Breacon Beacons

Wednesday 19^th and Thursday 20^th August: Breacon Beacons, Powys, Wales

Wednesday 19^th: Allt Rhongyr and Craig y Rhiwarth Reserves, Craig-y-Nos

Leaders: Stephanie Coates and John Crellin

In the morning, we will meet at 10:30. Park in the small layby next to the main entrance gate to the nature reserve. Grid Ref: SN852156; what3words: ///defrost.relatives.princely. Turn off the A4067 half a mile south of Craig-y-Nos Country Park on the minor road to Penwyllt. Follow this road for 1 mile. Where the road bends to the right and climbs steeply uphill, the reserve is on your left. Limited space for parking by the main gate (don’t obstruct entrance to Hillcrest bungalow). Alternatively, park on the wide road at what3words ///engraving.rockets.alarming, this is just before the bridleway gate (Beacons Way), walk up hill to main gate. Please beware of traffic on the hill.

The afternoon will be spent at Craig y Rhiwarth Nature Reserve and offers dramatic views of the Tawe Valley. It features a diverse mix of limestone grassland, acidic grassland and woodland and it was once the site of an iron age hillfort.

We hope to see Quaking Grass Briza media, Harebell Campanula rotundifolia, Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris, Broad-leaved Helleborine Epipactis helleborine, Autumn Gentian Gentianella amarella, Common Rock Rose Helianthemum nummularium, Fairy Flax Linum catharticum, Salad Burnet Poterium sanguisorba, Small Scabious Scabiosa columbaria and Devils-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis.

Thursday 20^th: Ogof Ffynnon Ddu National Nature Reserve

Leader: John Crellin

Meet at 10:30 at car parking in disused quarry at Grid Ref: SN85551549. Again, turn off the A4067 half a mile south of Craig-y-Nos Country Park on the minor road to Penwyllt. Continue to the right after the disused railway station to the quarry. The road is OK despite what is shown on the map.

We will walk up on the Beacons Way to the limestone pavement enclosure where Hairy Greenweed Genista pilosa grows at Grid Ref: SN866159 and then explore the wider area of the reserve with interesting geology and magnificent views.

We hope to see: Hairy Rock-cress Arabis hirsuta, Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis, Hairy Greenweed Genista pilosa, Mountain Melick Melica nutans, Sanicle Sanicula europaea and Lesser Meadow-rue Thalictrum minus. Narrow-leaved Bittercress Cardamine impatiens has been recorded in the past – last seen in 2000, so is not impossible…

Both days would be primarily for reasonably fit people used to a bit of moderate hill-walking. Both walks are near Craig-y-Nos Country Park, Grid Ref: SN 840538 where there is parking (small fee), electric car charging and a café.

To book, contact Janet John wfs.meetings@gmail.com