwmbran that connects Twmbarlwm with Mynydd Maen, and on the other side of the ridge is the Cwmcarn Scenic Drive, a country park set in a forested valley with great walking and mountain biking. It doesn't look like it from the photos, but in places I waded through snow that was approaching waist deep.
Hidden among the trees in the Scenic drive, I found a bivouac. The only recent signs of use were several discarded cans of Oranjeboom!
A made a scientific discovery. Robins like Goji berries.
This is the start of the cross country mountain bike track. I passed a number of bikers on the day despite several inches of snow on the ground.
A wild pony I've encountered a number of times on the ridge. No goji berries left so he had my apple which went down a treat.
It was easy to see that plenty of others had been out enjoying the conditions.
On the top of Twmbarlwm it was pretty bleak. A strong easterly wind and poor visibility. It felt good though.
I managed to pop out for a walk when the heaviest snow had fallen, back on January 10th. There's a ridge above Cwmbran that connects Twmbarlwm with Mynydd Maen, and on the other side of the ridge is the Cwmcarn Scenic Drive, a country park set in a forested valley with great walking and mountain biking. It doesn't look like it from the photos, but in places I waded through snow that was approaching waist deep.
Hidden among the trees in the Scenic drive, I found a bivouac. The only recent signs of use were several discarded cans of Oranjeboom!
A made a scientific discovery. Robins like Goji berries.
This is the start of the cross country mountain bike track. I passed a number of bikers on the day despite several inches of snow on the ground.
A wild pony I've encountered a number of times on the ridge. No goji berries left so he had my apple which went down a treat.
It was easy to see that plenty of others had been out enjoying the conditions.
On the top of Twmbarlwm it was pretty bleak. A strong easterly wind and poor visibility. It felt good though.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Last walk of the year
A New Years Eve walk in snow and ice! What better, invigorating end to the year?
We set out early this morning and headed towards the Beacons with a few routes in mind. What we hadn't planned on was the amount of snow on some of the side roads. The road from Pontsticill towards Taf Fechan Forest started off okay, but become more snow laden as we drove North. We eventually (after getting stuck temporarily in a small car park south of the Neuadd reservoirs) settled on parking at the north end of Pontsticill reservoir. We then decided to take a route up onto a hill that neither of us had been up before, Pant-y-Creigiau - not particularly high at 565m but it meant we were beneath the clouds and there were some great views.
On the map at least, it didn't look a particularly taxing route, but it turned out to be tough going due to the conditions, both underfoot and the relentless wind on the exposed sections.
As well as snow, everything was encrusted with ice - the trees, the grass, the trig point, my face! It really was quite picturesque. A real enjoyable walk to end the year with.
Now, please excuse me, I have an appointment with 15 bottles of cold Budweiser.
We set out early this morning and headed towards the Beacons with a few routes in mind. What we hadn't planned on was the amount of snow on some of the side roads. The road from Pontsticill towards Taf Fechan Forest started off okay, but become more snow laden as we drove North. We eventually (after getting stuck temporarily in a small car park south of the Neuadd reservoirs) settled on parking at the north end of Pontsticill reservoir. We then decided to take a route up onto a hill that neither of us had been up before, Pant-y-Creigiau - not particularly high at 565m but it meant we were beneath the clouds and there were some great views.
On the map at least, it didn't look a particularly taxing route, but it turned out to be tough going due to the conditions, both underfoot and the relentless wind on the exposed sections.
As well as snow, everything was encrusted with ice - the trees, the grass, the trig point, my face! It really was quite picturesque. A real enjoyable walk to end the year with.
Now, please excuse me, I have an appointment with 15 bottles of cold Budweiser.
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Boxing Day blowout
Finally got back out onto the Brecon Beacons for a walk today, boxing day, to burn the turkey off and enjoy the.....f***ing rain! After over a week of freezing temps and snow, it decides to warm up and rain. Still, walkers don't moan about a little precipitation, do they? Managed to try out a few xmas pressies too - a Lowe Alpine Hat, sealskin gloves and the old Gorillapod! All performed admirably, apart from the hat making me look like a complete dork. I think that's more to do with my face than the product though.
Nicholls, his son Henry and their gorgeous 15 week old Speagle (a cross between a Spaniel and a Beagle!) called Lily, were the company. We did a simple 'up to Corn Du from the Storey Arms and back' which was enough for both Dog (not me, the 4 legged one) and Henry. The winds were freezing on top and the poor dog was shivering so she got wrapped up in a fleece and carried along.
A few pics.
Nicholls, his son Henry and their gorgeous 15 week old Speagle (a cross between a Spaniel and a Beagle!) called Lily, were the company. We did a simple 'up to Corn Du from the Storey Arms and back' which was enough for both Dog (not me, the 4 legged one) and Henry. The winds were freezing on top and the poor dog was shivering so she got wrapped up in a fleece and carried along.
A few pics.
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