Gorge Walking near Pontneddfechan, Brecon Beacons

Vaqas and Yulyia booked a Gorge Walking activity day, and the three of us soon found ourselves in a sheltered woodland gorge near Pontneddfechan.

After being kitted out with wetsuits, buoyancy aids, helmets and safety equipment the intrepid couple were given our comprehensive risk assessment and safety brief.

The first challenges given to Vaqas and Yulyia involved traversing and scrambling sideways, just above the rivers surface, across rocks, tree roots, stones and bridge supports. After this gentle warm-up we made our way midstream and upstream into wilder country.

As the river gains height so too do the number and size of cascades and waterfalls! Making full use of these waterfalls the pair soon found themselves taking a mid-day shower before climbing up the watery cascades and onto the next challenge - squeezing through a small wormhole in the rock and into a 'dragons lair' high on the gorge side.

From here the gorge really steps-up its game and the waterfalls, climbs and jumps become bigger, higher and more exciting. Making their way up, down, up and beyond a series of waterfalls Vaqas and Yulyia were coached through the best jumping techniques and were able to develop their confidence and ability to jump from higher and higher into the deep pools below.

For more information, or to book your adventure, please see our website:

www.a4adventure.com

Adventure Walking in the Brecon Beacons

Again in May, a4adventure received a telephone call requesting an activity day for one person and, with customer service being more important than profits, in no time we were geared up and heading into the hills above Merthyr Tydfil.

The Adventure Walk takes place in a small wooded valley nestled into the hills above the Talybont Reservoir where challenge, excitement and beautiful scenery are blended together into an unforgetable experience - all within a relatively short and gentle walking distance of the car.

Hannah began her adventure with a pitch-black stroll through an 800m disused railway tunnel ... she kept her hands tightly on the emergency torch we gave her, but to her credit made it all the way by touch and feel alone! From here Hannah abseiled from the top of the railway tunnel, down over the stonework and then into space for a carefully controlled free-abseil.

Moving along the track from the tunnel, Hannah soon faced an entirely different challenge as we threaded our way through small stone storm-drains designed to channel water under the old railway line to prevent erosion or landslips. Hopping and climbing from stone to stone whilst trying to avoid the streams underfoot Hannah had a great time ... until she forgot that she is not a Borrower and banged her helmet on the stone arch roof!!

After threading a path under and over the track as it runs along the side of the hill we emerged into the sunlight in a clearing in the trees ... giving us a fantastic view of the Talybont valley. Awesome.

For more information, and to book your own adventure, please see our website:

www.a4adventure.com

Rock Climbing Birthday Party in the Brecon Beacons

May presented an exciting booking for a4adventure and we had the opportunity to provide our first ever Birthday activity - rock climbing and abseiling at our secret crag in the Eastern Brecon Beacons.

Rebecca is now 9 years old and has previously used a4adventure with her Mum, Dad and sister to undertake a canoe training session and journey on the Brecon and Monmouthshire canal.

Throughout the day Rebecca was given guidance and coaching on her climbing technique as well as how to belay and safeguard other climbers. Once she had completed a number of challenging rock climbs Rebecca then undertook a series of abseils, firstly as a tandem abseil with the instructor and then on her own (on a secondary safety system of course!).

Well Done Rebecca, and Happy Birthday!!

For more information, and to book your own adventure, please see our website:
www.a4adventure.com

Gorge Walking - Easter Holiday activity

Over the Easter Holiday a4adventure received a 'phone-call from Jol and Susannah who were on holiday in Abergavenny, and who were hoping for a last minute booking before they went home again. The next day saw us set out for Pontneddfechan, and the adventure had begun.

Jol and Susannah started with a gentle warm up, climbing and scrambling on low-level rocks just above the rivers surface. This got them into the spirit, and nicely warmed up for the challenges ahead.

Throughout the gorge walk, Jol and Susannah traversed along low-level rocky scrambles, climbed up waterfalls, crawled through a long rock passage above the gorge - and that was before we even started jumping in!

At the top end of the gorge we had a quick safety reminder, before all slipping into the first deep river pool. After checking the depth of the pool (which our experienced instructors do before each and every jump) Jol and Susannah began a series of jumps which became progressively higher and more challenging. Each pool we arrived at saw a new challenge set against the beautiful back-drop of the gorge - but as with every activity, all the jumps are optional and it is always possible to 'opt-out'.

The final challenge found us crawling underneath a waterfall, before taking on their highest jump yet ... into a particularly deep and chilly pool.

Jol and Susannah did brilliantly throughout the day, overcoming every challenge that we could give them. They were a fantastic couple, and it was a pleasure to be out with them.

Don't just take our word for it though - here is what Jol and Susannah had to say in their Activity Evaluation:

What was good:

• Inspiring and confidence building leadership and instruction from Tim.


• Perfect location for gorge walking and Tim got the level of challenge just right.


• Really enjoyed climbing the waterfalls and entering the cave.


• Great fun from the moment we met Tim to having a drink in the pub afterwards!

How would you sum up your day (in 1 sentence):

A day of great fun, both challenging and satisfying and lead by a top-notch instructor and nice bloke!

