For the third year running I've been lucky enough to be involved with the Crickhowell Walking Festival. Now in its 9th year the festival has grown to be one of the best in the country. This year there were over 90 walks attracting over 1000 individual walkers to this small Welsh town and the wider beauty of the Brecon Beacons national park. Spread over nine days there are walks for all abilities, music, talks and other events.
There are times when I crave solitude in the hills and escape to the quieter corners of the national park, those secret places that we all have. It gives me time to think, time to relax, time to test and develop my own skills at my own pace.
The walking festival brings out my other side, the one that loves meeting new people and sharing my passion for the uplands. Walking in a group helps the miles skip by, eases the pain of the up hill sections and keeps you entertained when the going gets tough. It may be the umpteenth time I've walked a route that year but it's always different with a new group. Fresh eyes bring a fresh perspective and new challenges that keep me on my toes.
This year we took a group from the Taf Fechan valley around the 'big four' - Corn Du, Pen Y Fan, Cribyn and Fan Y Big. There was an icy wind blowing in from the north east but the day was bright and the sun even put in the occasional appearance. In that group was a remarkable lady in her 70's, her daughter (who'd had a hip replacement the previous year) and her 13 year old grandson. Each of them faced their own challenges during the day but the whole group came together to make sure everyone had a fantastic day. Friendships grew in the short time we were together and I'm sure I'll meet some of them again in years to come.
The walking festival brings out my other side, the one that loves meeting new people and sharing my passion for the uplands. Walking in a group helps the miles skip by, eases the pain of the up hill sections and keeps you entertained when the going gets tough. It may be the umpteenth time I've walked a route that year but it's always different with a new group. Fresh eyes bring a fresh perspective and new challenges that keep me on my toes.
This year we took a group from the Taf Fechan valley around the 'big four' - Corn Du, Pen Y Fan, Cribyn and Fan Y Big. There was an icy wind blowing in from the north east but the day was bright and the sun even put in the occasional appearance. In that group was a remarkable lady in her 70's, her daughter (who'd had a hip replacement the previous year) and her 13 year old grandson. Each of them faced their own challenges during the day but the whole group came together to make sure everyone had a fantastic day. Friendships grew in the short time we were together and I'm sure I'll meet some of them again in years to come.
Another group joined us on a different day for a circular tour in the heart of the Black Mountains. The day started with one of the hardest jobs when we had to tell a group of five men that we couldn't take them with us. They were ill prepared for a 12 mile walk along boggy ridges in sub-zero temperatures and it would have put their safety and the safety of the rest of the group at risk if we had allowed them to come. They should be congratulated for making the effort to come. They wanted to experience what the Brecon Beacons had to offer and it's a hard job to turn them away.
The festival continues and I'll be back again at the weekend to meet a new group of people and share some of the best bits of this small corner of Britain with them. We'll walk, we'll talk, we'll laugh and hopefully not cry! At the end of the day we'll go our separate ways but it will be a joint experience that will stick with us for a long time.
Yes there's a time and a place for solitude, but joining an event at a walking festival can bring a whole new reason to get out there for a walk. So what are you waiting for? Just get out there and walk.
The festival continues and I'll be back again at the weekend to meet a new group of people and share some of the best bits of this small corner of Britain with them. We'll walk, we'll talk, we'll laugh and hopefully not cry! At the end of the day we'll go our separate ways but it will be a joint experience that will stick with us for a long time.
Yes there's a time and a place for solitude, but joining an event at a walking festival can bring a whole new reason to get out there for a walk. So what are you waiting for? Just get out there and walk.