‘Be prepared’ is the message when visiting beauty spots
‘‘ It just goes to show that even on the nicest of days, it’s always worth taking a small rucksack with some essential kit in – Ryan Owen
AN experienced walker has shared an astonishing set of pictures taken just three hours apart on Pen y Fan.
Ryan Owen, 48, took the selfies – one in sunglasses and a jumper, and the next covered in snow – with dog Toby during a hike in the Brecon Beacons on Saturday.
Over the weekend Wales saw all weather extremes, from sun to hail to a flurry of snow just within a matter of hours.
Thankfully the keen walker was prepared for all conditions on his trek after a previous experience with a blizzard in the national park, but said others that day were wearing shorts and trainers.
Ryan, from Penderyn, near Hirwaun, said: “To make the most of the sunny weather on Saturday afternoon, I decided to set off to climb Pen y Fan and Cribyn. The weather was beautiful on the summit of Pen y Fan, so I stopped for lunch to take in the views.
“En route to Cribyn, there was a drastic change in the weather; the skies above Fan y Big darkened, there was a sudden icy wind chill, and it started to snow. Once on top of the summit I could sense it was going to get worse, so I descended to lower ground and started making my way back to Pen y Fan.
“The conditions on the summit of Pen y Fan were extremely bad. It was now covered in snow and too cold to stop for long. Visibility was very poor and it was quite easy for even an experienced walker like myself to get disorientated. We got off the mountain quickly and made a quick descent back to the car.
“To think that just three hours earlier I was enjoying the sunshine and blue skies was quite surreal. It went from summer to winter within the space of an hour!”
Ryan is now urging others to be prepared when out enjoying the Welsh countryside. Since the ‘stay local’ coronavirus restrictions were lifted areas like Pen y Fan have seen a large number of visitors.
Ryan said: “Before the weather turned bad, I’d
spotted two groups of people heading in the direction of Fan y Big. Some were dressed in just T-shirts, shorts and trainers. They didn’t look too well equipped for the mountains and I was left wondering if they made it back OK.
“It just goes to show that even on the nicest of days, it’s always worth taking a small rucksack with some essential kit in.
“I got caught in a bad blizzard in the Beacons 20 years ago, it was a scary experience and taught me a valuable lesson. I always pack a rucksack with some warm clothing, Gore-tex, food and water, map and compass, torch, whistle, and foil survival blankets. I also carry food and a coat for my dog. It may sound a bit over the top, but it could save your life if something goes wrong.
“You should always inform someone of the route you’re taking. And it’s also worth installing a grid reference app or the What3words app on your phone. These can give an accurate reading of your location if ever you need to be found by the emergency services.
“Always go prepared to
expect the unexpected.”
Last month an amateur photographer had to be rescued from a steep and rocky gully in Snowdonia on March 22 after getting stuck while taking pictures of the sunrise.
Even after being escorted off the mountain, the rescued man had not grasped the severity of the situation and turned to his rescuers, from Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, asking which mountain he should scale on Tuesday.
He had travelled to North Wales from Birmingham for the weekend and scaled the west face of Tryfan dressed in just jeans and trainers. The only thing in his rucksack was his camera equipment.
Meanwhile, on March 8 a search party of more than 20 volunteers, including police and dog rescue teams, were sent out to find two women who breached the coronavirus regulations to travel “some distance” to visit waterfalls in South Wales.
After being brought back to safety, both women were promptly fined by police for breaching the coronavirus regulations.