Brecon Beacons National Park Guided Walks, Children's Activities & Family Events May 2010

@ Different start points across The National Park Brecon Beacons National Park

Brecon Beacons National Park: Guided Walks & Events

A full programme of Brecon Beacons National Park Authority guided walks, children's activities and family events for you to enjoy throughout May 2010.

Saturday 1 May Lost Lakes & Summer Pastures 13:30 - 16:30. Free entry. Family Friendly Guided Walk. GeoPark Event. Join us for a family-friendly walk set amongst the spectacular scenery of the Carmarthen Fans. Visit the mysterious Llyn y Fan Fach in the shadow of the mountain and hear tales of lost lakes and mighty glaciers. Explore the foot of the escarpment and learn about the seasonal movement of people and animals across this dramatic landscape in years gone by. Suitable for families and children but not buggies. Sorry no dogs. Length, Grade & Ascent: 4.5m/7.2km, Moderate, 406m. Meet: The car park at the Water Board Road on the northern side of the fans (SN 809238). Leader: East Carmarthen Wildlife Trust Committee Member, Geoffrey Williams and TBC Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience. Sunday 2 May Lech Valley Field Trip 14:00 - 17:00. £5 per person. Join experts from the Swansea University Department of Adult Continuing Education (DACE) to walk through the Llech Site of Special Scientific Interest, with a rich variety of woodland plant communities. We will also visit Henryd waterfall, flowing off Millstone Grit on to Coal Measures, and owned by the National Trust. There is a four year old landslip. A shuttle will take drivers back to their cars. Participants are strongly advised to wear boots or stout walking shoes. Waterproofs are advisable. Sorry no dogs. Length, Grade & Ascent: 3m/4.8km, Moderate, ascent tbc Meet: Copper Beech Inn, Abercarve (SN 842128) Leader: National Park warden Jon Pimm. Booking essential on 01792 602211. Thursday 6 May Exploring the History of Abergavenny 14:15 - 16:30. Free entry. Family Friendly Guided Walk. (repeated Thursday 8 July, Thursday 5 August) In conjunction with Abergavenny Local History Society. Join members of the Abergavenny Local History Society on this fascinating walk from the site of the centre of the Roman fort and Norman town to the western part of Abergavenny, developed in the 19th century as a important railway centre. After visiting a delightful park with rare trees, we will look at the historic bridge over the Usk, the remains of the railway which climbed up the gorge to Brynmawr and other routes into the town for commerce and agriculture. We will see the cast iron church and two old schools as well as hearing about the development of the town from a defensive settlement to a thriving market centre. Length, Grade & Ascent: 2½m/4km, Access for All, slight gradients only. Meet: Castle Street Car Park opposite the Unitarian Church (SO 298141). Parking charges apply. Free car park at Byfield Lane (5 mins walk). Please note that toilets are only available at the start and finish of the walk. Leaders: Abergavenny Local History Society members and National Park Volunteer, Dave Ing. Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience. Sunday 9 May Bluebells & Lunch 09:45 - 13:00 Guided Walk. Booking essential if you would like lunch. A circular walk through the delightful Cwm Oergwm, which should be carpeted with bluebells, plus the option of Sunday lunch at the White Swan. Please come suitably equipped for variable weather conditions. Length, Grade & Ascent: 7m / 11km, Moderate, 250m. Meet: The White Swan, Llanfrynach (SO 076 257). Leaders: National Park Volunteers, Paul Derrick and Liz Lloyd. Please phone us on 01591 620689 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience.

