Carn Rica

Carn Rica is a large cairn on the edge of the summit plateau. It could be seen ahead as a tantalising target. I trotted along and it didn't seem to get closer. Occasionaly I'd turn around and admire the view behind me. The Tallybont valley is really pretty. The Black Mountains loomed further to the east and the military boomed further north. I wondered whether this amount of artillery action was typical.

There was a steep final climb up to the Carn Rica cairn Somebody had constructed some stone steps to make the passage marginally easier. The cairn was quite large but part of it had fallen away. It looked well made and I was curious as to what had caused this. It took a seat on a fallen stone, sucked an icy peanut bar and admired the view. I could see water on the horizon with land behind it. I wondered if I was seeing England across the River Severn.

Plateau And Rim Walking

I walked along a well made path across the plateau. I reminded me of walks back in the Peak District. After twenty minutes I reached the col at Bwlch y Ddwyallt and looked across the valley to Fan-y-Big, Cribyn and Pen-y-Fan. I had been at this spot on yesterday's walk. It was worth coming up here again just to get this view. I followed the edge until I got to the head of the valley. At a large cairn I took a southeast bearing to take me across the plateau to Blaen Caerfanell on the eastern edge. After about a 100 metres I came across a large exposed rock area on which a stone shelter had been built. I thought it was an odd place to build it since you couldn't actually see it from path on the plateau edge. I continued on the bearing and reached the other side of the plateau. Yesterday I'd seen an excavator making its way across the plateau. Today, I could see it working on improving the path on the eastern edge. In fact there were two excavators working. They seemed pretty close to the edge. I hope they never get it stuck in a forward gear.

Plateau End

This part of the plateau ended with yet another large cairn at Gwalciaur Cwm. The plateau dropped away steeply at this point. It was only when I looked at this edge, when I'd started the descent from the plateau that I could see that this was a fearsomely steep edge. This is an amazing landscape. I chatted for a while for a couple who said they just met up for walks. He was from Cardiff and she was from Bristol, although they both spoke without an accent. They also said that the scenery is more impressive the further west you get. He cleared up my confusion of the Black Mountains and Black Mountain Range being two distinct sets of mountains.

On the way down from the plateau I met two blokes in shorts striding up the path. I told them they were brave wearing shorts in such icy weather. One had a tattoo of a dagger and shield on one calf. I guessed they were soldiers out for some extra training.

I reached the car and the world had defrosted from this morning. Even though it had been an overcast day the views had been stunning. I'm sad that my week in the Brecon Beacons had come to an end.