Once there, I hired a car and wandered around the U.K. for a couple of weeks, visiting family and friends, and then headed off to Wales for the big weekend. After squeezing my way into the carpark at the hotel, I decided there was no way that that car was leaving there again until it was time to head back towards Derbyshire !
Since there were still a few hours of daylight left, those of us who had arrived early took a drive out into the countryside on a scouting expedition for the best views.
The following morning saw us all up before dawn and heading for the hills so that we could catch the sun rising behind the Brecons - and what a wonderful sight it was, too !
Moving on so that we could fit as much as possible into the limited time we had, we rounded a corner and came to a screeching halt with gasps of astonishment as we saw the panorama below us. (The other car behind us wondered what was going on until they saw the view, too).
The valley below us was filled with rolling banks of mist which moved rapidly, swirling around the hillside like cottonwool. The rising sun caught the tips of the mist and the colours of the hills and mountains changed quickly as the sun rose.
After spending lots of time photographing the splendor below us we moved on down through the mist, which wasn't anywhere near as thick as we expected it to be, and rounded a corner to see the rays of the sun streaking down towards a canal and sending up wispy tendrils of steam from the water's surface.
By this time, we were all feeling a little hungry so we headed back to the hotel for breakfast before heading out again to another area.
It was decided that following a morning of shooting in the high country (more photos of this later) we would walk to a series of waterfalls so off we went with some of us wearing good hiking boots and others making do with sports shoes. After several falls due to bifocal glasses and the lack of suitable footwear, I will be buying some decent boots before going on a hike like this again !
I decided that after my falls, I was much better off staying well away from heights like this but I was envious of the shots Ric must have got from this angle.
The path was very rough indeed with gravel, rocks and large tree roots making it hazardous for all of us who were spending more time looking at the scenery rather than the footpath we were following.
After several hours of photography we headed back to the carpark for a few refreshments in a nearby hotel before returning to the hotel. Following dinner, two of the party had to leave us, unfortunately, while the rest of us looked forward to the following day.
The next morning we assembled for breakfast well after sunrise and then decided to explore the canal further before heading into the high country again.
Ever had the feeling you are being watched ? Wherever we went, we had eyes glued to what we were doing !
By the late afternoon, I was the only one left of the party at the hotel and the following morning I took my heart in my hands and braved the exit from the carpark. Actually it was much easier than I had feared it would be and I managed to drive out without putting a single scratch on the paintwork of the car - much to my relief !
I would have loved to have stayed in Wales for a much longer time but time was getting on and I had a lot more things to do and see.
