@tokyo 14 Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Never mind, the place you went to isn't too bad....... Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 WEDNESDAY 15 MAY 2013 I returned home to Wales a month ago hoping for April turns but the snow which fell at the start of the month had unfortunately long since disappeared. With Scotland still going strong and the thermometer barely getting above 10 C there was always a chance that cold air from the north mixed with the early summer rains could deliver one last day this season. And yesterday was that day, and the first time I've been able to ski in Wales in May. In the British Summer Time. SUMMER SKIING IN THE CENTRAL BEACONS MASSIF 16 cm had been forecast on the higher peaks of the Brecon Beacons National Park and when I parked up at 9am I was surprised and excited to see the extent of the snow cover. Sunshine and a stiff wind accompanied me on my hike up the well maintained main path. The snowfall was very localised as can be seen from the following images. I'm standing on Cefn Crew where the snow had settled fairly evenly looking back across the A470 to Fan Fawr where there was just a dusting up high. Ahead of me winter had returned I walked to the summit plateau of Corn Du and then to Pen-y-Fan. The faces I'd skied in November hadn't received as much snowfall as the slopes running down from Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du into Blaen Taff Fechan and the Upper Neuadd reservoir. Pen-y-Fan from Corn Du The NE Face of Pen-y-Fan The NE Face of Pen-y-Fan with Cribyn The locals were a little bemused with the weather So I spent the morning making laps off Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du (2 laps each) before heading back to Bwlch Duwynt and the home run. The snow was slow and spongy but consistent and smooth. Patience was the name of the game. It was great to be making 'home' turns again. Cefn Crew The end of the road The end of the season? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
griller 9 Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Very well done, dude. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 haha!! well done Mike I can't believe you even try to ski in that!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Crazy, but very cool. Lovely views in Wales hey. Must get there one day. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Thanks griller, TubbyBeaverhino, and muikabochi. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 SUMMER SKIING IN THE CENTRAL BEACONS MASSIF Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I was working out at Teine yesterday, still a lot of snow on the upper mountain. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Went for a bit of a drive up Uonuma Skyline this afternoon, hardly any up there. Will post some pics. In another thread, sorry Mike! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Nice Mike I think the sheep think you a bit nuts Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Wow, that video is scary -- hope you brought your rock skis! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 The Beacons bark is worse than its bite. The dark shadows are tufts of grass poking through. Most of the time you lose wax not bases. Link to post Share on other sites
pdoull 2 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Always enjoy hearing and viewing your adventures Mike. Looking forward to more. Have you fallen there (plenty of obstacles - rocks, uneven surface, grass tuffs and not a whole heap of snow). Looks like you could slide a ways if that happened? Link to post Share on other sites
little sheep 0 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Very good, sir Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Great reports Mike. Always good to read about your ski adventures. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 19, 2013 Author Share Posted May 19, 2013 Thanks snowdude and little sheep. Always enjoy hearing and viewing your adventures Mike. Looking forward to more. Have you fallen there (plenty of obstacles - rocks, uneven surface, grass tuffs and not a whole heap of snow). Looks like you could slide a ways if that happened? Thanks. Yeah taken plenty of tumbles, nothing serious though. The grass tufts and heather are quite accommodating. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Looks like a lot of fun Mike but calling mid May summer? That's a bit of a stretch isn't it? Especially in Wales! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 It snowed the first day of summer this year in Scotland Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Summer hasn't started this year yet in the northern hemisphere though has it? When do you guys consider summer starts? I would have thought it would be from the summer solstice? Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 No in the UK it's technically when British Summer Time begins.....which of course isn't really in summer but that's when the clocks go forward Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 Talking of the sheep - they must love it when the cold winter finishes! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 20, 2013 Author Share Posted May 20, 2013 No in the UK it's technically when British Summer Time begins.....which of course isn't really in summer but that's when the clocks go forward Yep. Yesterday I was at the beach in shorts and t-shirt and it was 21 C. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 20, 2013 Author Share Posted May 20, 2013 Talking of the sheep - they must love it when the cold winter finishes! They don't seem to mind it much. Only problems when it drifts and they get stuck, like it did in N Wales earlier in the winter. Link to post Share on other sites
GoodEgg 0 Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Great stuff Mike! Wales looks beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
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