Martin McDowell's Blog

This is marked as the toughest walk in the Brecon Becons & South Wales book and it turned out to be living up to its name. The most difficult part was trying to not get lost on Bryn Rhudd at the same time as not loosing interest in the walk as well. The views on there are almost desert-like, nothing but dried grass and boggy moors. Even the sheep are sensible enough not to stray that far from the valleys.

The day of the walk also happened to be the hottest day so far in 2010 and the humidity was excruciating. Despite it still not being a complete sunny day I managed to rack up quite a nasty sunburn and don’t forget we are talking about Wales of all places – go figure

This walk also takes you to some very remote areas of Wales and in the 6h 20min it took me to walk it I didn’t see a single person until reaching the Glangwesyn farm when I asked for directions.

After the walk I took a drive in my car up through the valleys of the man-made Llyn Brianne reservoir that was completed in 1972 so the same young age as I. Some nice views there so definitely recommended!

Valley above Afon Gwesyn – Cwm Gwesyn	Cwm Gwesyn
Cwm Gwesyn	Cwm Gwesyn
Cwm Gwesyn	Afon Gwesyn / Cwm Gwesyn
Afon Gwesyn	Cwm Gwesyn
Afon Gwesyn	Afon Gwesyn
View of the small stream Nant Fedwen fawr from the Gwesyn valley	View of the small stream Nant Fedwen fawr from the Gwesyn valley
Cwm Gwesyn (view N->S)	Afon Gwesyn waterfalls
Afon Gwesyn waterfalls	Southward view of the Gwesyn valley from Bryn Glas
The cairn on top of Drygarn Fawr (641 m)	Westward view of Drygarn Fawr and the cairn on top of it
The track below the Eithaf or Ganol ridge	The track below the Eithaf or Ganol ridge
Irfon valley	Brianne reservoir
SW view of the Brianne reservoir from the viewpoint above Carreg Chlochdy	Brianne reservoir
Brianne reservoir	Brianne reservoir at the dam
The Brianne reservoir spillway	bottom of the Brianne reservoir dam
Brianne reservoir dam spillway
Brianne reservoir at the dam	Brianne reservoir at the dam
Valley above Afon Gwesyn – Cwm Gwesyn