Author Topic: The Blorenge from Llanfoist  (Read 6031 times)

WhitstableDave

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The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« on: 18:09:35, 21/10/19 »
We're on a week's walking holiday in the Brecon Beacons, staying in a cottage by the Mon & Brec Canal just outside Llanfoist.

Today, we did our first hilly walk of the week. Our cottage is at the foot of the Blorenge - the only significant peak south of the Heads of the Valleys road (otherwise known as the A465) - so we had to climb it. The route also included a high circuit of the hill and an extremely tough ending!

Setting off up the steep gorge from the cottage:



We came out of the trees to join a path which we followed to the far side of Blorenge before heading up to the summit. In the distance is Skirrid, which we hope to do directly from the cottage later in the week:



Looking back towards the lovely pond in the Punchbowl:



Arriving on the summit plateau we passed lots of shake holes - small craters where the ground below has collapsed:



The summit trig point at a modest 561m:



We met lots of wild, but very docile, horses:



The views towards the distant mountains and the towns and valleys below were amazing:



There were less than two miles to go when we chose a 'path' that turned out to be a nightmare! Although it was marked clearly on the map it quickly fizzled out and it took us nearly two hours to go one mile! We battled through endless bracken entwined with brambles on steep, rocky terrain. At one point, while trying to get past a rotting, fallen tree, I fell and ended up on my back in nettles and brambles - my leg is still throbbing! Ah, the joys of walking... :(



But all's well that ends well and we made it back eventually!  Tomorrow we hope to do the Brecon Beacons Horseshoe, which includes Cribyn, Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du...
« Last Edit: 18:15:24, 21/10/19 by WhitstableDave »
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pdstsp

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #1 on: 09:22:31, 22/10/19 »
Nice TR and great views Dave.


That descent path looks "interesting" - good luck with the horsehoe.  Despite both my daughters spending three summers working near Brecon, I'm yet to do any serious walking down there, and it looks so beautiful.

vghikers

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #2 on: 12:13:17, 22/10/19 »
A good circuit with pleasing views despite the overcast sky  O0
The descent looks quite an adventure from the photo. We haven't done much near the head of the valleys, but the hills we have done in that area were brackenfests as I recall.

clyoung

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #3 on: 20:48:45, 22/10/19 »
I've only ever walked on the Blorenge from one of the car parks on the top - can't say the state of that path is encouraging me to change that! Fantastic views though and hope you got to enjoy the horseshoe today.

WhitstableDave

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #4 on: 22:24:23, 22/10/19 »
I've only ever walked on the Blorenge from one of the car parks on the top - can't say the state of that path is encouraging me to change that! Fantastic views though and hope you got to enjoy the horseshoe today.

I ought to admit that there is a perfectly good, clear path (actually a bridleway) above and parallel to the one we attempted. But we needed to go down a gorge to Llanfoist and the OS map showed the bridleway route to be a few hundred yards longer than my 'shortcut' path.  :-[  Doing the full circuit from a car park on the south side of the Blorenge should be perfectly straightforward!  :)
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clyoung

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #5 on: 23:29:33, 25/10/19 »
I ought to admit that there is a perfectly good, clear path (actually a bridleway) above and parallel to the one we attempted. But we needed to go down a gorge to Llanfoist and the OS map showed the bridleway route to be a few hundred yards longer than my 'shortcut' path.  :-[  Doing the full circuit from a car park on the south side of the Blorenge should be perfectly straightforward!  :)
That's good to know.

Mel

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #6 on: 13:06:58, 26/10/19 »
Hehe!  Love the last pic of you battling through the bracken  ;D

WhitstableDave

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #7 on: 15:13:23, 26/10/19 »
Hehe!  Love the last pic of you battling through the bracken  ;D
Thanks Mel. But actually, that's my wife in the photo... I clear the way and she follows!  ;)
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Mel

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #8 on: 15:33:15, 26/10/19 »
OoooOOps! Sorry!


.... obviously I was referring to the Royal "you" .....  ;D

Lee R

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #9 on: 20:16:13, 28/10/19 »
Nice report! Skirrid Fawr is nice. If you hike up to the trig though & then carry on down the back it's pretty steep!! Lovely anti-clockwise walk through some beautiful, mossy woods too. Also waterfalls at Clydach in the opposite direction.

sunnydale

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #10 on: 14:55:22, 24/02/20 »
Nice pics Dave O0
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richardh1905

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #11 on: 07:45:56, 06/03/20 »
Ooh, I missed this. Lovely autumnal colours, Dave. But that path down looks a nightmare.

"shakeholes" - Yes, an interesting band of limestone country runs through the Brecon Beacons - I've been up (and under) nearby Mynydd Llangatwg.
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GnP

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #12 on: 08:16:59, 06/03/20 »
Great images. Know the area a tad north of there (Llanthony Priory) & Pen Y Fan well. Do enjoy and hope the weather is kind to you both. :)
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

WhitstableDave

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Re: The Blorenge from Llanfoist
« Reply #13 on: 08:29:19, 06/03/20 »
Ooh, I missed this. Lovely autumnal colours, Dave. But that path down looks a nightmare.

"shakeholes" - Yes, an interesting band of limestone country runs through the Brecon Beacons - I've been up (and under) nearby Mynydd Llangatwg.

Thanks Richard. The path down was quite something, but after weeks of streams where paths should be and sloppy, slippery mud, I'm almost looking forward to brambles and nettles again...  ;)
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