Saturday 15 May Dry Stone Walls: Old and New Time TBC. Free entry. Guided Walk. The resurgence in rural skills has prompted a renewed interest in dry stone walling. Join Philip Clark, retired professional dry stone waller, on this lovely walk to discover the dry stone walls - old and new -that are a special feature of the uplands landscape within the National Park. Learn about the suitability of Old Red Sandstone for dry stone walls and the part these walls once played in the agricultural economy of the area. Discover how they provide a valuable habitat for varieties of mosses and lichens that would otherwise find it difficult to survive on the uplands due to grazing, and how they act as wildlife havens for a range of amphibians, birds, and insects that take shelter within their crevices. Find out why some dry stone walls have been rebuilt and others are left to decay, and hear about the different styles of dry stone walling throughout the years. A wonderful opportunity for dry stone wall `novices' and `experts' alike to explore this traditional craft amongst the beautiful scenery of the upper Tarell Valley. Length, Grade & Ascent: 5m/8km Meet: Storey Arms car park (SN 982202) Leader: Guest Speaker Philip Clark and National Park Wardens TBC. Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience. Saturday 22 May - Sunday 6 June Fforest Fawr Geopark Festival Geopark Event In common with dozens of other Geoparks across Europe, Fforest Fawr is celebrating its geological and cultural heritage throughout this fortnight. Join us for walks, talks and other events. For full details of all events visit website link Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 May Geopark Festival Opening Weekend 10:00-16:30 both days. Free entry- some activities may cost. Geopark Event The Geopark Festival fortnight kicks off at the NPVC, Libanus with displays and family activities including gold panning and fossil-making. Meet: NPVC (SN 977262). Parking charges apply. Saturday 22 May Walking in the Air 11:00-12:00 (indoors) and 14:00-16:00 (walk). Free entry. Family Friendly Geopark Festival Guided Talk and Walk. Geopark Event. From the comfort of the Mountain Centre (NPVC) enjoy a remarkable virtual tour of the Geopark and wider Wales followed in the afternoon by a walk on Mynydd Illtud Common looking at the relationship between the local landscape, its geology and the last Ice Age. Length & Grade: 2m/3km, Easy Meet: NPVC (SN 977262). Parking charges apply. Leaders: Dr Tony Ramsay & Dr Pete Brabham, Cardiff University

Sunday 23 May Walk, Talk and Tea 14:00-15:30. Free entry. Geopark Festival Family Friendly Guided Walk. Geopark Event (repeated Sunday 6 June, Sunday 20 June, Sunday 27 June) A short, easy circular walk (about 1.5 hours) including, a mysterious spiritual centre, an industrial site with wonderful views of the National Park's highest peaks, a final resting place, preparing for war, an unsolved mystery and a little known wonder. Followed by a delicious Cream Tea at the Visitor Centre Tea Rooms. Price: £2.50 Length, Grade: 1.5m/2.5km, Easy Meet: NPVC (SN 977262). Parking charges apply. Leader: National Park Volunteer, Peter Brock and National Park Rights of Way Assistant, Avril Barnes. Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience. Sunday 23 May Lakes, Ladies & Layer-cakes 10:00-17:00. Free entry. Geopark Festival Guided Walk. Geopark Event. Join the Brecon Beacons Park Society to take a close look at the Old Red Sandstone and the legacy of the Ice Ages around Bannau Sir Gaer, Fan Brycheiniog, Llyn y Fan Fach and Llyn y Fan Fawr. Well-behaved dogs on a short lead welcome. Length, Grade & Ascent: 16km/10 miles, Energetic, 700m Meet: Water Board car park, Llanddeusant (SN 799238). Leader: Clive Eiles (BBPS), Dr Adrian Humpage (British Geological Survey) Please phone Dilys Harlow on 01454 775731 more details. Sunday 23 May The Nêdd Fechan Valley 14:00-17:00. Charge: £5 per person. A Geopark Festival Field Study Trip. Geopark Event. Booking essential on 01792 602211. Join experts from Swansea University Department of Adult Continuing Education (DACE) to explore the area known as Coedydd Nêdd (waterfalls area), designated a Special Area of Conservation for its very large and diverse example of old sessile oak wood. Interspersed with ash and lowland woodland, the whole site is biologically rich, with a huge variety of woodland plant communities, mosses and lichens. We will see some old silica workings. A shuttle will take rivers back to their vehicles. Participants are strongly advised to wear boots or stout walking shoes. Waterproofs are advisable. Sorry no dogs.Length & Grade: 3m / 4.8km, Moderate. Meet: Pont Melin Fach (SN 907106) Leaders: Drs Michael Isaac, Geraint Owen & Charles Hipkin with National Park warden Jon Pimm. Tuesday 25 May Brecon Town Past and Present 14:15-16:30. Free entry. Geopark Festival Family Friendly Guided Walk. Geopark Event. (repeated Thursday 3 June, Tuesday 20 July, Thursday 19 August, Thursday 16 September, Thursday 21 October). A town walk, visiting sites of distinction, discovering Brecon's fascinating past and residents of renown. No dogs please. Length / Grade: Approximately 2 miles / Access for all. Meet: Canal Basin, Theatre Brycheiniog, Brecon. Small charge for parking. Leader: National Park Volunteer Peter Brock and National Park Rights of Way Assistant, Avril Barnes Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience.

