Just got back from a long weekend trip to Strata Florida in Wales with the Frontera owners group.
What an action packed weekend arrived on Friday early afternoon in bright sunshine staying at the Wyeside camp site Rhayader pitched the tent and set up the new fishing camp beds I brought earlier this year and sorted the new 5 season carp fishing sleeping bags (this trip was a shakedown for the new bedding brought to replace the old snugpak bag and thermarest self inflating airbed) which were getting a little long in the tooth.
Now I'm older and wider the ability to back pack and carry the equipment tens of miles a day no longer applied and with the now vehicle based exploring I intend to do in the future weight and pack size is no longer the be all and end all.
After setting up the table, chairs and cooking stove's it was time to settle down with a beer and amble along the camping pitches and saying hi to the other Frontera owners.
Off into town now to take advantage of the Friday steak night special menu at the Crown pub, starter, glass of red and an 8oz steak from Bob the local butcher all for an inexpensive £9.99.
Back to the camp site around 9.00pm for a beer and a chat to the late arrivers, the site was a hive of activity light bars being fitted in the dark, wheel bearings being adjusted and loads of banter mainly aimed at the interloper in the 300TDI Disco (a theme repeated throughout the weekend).
Turning in around 10.30ish hastened by the arrival of the rain.
After a cold night -2c we awoke around 7.30 got the kettle and bacon and black pudding rolls going then set about preping the the vehicles for a day laning dropping tyre pressures checking oil, water and wheels nuts.
At 9.30 sharpe the first 5 vehicles convoy rolled out of the camp site for our first lane of the day after 3 to 4 lanes across the wide open spaces (with amazing views across the Elan valley) we arrived at our first water crossing of the day.
Being second vehicle across the time had come to test my (home made) well a remodelled LR90 snorkel and all went ok to be honest I was more worried the vehicle being a 2.0i petrol engine would succumb to H/T lead shorts as the water swirled around the engine bay, but with a steady start and small increase in speed when submerged a good size bow wave was formed and we sailed across (no pun intended) my co-pilot whooped with joy as the water rose to halfway up the windscreen covering the mounted camera and obscuring the view for a couple of seconds.
The 5 vehicles waited here and we had rolls and coffee waiting for our second group of 4 vehicles to arrive after an exchange of banter and the Frontera owners winding up the loan Disco we left the second group and set off for Strata Florida.
We dove though the forest and into the wilds crisscrossing the water 3 or 4 times with a solemn reminder of how dangerous a trip like this could be when we spied a wooden cross by one of the crossings with flowers left there to honour a female driver who lost her life at the crossing place.
We then arrived at the famous bomb hole dropping down the rocky bank and then climbing almost immediately up a near vertical rock face it took me a couple of attempts to climb out due to being too cautious but with a small reverse and a little more momentum we climbed skywards.
We continued on the track for a few miles before our first breakdown a balljoint rubber and drop link on the only "B" series LWB, after a hasty repair job with grease and cable ties we were quickly on our way bumping into 3 more Fronteras (not with our group) after a chat for a few minutes we continued on our way.
At the end of the rocky and wooded section we turned for home and met up again with the second group crossing over we continued on our way back as they continued to the end of the lane returning via the road.
We continued retracing our tracks, as it had been raining for several hours the crossings were more adventurous but we made it back with no more problems.
Back at the camp site we showered and changed for a foray into town for a Chinese takeaway meal sat around eating and drinking for a short time before turning in for an early night, tiring business this off roading.
After a warmer but wetter 2nd night we woke at 8.00am helped by the gentle rain and another campers snorings.
Breakfasted camp packed up we were on our way for the second day of off roading by 10.00am this time our first lane was closed we took a road detour to the second lane this rose out of the valley and up into the high and wild mountains where the views were simply breathtaking the sun was shinning and you really could have been anywhere better on a Sunday morning.
After crossing some very muddy lanes we headed across a rocky slowly rising lane towards our first dam after an hour or so we were back on the road heading for our last lane of the day towards a long valley terminating at the base of the largest of the dams after another hour or so of climbing over small and larger rocks (I managing to get my front wheel 3 foot in the air) we arrived at a small ford crossing this we arrived at the base of the dam after some pictures we said our farewells we headed for home stopping on route for a quick jet wash of wheels brakes number plates and lights and re inflating tyres.
All in all one of the best times of my life, Wales, friendly people fantastic scenery just a great place to spend the weekend with friends. Can't wait for a return trip
Tue Apr 24, 2012 3:23 am
