Holiday at Bettws, Wales
Thursday 3rd November
This evening we had a phone call from where we were ment to be staying this weekend to say that the boiler was not working. They had had someone out all day to try and sort it but with no luck. Therefore we were unable to stay there. The owner suggested somewhere else we could get in touch with butthere was no answer when we rang. I got online and found a little cottage called Hafod at Bettws. We managed to get a bit of a deal from them as it was such a last minute booking. Cost a bit more than we had paid at the other place but we just very pleased we managed to find somewhere else to stay in less than 24 hours time!
Friday 4th November
We loaded up the car and we were on our way around 18:00. It seemed a slow first part of the journey as we had to go via the caving club at Priddy to collect the key for the cave we are wanting to go to. We got over the toll bridge and then stopped for some dinner. We rang the place we are staying at to let them know when we were expecting to arrive. By 22:30 we had found our way up twisty little lanes and found the cottage. We got unpacked, relaxed for a bit and then headed to bed - we were both shattered.
Saturday 5th November
This morning we eventually decided what we were going to do. We decided to go for a walk. Tim had found a route up Table Mountain and then on to Pen Cerrig Calch. We packed our rucksacks and drove to Crickhowell to get some lunch. On the way we drove past the start of the walk to make sure there was somewhere to park. We found a bakery in Crickhowell, we got a filled roll and a cake for lunch and a pasty for breakfast! We drove back to the start of the walk and got our walking boots on. We set off up the hill - Tim had said there was a lot of up, I didn't realise he meant directly up! It was a very steep route up to table mountain.
We made it to the top and found a cairn and a lovely view.
From the top of Table Mountain we could see the path that led to Pen Cerrig Calch.
Once off Table Mountain the route was much steadier, not for long though - it soon became steep again, particularly this section!
Looking back down the hill we could see how Table Mountain got it's name.
Steadily plodding on it got more windy and much colder as we came over the top of the hill. We saw the trig-point and had to have the compulsory photo as proof! Further on we climbed into a cairn for a bit of shelter from the wind.
We set off back down the hill to find a sheltered spot to eat our lunch. Even from our little shelter we had a lovely view!
Carrying on down the hill it was clear how steep some sections had been on the way up! We skirted round the side of Table Mountain and we were soon back at the car.
On our way back to Hafod we stopped at Waitrose and did some shopping.
After a rest and a hot drink to warm up we heard from Phill to say he was about half an hour away. We rang handbells for a couple of hours and eventually managed to ring a quarter peal of Plain Bob Doubles!
Later on this evening we made ourselves some dinner and relaxed watching TV, looking at photos from the day and writing my blog.
Sunday 6th November
This morning we had a look at the weather and decided we would go climbing. We knew it would be fairly windy but we hoped we could find a sheltered spot. We drove up a lot of narrow windy lanes and found the suggested parking area. We easily located the path to the crag. We got out of the car and realised how freezing the wind was! We piled on some layers and set off up the hill. We first came to the Preliminary Walls, further on round we got to the Main Wall.
We had a look at all of the bolted routes to identify what was what and decided we would start with a route called Jug Fest. It wasn't really a sheltered spot so we both got very cold. We walked further round to another route and found we would still be in the wind. We looked at the time and decided we would abandon the hill and head to Llangorse multi-activity centre ad do some indoor climbing!
Part of the centre has been made with limestone boulders so it had more of a feel of climbing outside. Unfortunately it was also quite polished in places. We had a nice afternoon and much warmer than we would have been outside!
Back at the cottage we got changed, warmed up and then had a look online to find a pub to go to this evening. We ended up in The Dragon in Crickhowell.
This evening we have relaxed and looked at the cave survey to suss out where we want to go tomorrow.
Monday 7th November
This morning we decided where we would visit in Agen Allwedd. We sorted out an emergency call out and got our kit packed up. We drove over to Llangattock and parked outside Whitewalls Caving Club. We set off down the track and walked the 45 mins to the cave entrance.
About 12.30 we unlocked the gate and got out of the cold into the cave. The entrance section is a mixture of walking, stooping and clambering over bolder obstacles. The rock is very slippery which makes everything just a bit annoying! The last last section is a boulder choke - where we went round in circles the last visit to Aggy! This time we remembered the way through and eventually emerged into Barron's Chamber. A large chamber that leads into main passage. From here progress is much quicker! We located the start of Southern Stream Passage. A little further on we consulted the description text to check we were in the right place. We realised we had ended up in the Upper Stream Passage so we back tracked and found a hold in the floor to continue along Stream Passage. We very quickly found that this passage became annoyingly stoopy and generally irritating! We got to the point we would have to start crawling and decided that we would call it quits at this point. We set off back to the entrance with Tim doing some photos on the way. We got back to the entrance just before 17.00.
We had a good trip. Though stripping off out of caving clothes to get changed for the drive back to the cottage in temperatures of 2 degrees was not that fun!
Back at the cottage we warmed up, got dinner and cleaned up in the shower! This evening we are both quite tired so have just had a lazy evening.
Tomorrow is our last day. We have to be back for a handbell rehearsal and take the Aggy key back to the caving club. We have decided to set off for the Mendips and have a walk and a pub lunch before completing the journey home.
Tuesday 8th November
This morning we packed up all our stuff and loaded up the car. We set off in good time and get down to the Mendips around 11. We parked near the top of Burrington Coombe and took a footpath that went to the top of Beacon Batch - The highest hill in the Mendips. We had a lovely walk over the top of the hill and then back around the side of the hill. At the top we took the obligatory trig point photo!
After the walk we went to the Castle of Comfort pub for lunch. We decided we didn't fancy cooking when we got home!! The journey back from the Mendips didn't take too long and we were back with enough time to get he car unpacked and everything sorted out before our handbells rehearsal. We had a great time away and would definitely return to the area but hopefully to the cottage we booked in the first place!
This morning we had a look at the weather and decided we would go climbing. We knew it would be fairly windy but we hoped we could find a sheltered spot. We drove up a lot of narrow windy lanes and found the suggested parking area. We easily located the path to the crag. We got out of the car and realised how freezing the wind was! We piled on some layers and set off up the hill. We first came to the Preliminary Walls, further on round we got to the Main Wall.
Part of the centre has been made with limestone boulders so it had more of a feel of climbing outside. Unfortunately it was also quite polished in places. We had a nice afternoon and much warmer than we would have been outside!
Back at the cottage we got changed, warmed up and then had a look online to find a pub to go to this evening. We ended up in The Dragon in Crickhowell.
This evening we have relaxed and looked at the cave survey to suss out where we want to go tomorrow.
Monday 7th November
This morning we decided where we would visit in Agen Allwedd. We sorted out an emergency call out and got our kit packed up. We drove over to Llangattock and parked outside Whitewalls Caving Club. We set off down the track and walked the 45 mins to the cave entrance.
Back at the cottage we warmed up, got dinner and cleaned up in the shower! This evening we are both quite tired so have just had a lazy evening.
Tomorrow is our last day. We have to be back for a handbell rehearsal and take the Aggy key back to the caving club. We have decided to set off for the Mendips and have a walk and a pub lunch before completing the journey home.
Tuesday 8th November
This morning we packed up all our stuff and loaded up the car. We set off in good time and get down to the Mendips around 11. We parked near the top of Burrington Coombe and took a footpath that went to the top of Beacon Batch - The highest hill in the Mendips. We had a lovely walk over the top of the hill and then back around the side of the hill. At the top we took the obligatory trig point photo!
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