New member. . . Questions about Pen Y Fan in April??

[jamesdee]

Hi all,

I'm a new member to the site, and I am in a bit of a dilemma, so I would love to receive some opinions from your good selves.

I am planning a 4 day wild camp / hike in the Brecon beacons in early - mid April (followed by the Gower coast a few days after this). I have spent a fair amount of time in the area on exercises with the army (which I am leaving at the end of the month after 12 years), and I know it is wet and cold - but have always had the chin up and carry on philosophy. The route is all planned, no more then 13 miles in any one day. Rations thought out, kit checked and packed.

I am planning on taking the Mrs, she is enthusiastic - although it's not her first choice of romantic holiday, she has only done camp-site camping and a couple of days of hill walking at any one time. it has been raised that she may be too cold at nights (4 season doss bag, decent tent and plenty of layers). Do you think it will be too cold for some one not used to being in an outdoor environment? But she spent the first 17 years of her life in Lithuania where it can drop to -30! I am having an internal debate regarding this . . . will it be too cold . . . will she love it. . . . .

Any comments welcome, Many thanks in advance

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Good luck for life after the forces, and welcome along to the forum!

Everyone sleeps at different temperatures, for her, if she has good kit, some of the cold she could complain about by simply be perception (i.e. it’s a bleak environment that she isn't used to)- help her to feel comfortable, content and happy in that environment and that element may hopefully go away.

If she isn't used to sleeping in a sleeping bag, she may feel a little claustrophobic, and unzip the bag partially, or pull it a bit further down her body. Combat that with a warm hat, and maybe a good thermal baselayer, or even a cheap low weight and bulk fleece sweater from the likes of millets.

Key thing is to be prepared to vary your plans. If after a few nights she is miserable, then have a think about moving to lower more sheltered areas- at the end of the day, it's in your interest to make sure she enjoys this first experience so you can have many more in the future! Try not to make this first one so extreme that it puts her off.

All this said without any real knowledge of your wife and her experiences though, so please feel free to take with a pinch of salt. Whenever I camp/bivvy with my wife, she just whines about a cold nose. I haven't found a solution to that one yet!

 

[Harvestman]

Whenever I camp/bivvy with my wife, she just whines about a cold nose. I haven't found a solution to that one yet!

Balaclava to prevent the cold nose.

or,

Duct tape to prevent the whining,

Simple.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Balaclava to prevent the cold nose.

or,

Duct tape to prevent the whining,

Simple.

I like your suggestion of treating the symptom- perfect, and preferable to sleeping next to someone that looks like a 1970s IRA terrorist!

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Hi ya......I introduced my wife to wild camping at the begining of our relationship....cold wasn't the problem but she did feel a little insecure at times as she had only been 'campsiting' before...............we often shared the same sleeping bag at the time but we were both slimmer then & in love......nowadays we don't even share the same tent !!!

I think she'll be fine physically, it's the morale you have to watch out for..