Skirrid Fawr Traditional Geocache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Follow the A465 Abergavenny / Hereford road and take the B4521 Skenfrith road at N51 50.047 W2 59.984
Well marked paths, initial climb is steep and can be very muddy. Dogs on leads when livestock present. Car to cache is about 1.25 miles
This is a very popular area. There is little cover for a cache on the ridge and it has been necessary to site it near to the trail to make it reasonably accessible.
Please take care to cover the cache carefully.
Skirrid Fawr or “Ysgryd Fawr” in the Welsh language is the most Easterly peak in the Brecon Beacons National Park and is the property of the National Trust who have kindly granted permission for the cache. Car parking is available at N51 50.534 W2 58.544 the hedged path starts at the bottom of the car park and then heads off North West through the gates. Follow the markers up the stepped path then upwards towards the trig point at N51 51.544 W2 58.360
It is said that a strangely shaped notch on the Western slope of the hill, was created when a great bolt of lightning struck at the time of the Crucifiction of Christ. History records local people removing the soil from here, to use both on the land and to sprinkle upon coffins. In front of the trig point are the remains of the doorway to an ancient chapel dedicated to St. Michael. Hence for a variety of reasons the mountain is known locally as “The Holy Mountain.” The rampart of an Iron Age fort also circles the summit. The ridge is short but can be quite an exposed place so don’t be caught out! For the most straightforward route back, return down the same path. An alternative is to descend down the path from the boulders in the photo, returning anti-clockwise around the trig point and through the landslip on the West side of the ridge. Be warned the paths can get very muddy!
Reputedly the oldest inn in Wales with a somewhat black history, the Skirrid Mountain Inn at N51 52.827 W2 58.830 in Llanvihangel Crucorney is nearby.
(01873 890258)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gur pnpur vf ghpxrq haqre gur (abegurea) rqtr bs n fgbar fyno naq pbirerq ol n fgbar. Vg'f nyfb va n pnzb ont. [Please re-cover carefully]