Nythfa House, HF Holidays I received a bit of gentle ribbing and a few questioning glances when I signed up for the Easy Walk today (7m/900') but it promised views, a botanical preserve, ruins of an Iron Age fort, standing stones, and beautiful pastures - how could I resist? The Hard was 10.75m/3000', steep climb … Continue reading Day 5: Strolling on an Easy Walk
Author: alliwanders
Day 4: First Day Hiking
We arrived Saturday at the HF Holidays Brecon Beacons house just in time for Afternoon Tea. Excellent timing on our part! After some sweet treats and a cuppa we unpacked and surveyed our new home-away-from-home. It's a converted very large 19th C. private house, now used exclusively by HF for hiking holidays and short getaways. The … Continue reading Day 4: First Day Hiking
Day 3: Croeso I Cymru
Welcome to Wales! I wish I had taken a lovely scenery shot to open today's blog but I'm afraid it didn't cross my mind. So just close your eyes and picture dark leafy forested rolling hills punctuated by small beige or green pastures fenced in by thick hedgerows. Right, that's Wales so far. We had … Continue reading Day 3: Croeso I Cymru
Day 2: All in a Day’s Drive
Today we really put Portia (our GPS) to the test. Somehow, somewhere, deep in her settings, she's decided that country back roads of the one-lane-walled-in-by hedgerows variety is the desired route for us and we end up with very scenic but very challenging drives. We started off from our Warminster B&B at a late 9:30am … Continue reading Day 2: All in a Day’s Drive
Day 1: A Television Day
Highclere Castle, the real setting of Downton Abbey, was an exciting start to our trip. Luckily I booked our entrance tickets last April as the whole summer booked out quickly. We cruised up the grand driveway at a snail's pace, prolonging the daydream that we were great persons of importance to whom Lord Grantham would … Continue reading Day 1: A Television Day
Arrival Day: England!
Our Virgin Atlantic flight set us down in Jolly Ole England about 1:30pm but the marathon walk to customs and the long wait at Europcar meant we didn't hit the road till a yawn-producing 3:30pm. Mum and I were both tired as no matter how comfortable your class of air travel might be, sleeping on … Continue reading Arrival Day: England!
JMT 17 & 18: A Marathon Ending
Waking up at my little sanctuary in the trees, all I could think of is "I'm so close to the end. So close to showers and real food and a soft mattress. So close to not being so darned cold in the morning. Could I finish today?" And so I got up and started walking. … Continue reading JMT 17 & 18: A Marathon Ending
JMT Day 16: A Good Day
Today was a good day. Long, hard, but everything seemed to be in my favor. My camp last night was at the base of Glen Pass, so with a 6:20am start, I was at the top by 7:40. Luckily I was warned by the Colorado folks that there was a plateau 1/2 way up that … Continue reading JMT Day 16: A Good Day
JMT Day 15: Weather-Wise
Yesterday I raced down Pinchot to escape the weather, which luckily kept to the heights until the night, when it showered all over my tent and clean socks. My tent had rain drops that I was able to wipe away with the useless piece of material that was supposed to be my camp towel; the … Continue reading JMT Day 15: Weather-Wise
JMT Day 14: I’ll Take A Pass, Make That Two
Mather was another tough one; chiseled out of the mountainside, it was steep and rough, and my highest yet at 12,100'. I ate lukewarm oatmeal at the top as a celebratory breakfast, then headed on down. Easy-peasy switchbacks on the far side, I felt like a character in a video game: go left, turn; go … Continue reading JMT Day 14: I’ll Take A Pass, Make That Two
Allison’s Wanderlust 