To see our other activities, or to book your own adventure, please visit our website at:

www.a4adventure.com

Coasteering / Shore Scrambling - Ogmore-by-Sea

Hello, I can only apologise that this blog update is a little overdue ... but all the snow this week has meant the a4adventure team have been out and about cross country skiing and building snow-people in the Brecon Beacons!

The last activity a4adventure undertook was coasteering at Ogmore by Sea near Bridgend two weeks ago. A group of friends challenged the rocky coastline and stormy seas as they made their way from rock to rock, and through the shallows and spray along the striking Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

Working in pairs, the group kitted up with wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets before walking a short distance to the sandy beach, wave cut platforms and striking views along the coastline from Porthcawl to one side and Dunraven Bay & Witches Point to the other.

On the shore, opposite Tusker Rock (a rocky mass a mile off shore and known locally for the remenants of a ships boiler still to be seen there), the team had a thorough safety briefing whilst looking for and identifying the hazards around them. Once briefed and paired up into 'buddy groups' the adventure began ... following the rocky coastline around the edge of sandy bays.

Moving around the rocks the group learnt to watch for the waves and in no time were being showered with the spray of the stormy waves breaking on the cliffs below the safety of their rock platform. As the coast climbs and falls, the activity saw the group climbing and scrambling, running through the shallows and across open sandy stretches, holding onto the cliffs as waves and spray covered them, and wading through deep water to cross small inlets.

When asked what the biggest thrill of the day was, the group are split between crossing the rocks between waves, being drenched by the falling spray; and descending into The Trench, a large inlet which drops from the top of the cliffs to the sandy bottom of the beach below.

Although the weather was not suitable for jumping off the cliffs into the deep sea below, the activity still had plenty of getting wet ... as well as a heap of other physical challenges to keep everyone having fun, on the move, and staying warm!!

To book your adventure or to find out more, please visit our website at:

www.a4adventure.com

New Year Canoeing Activity - Caswell Bay, Gower

As the New Year approached, a4adventure received a last-minute booking from a group of three friends who wanted to undertake an outdoor adventure to mark the end of 2008 and start of 2009. After discussing the options available to them, the group decided on canoeing as their first choice.

Unfortunately, the weather remained cold and clear with very little rain for a week or so before the activity. With the water so low, canoeing on a river was completely impossible (with there being more pebbles than water in the river channel!!) and so the group made the decision to switch locations to the sea.

Arriving in Caswell Bay, the boats were unloaded and the group got dressed into wetsuits. With all the preparations complete, the group had a full safety brief and demonstration of the techniques they would use through the day.

From pushing the canoes out into the sea, the group undertook their initial sea trials (getting used to the boats, the swell of the sea, and deciding who would be steering) before setting course for Brandy Cove and the start of their coast journey.

Arriving at Brandy Cove, the group took it in turns to solo paddle the canoes, using the waves to surf the boats into the shore!! From Brandy Cove, the canoes headed along the rocky shoreline to Pwll Ddu Bay, and from there back across the mouth of Caswell Bay to land on the rocky shore and the chance to explore the caves and the rockpools.

An excellent day was had by all, and it was a brilliant way to mark the turn of the year.

To book your adventure, please visit:

http://www.a4adventure.com/

Family Adventure Walk Activity - Brecon Beacons

The weather across the Brecon Beacons has been particularly unsettled this week, with an unusally early fall of snow over the mountain tops! With this in mind, the planned Gorge Walking activity for today had to be curtailed and was replaced with a dry Gorge Walk ... a4adventures' very own Adventure Walk.

Two families from Bedfordshire braved the snow flurries and falling temperatures to tackle a range of obstacles and challenges on a 2 mile circuit around a forest in the heart of the Brecon Beacons.

The day got off to a bad start when we found the road closed for 'highways repair' but the activity started positively with a gentle walk up through the forest in warm sunshine and clear skies - the first of the seasons exoerienced in one day!

Once at the start of the Adventure Walk the group explored a long disused railway tunnel ... exploring as far into the darkness as their courage would allow, before carrying out a daring abseil off the top of the tunnel. This daring test of courage soon became an exhilerating descent as the tunnel entrance opened up and the clients lowered themselves down a free abseil to the ground.

Once the whole group bravely tackled the free abseil, we took a scenic stroll down the Taff Trail (with snow now falling thickly, and lying white on the surrounding mountains - the second of our seasons in one day) to the next challenge ... the culvert. Moving around to the downhill entrance to the storm drainage tunnel the family then forged their way upstream through the small stone bricked tunnel, manouvering over rocks, steps and waterfalls to emerge back into the weak winter sunshine and a hail / sleet shower - the third of our seasons in just one day!

From this culvert, and with the weather turning colder and wetter we turned downhill and through a field with a spectacular view of the Talybont reservoir and surrounding hills. As we neared the cars the sun came out again and the clouds drifted away ... the perfect weather for a celebratory bacon sandwich on the way home!

My thanks go to Richard, Mandy, Donna, Alice, Imogen and Matt for all their efforts and patience with the weather.

For more information or to book your adventure please see our website:

www.a4adventure.com