Plas y Brenin - The National Mountain Centre - Day 2

We woke to poor visibility as per the weather forecast the day before. Hill fog at low levels clearing by lunch time. "Clag" was discussed in the group, but don't think Met Office include it in their forecasts!

Moel Siabod covered in fog!

The previous day we navigated our way to the top of a hill, today's aim was to navigate to the top of a mountain, Moel Siabod.

Once more we crossed the foot bridge from the centre. Rather than going east through the trees this time we headed south split into two groups.

Paths or tracks on maps aren't that easy to find or spot in real life especially in wooded area! Visibility allowed us to follow boundaries of walls and wire fences before the ground became steeper.

As we walked higher the visibility was reduced and we were walking in clag!!

By lunch time we had reached the top and the summit of Kerry's first mountain!

Getting back down from mountains in fog is always a challenge. Using a North bearing we slowly headed back down the mountain. Contours of maps definitely help with showing the steepness of the ground.

On the way down Dan managed to slip twice and looked like taking the title of the day! But once more Greg went one better and took the title!

We learnt boundaries on maps aren't always to spot in real life or they are more prominent on maps!
 
Crossing a waterfall we walked back to the forest to take us back to the centre for coffee and cake!!

One book we were recommended was Hill Walking, link below on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hill-Walking-Official-Handbook-Mountain/dp/0954151100

It was sad to leave the centre at the end of the day as a group we had bounded well! Even though we all live in different parts of the country it would be nice to meet up next year for a walk or two. Initial thoughts are one of the Bank Holidays in May then we have an extra day for travel!






Group of 5!

Plas y Brenin - The National Mountain Centre - Day 1

Last weekend Greg and I attended the Navigation Skills course at Plas y Brenin, The National Mountain Centre in Wales.

http://www.pyb.co.uk/courses/hillwalking.php

Aim of the course was to be able to navigation day or night in all weather conditions!

The weather definitely lived up to the course notes, "Bad weather is ideal for learning to navigate!"

Whilst the group (Greg, Me, Karen, Dan and Kerry) and the instructor went through what a map covers etc it absolutely lashed it down!!

Rain easing we set off from the centre over a foot bridge into the trees to learn pacing and identifying boundary features. Crossing back over the river we stopped on the bridge to watch staff from PYB canoeing down the river.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v2yVcW5RGo

The group split into two and we decided on points to walk to for the others to work out where we were!

Should of made a note of the grid reference to go back for the pot of gold!!

Between us we navigated to the top of a hill called Crimpiau. Dan took an early lead in falling in a bog! I managed to go one better than Dan on the way down from Crimpiau. My title would only last a few hours though!!

Due to the time of year a night navigation exercise was included. We parked the van and set off into the pitch black with just our head torches. Within minutes we all got our feet wet in the boggy ground! A lot of pacing with bearings was involved to find streams and a cairn.

On the way back and very close to the van I lost the bog title to Greg who with both feet and legs fell into a bog!!

Who could take the bog title the next day?!!