Caught on Camera (7)!

The 2007 collection...

22nd September 2007: Taking part in the Guide Dogs for the Blind 2007
'Talybont Challenge', our firm having raised some £3,800 for the charity.

Here we are seen about to set of on a 26km mountain bike route which proved
 extremely testing. The fifth member of the team (who took the photo) had to
 miss this challenge due to having a dodgy knee. Of interest the first 8km of
the route was on the trackbed of the old 'Brecon & Merthyr Tydfil Junction
Railway' (closed in 1964) climbing alongside Talybont Reservoir and on to
Torpantau. From here we followed the other side of Pentwyn Reservoir to
cross the trackbed again at Dolygaer.

The view over Talybont Reservoir. We were headed for the Youth Hostel at
the 'top right' corner of the reservoir in this view. The railway trackbed ran
through the forested area to the right of the reservoir.

After a quick break for lunch it was off for an equally testing 10km hill walk
 taking in about a 600m change in height from the start,via Waun Rydd and
back to base. Here the full team is seen taking a well earned breather at the
cairn marking the summit of Waun Rydd. Shame we couldn't see the view as
the clouds had closed in over the summit!
The team (L-R): David Aindow, Geoff Branfield, Barry Ryan, myself &
Mark Leatherland.

Of course, soon after we we departed the summit, the clouds cleared!

Team 16 - Timken Rail Services. My team number was suitably splattered
in mud after the event! It was reported at the celebration meal afterwards
that the 16 teams had, between them, raised around £35,000 for the charity.