Welsh flag Brecon Beacons
Welsh flag

Fan Dance

  

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July 2015
 

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After a 13 mile practice walk in the beautiful Brecon Beacons in May and months of practice on the Chilterns, it was time for the real thing - well as real as a civilian version can get.

My pack duly weighed in at 38 pounds the night before; long-trousered and booted - I was good to go.

Early morning mist on the route, though to be honest I preferred the prospect of mist to full beating summer sun...

Mist

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Ken Jones and 'Big' Phil Campion giving some inspiring pre-start words...

Pep talk

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...


Start

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At RV1 at the highest point in Southern Britain - the top of Pen y Fan at 2939 feet (896m)...


Pen y Fan 1

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Queuing to be checked in...

Pen y Fan 2

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The start of the run down the other side...


 Pen y Fan 3

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Views from the top that had been denied to us in May - looking across to Cribyn at 2608 feet (795m)...

 

Pen y Fan 4

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The second climb of Pen y Fan was a lot harder and slower than the first...
 
Back up Pen y Fan

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Onwards & upwards...

Pen y Fan 5

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The views kept me going, though the heat was less welcome...
 

Pen y Fan 6

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At the finishing point - next to the fabled red telephone box - receiving my finisher's patch from Phil Campion...

With Big Phil 1

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Although I had thoroughly enjoyed it, I was glad it was over... for now...
 

With Big Phil 2

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Max finishing earlier in the clean fatigue race...

Max finishing

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The prize for all the practice; a finisher's patch...

Finishers' patch

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With a celebratory beer... 

 
 Celebratory beer

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Celebrating the event...
 
Celebratory beer 2

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Previous Fan Dance veterans... Richard, Richard & Max... 

Max and Richards

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Richard, me, Richard & Max...

 and me

 
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Card that accompanied the patch...


Card

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Miche at the hotel in our room for small people again... 

Miche room

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The hotel room was small, but the gardens were huge & lovely...

Brochure 1

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Beehives by the nature pond...

 

Hotel pond

 

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