Brecon Beacons

Fan Dance

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

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

Pep talk

...

Start

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

Pen y Fan 1

Queuing to be checked in...

Pen y Fan 2

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

Pen y Fan 3

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

Pen y Fan 4

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

Back up Pen y Fan

Onwards & upwards...

Pen y Fan 5

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

Pen y Fan 6

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

With Big Phil 1

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

With Big Phil 2

Max finishing earlier in the clean fatigue race...

Max finishing

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

Finishers' patch

With a celebratory beer...

Celebratory beer

Celebrating the event...
Celebratory beer 2

Celebratory beer 2

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

Max and Richards

Richard, me, Richard & Max...

and me

Card that accompanied the patch...

Card

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

Miche room

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

Brochure 1

Beehives by the nature pond...

Hotel pond

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