Thursday 27 May to Sunday 6 June The Guardian Hay Festival. Event. Hay is one of the largest literary festivals in the world. Founded in 1988 it attracts a Who's Who of the British literary world along with comedians, musicians and an impressive array of international speakers - Bill Clinton, Bob Geldof and Jamie Oliver have all attended previous events. Box Office 01497 822629 website link Friday 28 May Pavements and Plants 10:00-16:00. Free entry. Geopark Festival Guided Walk. Geopark Event. Join the Brecon Beacons Park Society for a closer look at gritstone pavements, limestone pavements and their characteristic plantlife around the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu National Nature Reserve with an expert from the Countryside Council for Wales. Length, Grade, Ascent: 5m/9km, Moderate, 200m Meet: Penwyllt car park (SN 855155). Leader: Dilys Harlow (BBPS), Jon Wohlgemuth (CCW reserves manager) For more information, please ring ring DH on 01454 775731. Saturday 29 May to Sunday 6 June Arts and Crafts Fayre 10:00-16:00 every day. Free entry. Family Friendly Event. Come and browse a wide selection of arts and crafts at the National Park Visitor Centre throughout the school half term. Many are made locally, and all are individually hand-made pieces to treasure. Car parking charges apply. For more information contact us on 01874 623366. Saturday 29 May The Ground Beneath Your Feet 10:00-14:30. Free entry. Geopark Festival Guided Walk. Geopark Event. Where will you find colliding continents, collapsing mountain-sides and grinding glaciers? Here on this linear walk in the Central Beacons of course! Explore the geology, learn about the natural habitats and uncover the industrial heritage of this unique area. Length, Grade, Ascent: 4.7m / 7.5km, Energetic, 510m. Meet: Welsh Water car park south of the dam, Talybont-on-Usk (SO 099 197). Leaders: National Park Warden, Sam Ridge & Richard Ball Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience.

Saturday 29 May Nant Byfre; Blaen Cwm Tawe 10:30 start. Free entry. Geopark Festival Guided Walk. Geopark Event. Note: this walk will be conducted in the medium of Welsh. Another view of the Upper Tawe Valley on this walk up beside Nant Byfre looking at the Carboniferous and Old Red Sandstone rocks of the area. Sorry no dogs. Length, Grade, Ascent: TBC, Moderate, TBC Meet: Gwyn Arms, Glyntawe (SN 846165) Leaders: Dr John Davies, Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd For more information please phone John Davies on 01559 362429. Saturday 29 May What the Ice Left! 10:00-17:00. Free entry. Geopark Festival Guided Walk. Geopark Event. Join the Brecon Beacons Park Society on a southern circuit of the central Beacons looking at the legacy of the last Ice Age. We take in Craig y Fan Ddu, Fan y Big, Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du and return via Taf Fechan Forest. Length, Grade & Ascent: 12m/20km, Energetic, 670m Meet: Blaen-y-glyn car park (SO 056176). Leaders: Anthony Furness (BBPS), Alan Bowring (geo-guide) For more information, please ring ring Dilys Harlow on 01454 775731 Sunday 30 May Fossils, Ferns & Faults at Henrhyd Falls 13:00-16:00. Free entry. Geopark Festival Family Friendly Guided Walk. Geopark Event. A walk delving into the history and geology of the wooded ravine into which the waters of the Nant Llech plunge at Henrhyd Falls. Length, Grade & Ascent: 3m/4.5km, Easy, Ascent TBC Meet: National Trust car park at Henrhyd Waterfalls (SN 855 119). No charge. Leaders: National Park Wardens Wyn Morgan and Toby Small Please phone us on 01874 623366 for more details and to let us know you are coming to help us give you a safe and enjoyable experience. Monday 31 May Northern Cwms of Brecon Beacons 10:00-16:30. Free entry. Geopark Festival Guided Walk. Geopark Event. Explore the impressive northern flanks of the Brecon Beacons with a National Trust Warden. Climb to Pen y Fan and Corn Du via Cwm Mawr. Descent via Pen Milan & its quarries to Cwm Llwch and road walk back to Cwm Gwdi. Location: National Trust car park at Cwm Gwdi (SO 024247). Length, Grade & Ascent: 7m/11km, Energetic, 640m Leader: Rob Reith, NT Warden More info: Ring National Trust on 07771 980123. Dogs welcome if under close control.

Organised by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority

Brecon Beacons National Park Guided Walks, Children's Activities & Family Events May 2010 Statistics: 80 click throughs, 5750 views since 2011