Solo traverse of Hergest Ridge North Face and Hanter Hill South Ridge

Well I had to do something to make these hills sound exciting.

Seriously a very fine stroll indeed when faced with a solo walk. TBF was in London watching the Piano Man himself, TJF was at a friends and TJS too lazy to come out, struggling as the was with his first week of early starts at college.

It was early September (I think!) and the first flush of Autumn colours were out. The forecast was pretty ordinary but it turned out to be a rather splendid day of powerful sunny intervals and dark brooding clouds

My target was Hanter Hill, a small subsidiary top to the north of the main Hergest Ridge massif. Thinking I was being clever, I thought I could traverse around to the col. Anyone who knows my local hills also knows that they are cloaked in the deepest bracken at this time of year. It was tedious wet and slippery and I cursed my way across the slopes for a good half hour on the faintest of paths

Thankfully I survived the jungle and arrived at the col under blue skies and swiftly climbed to the top of Hanter Hill

The views were impressive over the various ranges of heather cloaked hills and green valleys of this little known corner of mid-Wales

I even got an aerial view of the huge Gore quarry that seems to be completely devouring Old Radnor Hill

After a brief rest I headed down and back up over the main summit of Hergest Ridge, joining the many families enjoying some autumnal sunshine

Only a couple of hours but a nice walk if you stay on paths on don’t head off-piste into the wastelands of bracken!