Kilimanjaro Training Weekend

Libanus Youth Hostel, Brecon Beacons

Action Challenge provide well organised and very useful training weekends. I arrived at the Youth Hostel early Friday evening in time for dinner and a couple of the local Brecon beers. Group leaders Ian & Bron then gave us a detailed briefing on what to expect during the weekend and on 'Kili' as it came to be called - 'Kili' makes it sound nice and friendly at 19 000 feet! We had a tiny room for four blokes but fortunately for us, one did not turn up. However, due to very loud snoring I took my duvet down to the Common Room and had a very comfortable kip on  a long settee.

We are on the march at 0900hrs the next morning. March should not be the word, as Ian stresses the 'Alpine plod'. Nice & slow, never out of breath. The day before was sunny and warm but today there is thick cloud. You can see it coming up behind us as we climb Pen y Fan, the highest of the Brecon Beacons at 886m and we are in the cloud at the top.

After Pen y Fan we traverse to Corn Du and then down to Llyn Cwm Llwch (below) for lunch.

After lunch it is downhill virtually all the way back to the Hostel through the gorgeous Powys countryside. After a clean up, Ian provides us with a slide show about life on a 'Kili' climb, with a strong focus on acclimatisation and how to prepare for and deal with it. He then shows us all his gear. I got some Christmas present ideas!

Kipped in the Common Room again and after breakfast we walked the Cerrig crags - in thick cloud - down to the Storey Arms and back to the Llywyn y Celin hostel for lunch.
Twelve in the group and really good company.