It started with a crazy idea to lug a couple of inflateable standup paddle boards, otherwise known as iSUPs up to a glacial lake beneath the highest mountain in South Wales, Pen y Fan. Starting from a field in the valley below, four of us trekked up steep 3km track to the lake, head torches illuminating the gloomy and damp morning.
Daylight arrived as we neared the lake, and the cloud base lifted as well revealing the isolated and eerily silent lake. The two SUPs were carried in backpacks that weigh close to 20kg and not really designed for hiking, so it was a relief to take them off and fire up the stove to get the coffee on.
The smell of frying bacon filled the upper valley as the two SUPs were inflated using hand pumps.
One on the lake, it was instantly easy to associate with all the folklore and legends that exist about the place, and unless the mythical faries do a bit of SUP whilst nobody's looking, we were possibly the first to do it on this lake. It is known to be popular with wild swimmers though.
Although the lake looks small from the shores, it is deceptive and was great fun to paddle around. Shallow rocky water at the edges gave way to crystal clear, but very deep water (we couldn't touch the bottom with a paddle).
After an hour or so on the lake, the morning mist gave way to blue skies and it seemed rude not to take one of the boards up to the summit of Pen y Fan. So accompanied by two fat bikes (that's another story), we dragged, carried and pushed the O'Shea 11'6" GT board up the mountain. iSUPs are incredibly tough, and the O'Shea takes anything you can throw at it.
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We were pleased to paddle the high lake, but Lloydy couldn't stop himself paddling in every tiny pond as we approached the summit of Corn Ddu.
We got quite a few strange looks, some of genuine concern at our choice of craft on top of Pen y Fan, but we made it!
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