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. Normally I would do a recce walk before production but on this occasion I took the gamble and enjoyed the discovery, albeit one that I had planned in reasonable detail with the WalkJogRun app.
Knowing how long a production walk can take, I planned two longer and shorter routes. I find this is a really useful app, and on this occasion I conveniently had mobile reception and so could pinpoint my progress en route. This helped with the fact that I had not walked here before and whatever detail a map can give, the reality always looks different.
Due to the time taken to photograph and record the sights and sounds of the walk, I was pleased to have worked out a shorter alternative route as it would have inevitably taken longer than the time I had to complete the longer route. The longer route was not long in terms of a decent walk – it was 8 miles with the shorter alternative being 4.6 miles – but apart from taking the time to document the walk, production also requires the carrying of the cameras, recorder, shotgun microphone, etc., etc. and when climbing as well, this can really take it out of you!
Regardless of all this, I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and thought that I would bring it to you in three parts before ultimately editing a full StillWalks video from it to add to the growing StillWalks collection. This week it’s all about the valley, Cwm Sorgwm and walking up to the shoulder between Mynydd Llangorse and Mynydd Troed.
A monochrome version of the last shot in the gallery below can be seen with a different crop on Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness MM 4-16 blog post later this week.
I’ve learnt a lot! the App and a ‘shotgun’ microphone. Thanks Alastair. Must make up my mind and get an iPhone now.
That’s great though I’m sure the app would be available for Android as well.
I had to look up ‘android’! I still have a very old Nokia on PAYG.
Well if it does the job you need it to, that’s cool
How very green! Of course, Wales is a ‘green’ land but this summer it looks positively emerald! Lovely images.
Thank you. Yes indeed, Wales is very green. I am currently sitting in the forest and thinking just that, but we have been having very wet lately!