On a lovely August bank holiday weekend in Llanwrtyd Wells, mid Wales.
A great Sunday out preceded by some wild camping in a woods not far away.
Author: James Spratt
Gus
Magna Kayak
An unintentional epic. Bought some inflatable kayaks recently, and planned to use them this Saturday just gone for a leisurely trip along the Thames. Leaving a bit after 1pm, Bourne End to to Runnymede. Expected maybe a 3 hour jaunt. All good until we got to the bit where they closed the river to fix a bridge over the M4. Headed inland to work around the issue then couldn’t find where to get back on so we find ourselves walking cross country with these kayaks on our shoulders. Ended up joining the Jubilee River instead with a view to then join back up with the Thames further downstream. Then with a whole series of weirs and locks taking us off the river again, we ended up walking through Eton to rejoin the river via one of the college boat houses. Now time was getting on a bit but didn’t get back to the car (which we’d preparked up at the destination) until dark o’clock – and the car park was locked up. Uberred back to the other car at the start (where the house keys were in) and got home about 11pm something. Sheesh.
[The 5 hours that Strava states below is 5 hours paddling. this doesn’t count the c.4hours overland].
Standbyland
I drew something last week.
And credit to Owen Delaney who I follow on Twitter. His amazing personalised race maps made me do it.
Brecon Beacons, January 2020
Bombed down the Wales Friday night just gone, stayed in Merthyr. Wow, now that is a very special place. Really friendly people though, bloke in a bar (we took the weekend off Dry Jan) called VNU insisted he bought us a drink. Then he got ejected for fighting. And everyone hates the English, all good bants, mainly about the rugby but what with the area being the heartlands of their old mining industry, even Thatcher got a mention.
Drove up the road to the Storey Arms at the foot of the hills and made out ascent. About a 2.5hr round trip taking in Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan (we were later corrected that it’s pronounced Penivan). Excellent to get amongst it once again.
Then over to Aberdare for a Bowie tribute band that evening where we were well looked after by the locals there too.
Love love love that part of the world. Love Wales. Love the Welsh. Boyo.
Moshi Moshi