South Wales Meet?

[Totumpole]

Its been lashing down my side of the beacons as well. Does anyone else who is going out tomorrow morning know more specifically we will be parking at the site - the grid reference Ive found online for the site is basically the rocky outcrop right where it says Blaen-ned-isaf on the map.

 

[Dougster]

Parking is dodgy, but there are passing places nearby and the farmer may let you park 1/2 mile along the road.

 

[rik_uk3]

Its a nice site but it can be a bit 'zoo like' in that you get funny stares from the hillwalkers who pass by quite often. Re: weather, well its the Beacons so it rains a lot but pitch your tarps tight and you should be OK. Maybe just me but I'd never go this time of year without a tent with bucket ground sheet.

Lets see some pictures of the trip

 

[cave_dweller]

Parking is dodgy, but there are passing places nearby and the farmer may let you park 1/2 mile along the road.

Does that mean the nearest parking is 1/2 mile away? Not that it matters, but I kinda got the impression this was a 'car camping' type of place - I might have to leave the second crate of scotch behind!

 

[Dougster]

There are spaces within 100 yards, my Golf gets out, but the vans find it a struggle. So treat it as a 1/2 mile walk.

 

[Totumpole]

Do you mean the nearest parking place is the Parking spot on an OS map? I suppose I find out when I get there!

 

[John Fenna]

It was good to see those that made it - old friends and new!
Fri was a tad damp but the chute coped, Sat and Sun were glorious!
The track it now repaired and oly the leaves on the hairpins made it difficult (it took me 3 goes to get out...)
It is a pity that more were not there!

 

[Totumpole]

At the risk of facing ridicule, I tried, but for the life of me could not find the site!!! I Took a run up the dead end road to the site but didnt see much, so turned back and parked at Ysradfelite and did a bit of a recce from there. Was a beutifull day, but all I could see was the game hunt on the other side of the valley from Blaen-ned-isaf, no tell tale plumes of campfire smoke, no visible tents or tarps. Nice view of Fan Dringarth though

Alas, I realised too late that I should have phoned the site to confirm its location and where best to park etc, but I didnt have the phone number or any signal for that matter by the time I realised this. So i trotted off home :sulkoff: and drowned my sorrows with he bottle of whisky I had intended to share that evening. :vio:

On the up side, I had a great sunday afternoon practicing my photography skills on the waterfalls the next valley over, I think these 2 are pick of the bunch

Sywd y Pannwr

Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn

Gutted I didnt make it. Im impressed the parachute held up to the rain, my waterproof training jacket failed to keep it off my phone enough to prevent its destruction!

Looking forward to seeing others photos of the event.

 

[cave_dweller]

At the risk of facing ridicule, I tried, but for the life of me could not find the site!!!

No ridicule from me - I almost didn't find it as well! I parked up, knowing I must be pretty close, then spent an hour wandering around hopelessly. I was on my way back to the car when I spotted a tarp through the trees! Sorry you didn't manage to find it.

I can vouch for the fact that camo works now - I got within twenty feet of the meet and didn't see a thing!

Anyway, I got there in the end, and had a great time! I didn't actually do anything remotely bushcrafty, on account of arriving less than an hour before dark, but I did get to meet some decent folk and share a drink or two. Thanks to everyone there for a great time.

 

[dave53]

hi all yep it was a good meet it was nice to see john and rolli and meet some new people as well, that rain was of putting especially as the river was low when me
and the big labowski got there but rose 4 ft by about 6 o clock but none of us got wet as the parachute kept us all dry, and sat and sunday were lovely sunny days hope to see everyone again soon regards dave

 

[Totumpole]

Anyone got a grid ref for where the site actually is, for next time?

 

[nigeltm]

I was really disappointed that I couldn't make the weekend. I haven't been to a meet for over a year. To rub salt in the wound I spent all Friday night through to Saturday morning driving around Ystrafellte area. There was an MR night navigation exercise that night and I was the designated support driver. :-(

Interestingly a couple of the routes went very close (i think one want through!) bale need Keats. So apologies to anyone who Katy have been woken by a bunch of tired and bog soaked MR guys around 2 in the morning!

Ah well, at least Saturday morning was spent absailing off Dinas Rock. So it wasn't all bad! Now for some sleep. I've only had 7 hours since Friday morning and I'm starting to feel it!

Night all

 

[markheolddu]

I had a great time guys I hope to see you all again soon Mark.

 

[John Fenna]

I was really disappointed that I couldn't make the weekend. I haven't been to a meet for over a year. To rub salt in the wound I spent all Friday night through to Saturday morning driving around Ystrafellte area. There was an MR night navigation exercise that night and I was the designated support driver. :-(

Interestingly a couple of the routes went very close (i think one want through!) bale need Keats. So apologies to anyone who Katy have been woken by a bunch of tired and bog soaked MR guys around 2 in the morning!

Ah well, at least Saturday morning was spent absailing off Dinas Rock. So it wasn't all bad! Now for some sleep. I've only had 7 hours since Friday morning and I'm starting to feel it!

Night all

I saw lots of MR activity on the road over to Senntbridge on my way home on Sun - one vehicle pulled over to let civvie cars etc pass, one vehicle with lots of comms kit evident parked up where the track and road diverge ...lots of bods in red bimbling about looking very competant... were you in that lot?

 

[rik_uk3]

Me and Nigel drive up past the base on the way to and from our spot and some weekends its deserted, drive past the following day and the place is full to bursting point with vehicles; last trip there was a load of Pinzgauer's there (sod land rovers, I want one of them )

Some of those hamburger vans seem to do good trade sometimes, often seen twenty or thirty lads lined up for a fuel top up.

 

[Red Kite]

Hi Guys

Thanks for another great weekend - good to see the old faces, and even better to meet some new folks.

Look forward to the next time.

S

 

[nigeltm]

Not us John. Probably the Brecon guys (they have all shiny toys!). We spent Sunday at Dinas Rock practicing lowering the stretcher off over the cliff. It was cracking fun, even when I had a go being the casualty strapped in to the stretcher like a visitor to a "specialist" club, dangling 60 feet up. Going over the edge the stretcher dropped a few feet and apparently my voice went a bit squeaky

 

[hiraeth]

Not us John. Probably the Brecon guys (they have all shiny toys!). We spent Sunday at Dinas Rock practicing lowering the stretcher off over the cliff. It was cracking fun, even when I had a go being the casualty strapped in to the stretcher like a visitor to a "specialist" club, dangling 60 feet up. Going over the edge the stretcher dropped a few feet and apparently my voice went a bit squeaky

Done that myself a few times myself when i was in the old bridgend team, not my favorite passtime.

 

[John Fenna]

Do they still use that wheeled stretcher thingy?
If so do not volonteer to be the Cas in the Bag when crossing large screes....

 

[nigeltm]

Done that myself a few times myself when i was in the old bridgend team, not my favorite passtime.

It was a first for me! One thing that would have made it a better trip would have been if they had explained what they were doing with the stretcher. If I had known the thing was about to move and that there may be a bit of a bump I don't think I would have sounded like a 12yr old girl at a Justin Bieber concert! I think I may have mentioned this to them after they let me up.

Funny enough I'm in the Bridgend team! I live in Briton Ferry and work in Cardiff so it's perfectly located (and I wouldn't fancy leaving my car in Merthyr if I was in Morlais team!)

And yes, before anyone else chips in I know there are no mountains in Bridgend