Many hills in the Brecon Beacons National Park exceed 450 metres (1500 feet) in height, with some almost 900 metres (3000 feet). They offer challenging and very rewarding opportunities to outdoor activity enthusiasts, but they must be treated with respect. Good planning is essential and you should ensure you are suitably clothed, equipped, and above all have properly qualified and experienced group leaders/instructors for your planned activities.
Clothing
Wear suitable clothes. The ground is often rough and wet, so you need specialist shoes for your activity such as walking boots or strong shoes with cleated soles. Warm wind proof clothing and reliable waterproofs should be taken even when the day looks good. Multiple layers of 'high wicking' material are preferable. Thin cotton jeans or shower-resistant clothing is useless in heavy rain and wind. In cold conditions woollen gloves and headgear are important. Padded cycling shorts are a must for Mountain Bikers and the more serious Cyclists, and can be worn under leggings in cold conditions.
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Map Out your Stay at Canal Barn Bunkhouse!MapsA good map is essential in planning a walk or bike ride. Use of an Ordnance Survey (OS) map of scale 1:25000 is recommended. Most of the Brecon Beacons National Park is covered by Ordnance Survey Explorer maps OL12 and OL13, formerly known as Outdoor Leisure maps 12 and 13. We keep reference copies of these at Canal Barn Bunkhouse, but regular visitors to the area are strongly advised to purchase copies of their own directly from the Ordnance Survey. |
Routes
For those who enjoy walking, cycling and mountain biking the Brecon Beacons offers a superb variety of routes. They range from low level routes along the valley bottoms, often following rivers and/or canals, to fairly strenuous hill climbs crossing the main peaks of the Brecon Beacons ranges. Terrain varies from good, easy to follow lanes, tracks and footpaths to grassy open mountain tops and ridges. In other words there are walks, cycling and mountain biking routes to suit all ages and levels of ability.
On enclosed farmland, keep to public footpaths and bridleways, marked by broken green lines on the OS map. These are often way marked on the ground with a yellow arrow for footpaths and blue for bridleways. If in doubt about the route always ask permission before crossing the land. In other areas such as the open hill and moor land there is greater freedom to wander. Alternatively you can follow an established route selected from our reference library of area Guide Books kept in the Bunkhouse. On foot reckon on a speed of 4 Km (2.5 miles) per hour, plus at least 1 hour for every 450 metres (1500 feet) climbed. Allow plenty of time to get to your destination before nightfall and always have an escape route in mind.
For other activities such as climbing, caving and gorge walking, use only recognised locations/routes under the leadership of an instructor who knows the area well.
Say Where You're Going
Make sure your entire group know the plans, route and destination. Leave details of these and approximate return time at the Bunkhouse. The whiteboards in the common room are ideal for this, but also ensure someone remaining at the Bunkhouse is aware of them. Ralph and Liz are happy to perform this role if needed. Telephone back if you're delayed or change the plans, and report in on your return.
Keep Together
Only use the established car parking locations and ensure everyone in the group
has directions to get there and back to the Bunkhouse. Never abandon anyone
because they can't keep up, let the slowest set the pace. Try to ensure
there are at least four people in a group. Then if assistance is needed in an
emergency, at least one person can stay with the casualty while two others go
together for help.
Watch the Weather
A detailed 3 day Mountain Weather Forecast for the Brecon Beacons area is available from the
Met Office,
and is also broadcast daily at 7:00 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. on Radio Wales (882KHz Medium Wave). But do not rely on the general forecast as local conditions can change rapidly in the hills. Mist, wind or rain can destroy all sense of direction and even cause sudden death to the inadequately equipped. Always be aware of your bearings and should you suddenly get caught in adverse weather conditions, keep close together and watch for signs of exposure (fatigue, shivering, stumbling, slurred speech, etc) in your companions. If anyone is affected follow the emergency procedure
outlined below.
Many of the rivers are in narrow steep sided valleys that act as a funnel to water and fill up rapidly in heavy rain, trapping and even washing away the unwary, so in steep valleys and gorges watch your surroundings and have an escape route ready.
In an Emergency
Do not try to move someone who may be badly injured or is suffering from exposure. Keep them warm by covering them with spare clothing and putting them into a survival bag (a sleeping bag size heavy duty plastic bag) to get them out of the wind. Try to summon help. There is reception for most mobiles phones in the Brecon Beacons, except for occasional blind spots in valleys etc. Use the international distress signal (6 Blasts on a whistle, shouts, or flashes of a torch repeated after a minutes interval. 3 are the reply). If you have to fetch help leave someone with the casualty. Get to a telephone and contact the Police (Tel: 999). They will then call out the rescue and/or medical services as required. Be prepared to give details such as time of the injury, location of persons, etc. Stay by the phone until rescuers arrive, to keep in touch with the co-ordinators. For expert advice and information of what to do in an emergency see
Brecon Mountain Rescue.
Equipment Check List
Always check your equipment thoroughly before departure. Cyclists and Mountain Bikers should ensure your bike is safe by checking tyres, brakes and gears. Check off what you should take with you, and be sure you know how to use everything properly:
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