EVENTS & NEWS

Elan Valley, Mid Wales Walking Weekend 16/17th September 2010
By Helen Grimston

How do you pronounce the place we are going to?…..raider?…..rider?..... Does anyone know? Did anyone really care? Well, as we had a small welsh speaking contingency, namely Helen & Liz to assist us with the local lingo, it’s actually pronounced Ray-uh-deu (with a roll of the R if physically possible, which no one managed to master, not even after a few beers!)

The ritual meet up in the pub on the Friday night was achieved with 5 minutes to go before the food orders stopped! Rebecca was chuffed as this was the first time she didn’t have to rely on a packet of crisps to keep her going until breakfast! Clare G, as with all good planners, worked out her following days’ walking route in between pints and informed everyone we would set out for the hills at 10am! We then retired to the bunkhouse and with only one of the bedrooms allotted to the ‘snorers and night babblers’, everyone else grabbed their beds and settled in for the night.    

The next morning, after a lot of phaffing, we managed to get ourselves organised by 10.15. Well, it did take 30 minutes to re park all 9 cars on the drive which normally only parked 3 cars! Gilly was designated path finder for the day and did a sterling job of keeping us on track. And so with the sun shining, Paul B, Jane and Abigail went out MTBing and the remaining 11 enthusiastic ramblers began their 11 mile yomp around the Elan Valley reservoirs.

However, within an hour, the question already being asked by Aj and Rebecca was ’How far is it to the lunch time pub?’ Unfortunately, even though Rhayader boasts the most pubs per capita in the UK, there are none on or around the hills of Elan Valley! Nobody had the heart to tell them.

Lunch was enjoyed at the half way mark which up to now had consisted of an uphill forest section, bridleways and gentle country lanes leading up to the reservoir dam. There were even ‘real’ toilets at the lunch stop! This was very handy, as there was not a tree in sight by this time! So to whoever says Clare can’t arrange a piss up in a brewery! I say pah! Brilliant planning! Thank you Clare, from all the girls!

The second half of the walk was a little more challenging as the farm track we were following became a flowing river and so constant detours into the boggy heath were required to avoid the water. But once we climbed out of the valley the ground conditions improved and the only dilemma was where could we, sorry I’ll re phrase that… where could Clare G and Rebecca do their ‘wild swimming’?  All of us have good intentions of joining them but, well….. You know how it is? Bit cold! Forgotten towel! Etc etc
However, even those thoughts were forgotten for 15 minutes as an impromptu massage/ medical session took place on a grassy knoll! Best not say what they were doing but buttocks, knuckles and a lot of pressure was involved! Photographic evidence a plenty on this subject matter! You decide?

Back on track, the path dropped down to the water’s edge again and even though everyone had seen the ‘NO SWIMMING’ signs and had seen the welsh water van passing, Clare and Rebecca were off! They found a tree each to hide behind, stripped off and jumped in! Then Mark, not wanting to let the guys’ side down also decided to join in and ripped his clothes off and dived in! (must be an Oz thing, as not one of the other guys had the same thought!) Not much swimming was actually achieved, it was more a case of bobbing seals but hats off to them, the water was chilly to say the least.

With that home stretch feeling, the final part of the walk as uneventful other than Gilly sinking up to her shins in the bog whilst attempting to cross a stream. (Unfortunately no one had a camera handing to catch this evidence.) We arrived back at the cars and as Aj was still asking when he was going to get his lunch time pint, even though by now it was 4.30! We all, out of sympathy of course, escorted him to the local tavern for a well deserved pint (or two!)
The evening activities were spent in the bunkhouse in true AOAC fashion by enjoying a late afternoon cup of tea with home cooked scones with dollops of jam and clotted cream freshly baked by Claire G’s own fair hands.

Then, and with thanks to the veg choppers, Paul B and Jane, Clare with her amazing culinary skills conjured up a hearty dish of spag bol followed by rhubarb crumble and custard. YUM! YUM! Board game entertainment was provided by Paul Mc’s dice game called ‘dildo’! Well, that wasn’t the actual name of the game, but it seemed more fun if we shouted a rude word when accusing a fellow player of cheating which was the prime objective of the game! Who was it that said the average age of the club was going up? At least we were acting like 14 year olds.

The visual stimulus of the evening was provided by an iphone app of the karma sutra! And one position in particular. For further information, kindly contact Posh Andrew directly! It may have not been his iphone but he did spend a lot of time studying the apps! The rest of the evening was general merriment and banter.
Sunday morning was greeted with the lovely Claire H serving tea in bed! What service! Thank you Claire.  Another 5-mile walk was planned but by the end of the breakfast this had been reduced to a 2mile walk as going to the pub at lunchtime for roast dinner seemed more appealing to most! After a lovely lunch we all parted our separate ways and promised to meet up again soon.

Some comments from the intrepid adventurers themselves…….

It was my first time in this part of the country and I thought it was magnificent!! Aj

Loved the walking. Loved the chatting. Loved the fact my ear plugs worked to compensate for the thin walls! Clare G

Many thanks for a good weekend. Superb food & company. The weather wasn’t so bad after all and I didn’t fall off my bike! Jane & Paul B

Thank you so much for organising such a lovely weekend. I had a fantastic time! But I am absolutely cream crackered now! Bed early. Helen