Pay and Display at Pen-Y-Fan?

The National Trust intends to submit a planning application later this year seeking to build a visitor centre at Pont ar Daf near Storey Arms and improve the car park's safety and security.

The Trust spends more than £100,000 a year on the upkeep of Pen y Fan and other parts of the Brecon Beacons, and says it has started the consultation process on the introduction of parking charges to the site. There will be opposition from Ramblers Cymru who have criticised the move, saying walking should be free and accessible for everyone.

The car park at Pont ar Daf was created in the 1960s after road improvements left a section of the A470 isolated from the main carriageway. It was soon adopted by walkers because it offered easy access to Pen y Fan.

"If you arrive at the car park you have access to the three most important things, a loo, a brew and a view," said National Trust property manager Philip Park. "If we are successful in gaining permission the offer will remain essentially the same, but it will be designed to meet the higher expectations of visitors to the area nowadays. We believe this development can really improve the enjoyment that visitors can experience in this wonderful part of Wales".

But director Angela Charlton said: "Ramblers Cymru are disappointed that the National Trust feel they have to start charging for parking. People have been freely walking Pen y Fan for many years. Ramblers Cymru works with groups such as Turning Point who use Pen y Fan for inspirational training for recovering addicts. We hope this will not have a detrimental effect."

Pwll Du Headland, Gower

After pulling into the car park Wandering asked Lord Twynyrodyn whether he had checked the tide times? Oh no, not that old chestnut again?

"B*ll@x, why didn't you suggest that before we left!" came the response!

As you can guess this was a last minute choice. Anyway after paying to park all day (£5), it was a stroll across the almost deserted beach (apart from the lifeguards on a training exercise) before joining the Coastal Path and yes the tide was on the way out!

The steep steps in the far corner of the bay below the apartment block, took us onto the coastal path itself towards Brandy Cove and Pwll Du Bay.



As the name suggests - Brandy Bay was named after the smuggling which took place there. The small, quiet bay was used to unload illegal tobacco and alcohol during the eighteenth century.




We followed the cliff top path until Pwll Du Bay, which consisted of millions of pebbles that formed part of the large shingle bank. Pwll Du or "Black Pool" is one of the most inaccessible bays on Gower so remains unknown to the majority of visitors. The pool is caused by the shingle bank blocking the river flowing into Pwll Du bay.



Previously there were five public houses in Pwll Du Bay, but now only two actually remain as private houses - Ship Cottage (Ship Inn) and Beaufort House (Beaufort Arms). We spoke to a couple who owned one of the houses about the route ahead.

We continue uphill through the woodland, towards Pwll Du Head rejoining the coastal path. During the smuggling activities the 300 foot high headland provided a very convenient vantage point to keep an eye out for customs officers.

We were able to eat lunch with a magnificent view above Pennard Cliffs looking towards Three Cliffs and Oxwich Bay.

Leaving the coastal path we entered Bishopton woods eventually reaching the path next to the stream on the valley floor.

Keeping the stream to our right, we continued through the dense woodland looking for the point where the stream re-surfaced from under ground.



We were able to located both Long Ash Mine, an old silver lead mine and a small cavern called Guzzle Hole, where the sound of the the river running underground is surprising loud!



After leaving the Guzzle Hole the route on the map indicated that the walk continued north along the dry river-bed. Well we passed two disused quarries on the way to Church Lane and then realised that the directions were naff! It was only when we refreshed ourselves with a pint in the Joiners Arms in Bishopstown that we established that we had gone too far on the dry river-bed!

After a short walk through the village we stood on the corner of Pwll Du Lane looking for Brandy Cove Road. Wandering pointed out the street sign to Lord Twynyrodyn - it was difficult to curtail the laughter when we realised that we were already standing in Brandy Cove Road.

The bridle path led back to Brandy Cove and from there we re-traced your steps along the cliff-top path back to Caswell Bay and a cup of tea in the beach front cafe.

The walk was nine miles and took us four hours, with stops for lunch and alcoholic refreshments.

Mountain Rescue Team in Crash

The volunteers who are on call to help anyone who encounters difficulty in the mountains of South Wales, had a fortunate escape over the weekend after their vehicle was badly damaged in a collision while on a call-out shout.

This was the extent of the damage caused to the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team communications vehicle in the accident. The specialist mobile command vehicle for the BMRT was involved in a three-vehicle collision during a call out near Builth Wells.

Incredibly the two team members in the vehicle escaped with only minor injuries. Other team members treated casualties on the scene until ambulances arrived.

Nigel Dawson, team leader of Brecon MRT, said: "What is most important is that our two team members escaped serious injury. We attend around 100 call outs every year and this vehicle was also central to many other rescues across South and Mid Wales. Our fundraising team, who already raise all the money for our day to day operating costs, are about to launch a campaign for a new mobile HQ. Until then we have been generously loaned a communications vehicle so that we can continue providing the cover that the public has come to expect."

Tidal Timelapse

A day in the life of Strangford Lough

Snowdon in a Frontera

Police are investigating why a Vauxhall Frontera was left on a footpath near to the summit of Snowdon.

It is understood that the 4x4 was driven up sometime on Saturday morning but may have become stuck on the descent about 400 yards (365m) from the 1,085m (3,560 ft)high top of the mountain.

North Wales Police confirmed they were called to the incident but currently have no more details.

Walkers passing the Vauxhall Frontera (close to the Snowdon mountain railway line) have taken photographs of the vehicle on the Llanberis side of the summit, close to the train track.

Ian Henderson of Llanberis Mountain Rescue said the emergency services or national park officers would never attempt to drive up Snowdon.