My Walk this Week 241 – Sunset at the Start

Posted on 15/01/202113/01/2021 by Alastair

My walk this week was my first walk of 2021, at the start of the New Year. My daughter and I walked up Graig Fawr, a local hill, and watched the sun set over the landscape – it was beautiful and peaceful.

It is a walk I have done many times before but not for a couple of years – it was good to see the meandering Loughor Estuary reflecting the colours of the sky once more.

Being the first day of the year and in the current pandemic lockdown, the landscape was quiet, no background traffic and just the hint of a breeze up on top. It was, however, relatively busy! We must have passed 10 or 12 people in all as they descended the mountain – all couples with the same idea of taking in the view and hoping for a good start to what is likely to be another difficult year.

So to everyone out there, remember to appreciate what we have, take care, stay safe and keep calm.

My Walk this Week 146 – Looking Back at the Mountains

Posted on 15/02/201921/02/2019 by Alastair

My walk this week is one from the past and came to mind because the Welsh mountains it illustrates came up in a recent conversation. I hope to visit Pen-y Fan in the Brecon Beacons again later this year – or if not that mountain, perhaps a less busy location nearby. The images and sound clip were originally posted in May 2016.

The sounds in the clip below are classic for this mountain area, and that includes the voices of other people. Pen-y Fan, being the highest of the Brecon Beacons and fairly accessible, attracts a lot of visitors, both local and from further afield. Continue reading→

Following the Footpath

Posted on 18/08/201712/08/2017 by Alastair

Once up on top of Mynydd Llangorse the footpath to follow was quite clear across the moorland on my StillWalks production walk above Cwmdu, which lies between the Brecon Beacons and The Black Mountains in Wales.

There were other people about – a couple of couples passed by and a group of hikers who were camping down by Llangorse Lake. Not so many people to stop me having the place to myself Continue reading→

My Walk this Week – Cwmdu Walk Part Two

Posted on 14/08/201712/08/2017 by Alastair

The second part of my circular walk from the valley above Cwmdu near Crickhowell in Wales, took me up to the top of Mynydd Llangorse.

En route I met a sheep that stuck its tongue out at me! Having climbed up the valley, Cwm Sorgwm, to the shoulder between Mynydd Troed and Mynydd Llangorse, I rested for a few moments before climbing the steep section up to what I thought was the top. Continue reading→

My Walk this Week – Cwmdu Part 1

Posted on 07/08/201709/08/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week is not actually around Cwmdu, a small village lying between the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains in Wales. In fact it is in the valley above Cwmdu, a valley called Cwm Sorgwm (according to the OS map.

Back in June I took the opportunity to explore a small part of the hills in this area near Crickhowell. Knowing I was going to have enough time to do it as a StillWalks production walk, I took all my kit and enjoyed the weather and the views. Continue reading→

Back on the Valley Floor – Reviewing the Walk

Posted on 21/08/201611/08/2016 by Alastair

Back on the valley floor at the mountain centre above Corris where I started of my walk this week in the mountains of Wales, I am very pleased that I carried on in spite of the mist. I am not stupid when it comes to hiking in mountains and had it not been for the fact that I had a clear track to follow, I would have been very hesitant about carrying on when it was obvious that a thick(ish) mist was descending. I got my reward at the top though when the weather cleared.

I will eventually finish the StillWalks video for this walk but in the meantime you can Play the soundscape below and have a look through selected images from my posts this week.

Ty’n y Berth Mountain Centre

Misty Mountain Walk Soundscape

There is an interesting “tinkling” sound in this soundscape at around 3:15 – 3:30 minutes – can anybody guess what it is?

If viewing this in an email, please click the post title to see other photos in this post, thank you.

A style of gate

stone edge

old fence wire

Descending mist

mountain wildflowers

Mist and grass

Looking down through the mist

Clearing Cloud

Mountain track

Looking over the edge

Light and Shade

Misty Mountain Ridge

Evidence of Sheep

Sheep on mountainside

Valley floor

Evidence of Sheep

Posted on 20/08/201611/08/2016 by Alastair

You will find sheep on virtually any mountainside in Wales. There have been a few dotted about in the distance in my photos of my walk this week and one or two, along with their bleats, looming out of the mist. In reality there were plenty of them about and the photo below provides some evidence of this.

Evidence of Sheep

If viewing this in an email, please click the post title to see other photos in this post, thank you.

Evidence of Sheep

Fence posts

Sheep on mountainside

Mountain Landscape

Valley floor

Misty Mountain Ridge

Posted on 19/08/201611/08/2016 by Alastair

So on my walk this week the Welsh mountains were revealed to me, but not all of a sudden. It took time for the cloud to clear but gradually, bit by bit, the details of the mountains could be seen