144 OUTDOOR PURSUITS
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Experience
Our aim was to ‘investigate the varying ecosystems across the Brecon Beacons’ and during our weekend we travelled across rocky terrain and through marshy land, passed by reservoirs and rivers, explored forests and tramped over rough grassland.
Day 1
For those of you who are D of E enthusiasts, there are certain experiences on expeditions that have become traditional: the drag race between minibuses on the motorway, the innovative methods of dealing with midges and, of course, thinking retrospectively of something you could have brought which ‘would have been so useful’.
In our most recent expedition across the Brecon Beacons all of these things occurred and this documents the range of emotions we experienced, as would any group walking for miles in the middle of nowhere...
0845: Minibus - We have just come off the motorway for the third time and overtake Mr Murray who is reversing off the exit back onto the motorway. Everyone is rocking the minibus to the music ‘Black and Yellow’.
2146: In tent - 60km to go. At the moment I don’t care about anything other than getting dry and staying that way. Today there was lots of rain, really miserable weather, and we didn’t know where we were for much of the day, due to poor visibility. There were some moments when I thought I was going to be up on the Beacons all night, so I’m glad to be in camp.
Day 2
0735: Camp - Blue skies dotted with clouds bring a welcome change. I can see a fishing net being worn on someone’s head as protection from midges. The mood is better than yesterday after a good sleep and the promise of sunshine. Everything is soaked through, including boots, feet, clothes and sleeping bags from yesterday’s rain.
0844: At camp - People are still packing up their tents. Lots of midges about. We can now see the sun after 24 hrs and there will be the need for sun cream and glasses, but everything is feeling wet.
1500: 46km to go - Take a short cut through the woods and find that the rain has made the ground very sloppy. I step ankle deep into sludge numerous times, after my feet had just dried off. We end up walking though fields of long thick grass, sending my hay fever into overdrive, and find ourselves attacked by a swarm of horse flies, leaving many nasty bites.
“
There were times even today where I wanted to chuck in the towel but I am glad I kept going.”
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