The walk that I did around the Brecon Beacons just before Christmas was similar to one that I did six years ago. The earlier walk started in a completely different place but there are close similarities with a route that was pretty much a reverse of the later walk. The climb onto the hilltop from the reservoir last Christmas was echoed in the totally unplanned diversion at the end of the walk six years ago. I had decided to venture further afield at Christmastime than just a walk up Beacon Hill in Leicestershire and so I decided to go for a walk in Wales. The place I chose was the Brecon Beacons, an area that I had walked several times in the past, though not recently. Five years previously I had walked over the Beacons for the first time and I walked over them again two years later, but I had not been over them since. Unfortunately I didn't actually see anything this time.
I parked at the top of the road from Talybont Reservoir at the Blaen-y-glyn car park (SO 0560 1755) and headed along the road following the Taff Trail through Taf Fechan Forest to Neuadd Reservoir. Both previous times I had been there the lower reservoir had been empty; indeed my map showed it as empty. I guess it was found to be too small for their purposes so it had been abandoned and the bigger, Upper Neuadd Reservoir was built further up the valley. On this walk the abandoned reservoir was full as I suppose it usually is in winter (it was also full in 2011). I crossed the dam and headed straight up the side of the valley. The path was very muddy and badly eroded near the top as can be seen from this picture. 
I was now completely enveloped in clouds as I made my way along the top of the ridge above Graig Pen Ddu so as I slowly made my way along the ridge I had no way of knowing how much further I had to go. The walk seemed to be going on forever and when I finally reached the 824m top above Craig Gwaun Taf I thought I was at Corn Du, but that idea was soon dispelled as the path dropped down to Bwlch Duwynt and up to the top of Corn Du. I was so relieved when I eventually reached the top that I stopped and had my lunch.
I was now completely enveloped in clouds as I made my way along the top of the ridge above Graig Pen Ddu so as I slowly made my way along the ridge I had no way of knowing how much further I had to go. The walk seemed to be going on forever and when I finally reached the 824m top above Craig Gwaun Taf I thought I was at Corn Du, but that idea was soon dispelled as the path dropped down to Bwlch Duwynt and up to the top of Corn Du. I was so relieved when I eventually reached the top that I stopped and had my lunch. Once rested and refreshed I headed off again for the short hop over to Pen y Fan, the highest hill in the Brecon Beacons and usually a magnet for walkers, but in these conditions there wasn't a single person at the summit. After taking a couple of pictures of the summit cairn I headed off along the path down Craig Cwm Sere and up to Cribyn. After this exertion another descent followed down Craig Cwm Cynwyn that led me to Bwlch ar y Fan. One final ascent brought me up onto Fan y Big before a long walk took me around the top of Craig Cwmoergwm and Craig Cwarelli. All this ridge walking was rather dull in the poor weather; with no views I was forced to settle with plodding along the paths and nothing to look at but my own feet. There was little variation in the terrain and it all became rather monotonous. Eventually I arrived at Bwlch y Ddwyallt where I turned sharply right to head down the path above Graig Fan Las. From here I should have had a short walk over Craig y Fan Ddu back down to the car, but that is not how it turned out.
After crossing the top of the stream, Blaen Caerfanell, I veered off west away from the edge of the slope following a path that seemed quite clear, but actually wasn't as clear as the path I had been following. When I reached the pile of stones and Cairn marked on the map (at 047189) I realised I was heading in the wrong direction so turned south following another faint path. It was soon clear to me that something was still wrong because I wasn't losing height as quickly as I should have been but I still blindly followed the path as it veered back to the west and picked up the Nant y Groesydd. Thinking this was the Nant Bwrefwr I happily followed it and when I arrived at the edge of the Taf Fechan Forest I still thought I was going in the right direction because I thought this was the edge of the Talybont Forest. My belief was shattered when I crossed the track from Bwlch ar y Fan and arrived at the Filter House for the Neuadd Reservoir. At first I didn't know where I was, but eventually it sunk in to me just how stupid I had been, and so, shaking my head in disbelief, I slowly made my way back along the Taff Trail to my car.
I guess this incident shows how easy it is to get lost in cloudy weather, especially if you aren't careful. If only I had used my compass a little more often and not blindly followed the path while ignoring all the signs around me that showed I was going in the wrong direction. As soon as I headed away from Blaen Caerfanell on the wrong path I noticed I was moving away from the cliff edge but I did nothing about it. I just assumed I was going in the right direction without actually making sure. This time I got away with it as the path I was following wasn't dangerous and I was easily able to make my way back to the car. The worst result of my diversion was that it was almost dark by the time I got back to my car. It was not a major disaster, but next time I may not be so lucky. This was certainly an incident that I learnt from.
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