Fri 16 July

It was about 9:15am by the time I left the B&B. By the time I had bought a compass suitable for the northern hemisphere it was about 9:45am, and by the time I eventually found the correct road leading to sugar loaf it was nearer 10:00!

The navigation to the top of Sugar Loaf was uncomplicated but the steep track, especially near the summit, was hard work. I only spent a few minutes at the top as it was clear rain was heading in. There were a few people up there and one group offered to take a photo of me by the trig. point. I checked my way off Sugar Loaf with someone on the summit and then made an uneventful trip down to Forest Coal Pit. I made a phone call to my B&B to tell them I was running late.

I stopped at a farm, on the way up to Garn-wen, to take on extra water and had a very enjoyable conversation with a farmer and his wife. I positively sailed up the next few km. It made me realise that meeting interesting friendly people is more important to me than extensive views from a mountain ridge.

After leaving the farmhouse the route was well defined and almost became a 'motorway' when it joined the Brecon Way. I met a large group of school children doing their Duke of Edinbrough walk, near where the Brecon way turned down East. The weather deteriorated to periods of howling wind and rain interspersed with bits of sunshine. I met a chap who said I would have to walk down over the moor to Capel-y-Ffin but I eventually found a pretty clear path down, starting at a large cairn.

When tired at the end of the day going steeply down hill is nearly as bad as going up