Welcome to the Brecon Beacons Park Society Guided Walks and Events Programme for Spring 2012, we hope you will enjoy it. The programme includes walks every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, most Wednesdays, and two Bank Holiday Mondays, as well as our contributions to the Crickhowell Walking Festival and the Fforest Fawr Geopark Festival. We also have a repeat visit to Big Pit, a Bat Watch (booking essential for both these events) and two Illustrated Talks at the Bear. Many thanks to our volunteer walk leaders and speakers without whom none of this would be possible.
CRICKHOWELL WALKING FESTIVAL
A WEEK OF WALKS IN THE EAST, from Saturday 25th February to Sunday 4th March inclusive. The programme includes the remainder of the Society’s contribution to this year’s Festival. The walks also appear in the Walking Festival’s programme where in some cases the walk descriptions have been changed slightly to make them more understandable for a wider audience.
Please note that although all the Society walks for the Festival are free for BBPS Members, BBPS Members do need to book their places on these walks in advance. Booking is on line this year at www.crickhowellfestival.com, where full details of the programme can also be found.
Please note that Society members need to book their place on all other Festival walks, for which the normal Festival rates apply as in the programme.
For safety reasons but also for people’s enjoyment of the walks, the numbers for any given walk will be capped at a reasonable level. Some of the walks are already fully booked.
BBPS EVENTS IN THE FFOREST FAWR GEOPARK FESTIVAL
The Geopark Festival runs from Saturday 26th May to Sunday 10th June.
Full details are at www.fforestfawrgeopark.co.uk/geopark-festival-2012/.
Advance booking is advisable for all these events as there is a cap on numbers. Leaders are obliged to keep to the maximum number of participants permitted and cannot accept more. Please book ahead to avoid disappointment, at the National Park Visitor Centre 01874 623366.
There is no donation expected from BBPS members for these four events (and the three in June). A donation is suggested for other Geopark events.
Changes to the Guided Walks Programme
Occasionally leaders may change or cancel a guided walk, usually because of severe weather which may affect the walk itself or the roads to the start of the walk. Whenever possible, any changes will be added to the Guided Walks programme on the website.
You are strongly advised to check the Mountain weather forecast for the Brecon Beacons National Park before setting out for walks, on the Met Office website: www.metoffice.gov.uk
or use the Metcheck website which allows you to check the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons separately: www.metcheck.com.
If in doubt consult the leader whose name and telephone number are given in the programme.
If you would like to have a go at leading a walk, have an idea for a talk or event, or any comments or suggestions for improvement of the programme, please contact
Anne Pritchard or Gerry Smith using the contact forms on the Guided Walks Page.
CAR SHARING. Do you know someone else who lives near you with whom you could car share to Society walks and events? Why not exchange contact details and arrange to share the driving and petrol costs? At the same time you will be helping to save the environment and relieving pressure on car parking spaces at the start of walks.
News.
* Brecon Beacons Park Society Members can now obtain 10% discount from Cotswold Outdoor on production of a letter which will be sent to all Members. Don’t forget you can also obtain 10% discount from Gibb Outdoors in Brecon on production of your membership card.
* A “contacts” database has been established with details of Society members willing to be contacted by other members, in order to share transport all or part of the way to a walk or other Society event. Participating members receive a hard-copy of the list; we cannot provide it by e-mail, in view of the restrictions of data protection legislation. To find out more or to be added to the database, please contact the Membership Secretary Ben Sladen, using the Contact Form on the AGM and Accounts Page
Future events for your diary
The Society AGM will be held at Myddfai Community Hall on Saturday 16th June, and will be followed, as usual, with a topical talk about the locality, lunch and a couple of walks in the area. Society members will receive notification of the details nearer the time.