The Fan Dance - A Moment of True Insanity? In aid of H4H

9734 Views 56 Replies 15 Participants Last post by leytondiver, Aug 2, 2010

MJH

Discussion Starter · May 2, 2010 (Edited)

Yesterday in what can only be described as a of true insanity, which will take me well beyond my current mid-life crises, I have agreed to have a go at running the route of the ‘Fan Dance’ this summer.

The route I am planning to take starts at the Storey Inn, goes over Corn Du, Pen y Fan (886m), Cribyn (795m), then Fany y Big (719m) before dropping back down to the bottom. Then reversing the route back up to the top of Pen y Fan, before dropping down again along the Roman Road to the forest. Then the route turns back again over Pen y Fan for the third time, before heading back over Corn Du and down to the Storey Inn. Approx 21.5 miles in total.

Traditionally the 'Fan Dance' is run carrying 40lbs and a rifle. Obviously I won’t be carrying a gun with me just in case I lose the will to live half way round and due to an old neck injury I am not committing to carrying that much weight. All depends how the training goes.

So two questions for YD:

1. Who would like to sponsor me? Going to split money raised between
Help 4 Heroes and Combat Stress.

2. Is anyone else daft enough to want to try this with me?

http://www.justgiving.com/Marianne-Hunter

1 - 20 of 57 Posts

HeBails

· #2 · May 2, 2010

I'll sponsor you but having had to do this in full combat gear when I was 18 , 19 and 20 (summer and winter training camp was Brecon) you won't get me anywhere near that bloody hill again .
Point me at your Just Giving page Marianne please

Reactions: 1

Phil Mauer

· #3 · May 2, 2010

Ditto Paul B!! age 27 though!

Reactions: 1

don

· #4 · May 2, 2010

MJH said:
1. Who would like to sponsor me? Going to split money raised between
Help 4 Heroes and Combat Stress.

2. Is anyone else daft enough to want to try this with me?

1. Yes

2. Lol - I'd love to but as it (and the rest of the brecons) are responsible for my knackered knees and dodgy hip I think I'll give it a miss. I'll man the check point.........at the start!

Reactions: 1

MJH

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 2, 2010

Thank you

I will as soon as I get a page sorted

and if I can work out how I'll post some pictures taken on Pen y Fan yesterday

MJH

Discussion Starter · #6 · May 2, 2010

Very kind of you Don

But you do realise the Storey Inn hasn't served beer since 1962

MJH

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 2, 2010

btw I'm 47!

don

· #8 · May 2, 2010 (Edited)

MJH said:
Very kind of you Don

But you do realise the Storey Inn hasn't served beer since 1962

Of course I do!!! I last did first leg last summer , via the monument (the correct route) - nearly died!

mg:

and I'm a tiny bit older

See less See more

Garf

· #9 · May 2, 2010 (Edited)

MJH said:
The route I am planning to take starts at the Storey Inn, goes over Corn Du, Pen y Fan (886m), Cribyn (795m), then Fany y Big (719m) before dropping back down to the bottom. Then reversing the route back up to the top of Pen y Fan, before dropping down again along the Roman Road to the forest. Then the route turns back again over Pen y Fan for the third time, before heading back over Corn Du and down to the Storey Inn. Approx 21.5 miles in total.

Traditionally the 'Fan Dance' is run carrying 40lbs and a rifle. Obviously I won’t be carrying a gun with me just in case I lose the will to live half way round and due to an old neck injury I am not committing to carrying that much weight. All depends how the training goes.

So two questions for YD:

1. Who would like to sponsor me? Going to split money raised between
Help 4 Heroes and Combat Stress.

2. Is anyone else daft enough to want to try this with me?

The whole route is about 25k normally, how the hell are you doing 21 miles?

hope you have good weather, the views are great from the summit of pen y fan - just be careful of the northern ridge between pen y fan and Crybin. It's a bit downhill. and if you get time there's a waterfall just north of the forest worth putting your feet in

MJH

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 2, 2010 (Edited)

3

Went up there to have a look at the route yesterday

See less See more

Garf

· #11 · May 2, 2010

spiky init

See less See more

Reactions: 1

don

· #12 · May 2, 2010

MJH said:
Went up there to have a look at the route yesterda

What's that guy in middle photo up to!

MJH

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 2, 2010 (Edited)

Garf said:
The whole route is about 25k normally, how the hell are you doing 21 miles?

hope you have good weather, the views are great from the summit of pen y fan - just be careful of the northern ridge between pen y fan and Crybin. It's a bit downhill. and if you get time there's a waterfall just north of the forest worth putting your feet in

Fair point - I didn't measure the route they did yesterday, the organisers did and I'm doing the same route. I'll check it as I could be wrong

Mind you with my navigational skills it could well be a lot further!

It was beautiful up there yesterday - until the hail storm!

MJH

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 2, 2010

don said:
What's that guy in middle photo up to!

Doing his coat up obviously!
Why did you think he was doing? :;

Paul Oliver

· #15 · May 2, 2010

Well i've been over there a few times and have no intention (at the moment) of going over there again lol fastest i did it was on my Section Commanders Course when i had a GPMG to carry as well

mg:

I'll sponsor you though, cos yur certainly gonna be earning the money

Reactions: 1

Garf

· #16 · May 2, 2010

As requested, here's a PDF of the route, at least one version of it anyway. It's almost precisely 12k end to end, so 24K with the return. You stop and turn around where you meet the minor road.

www.noviz.co.uk/FanDance.pdf

It's 4 MB so be patient. This is a custom OS 1:25000 map. If you need a 3d flythrough map, or maps on any other scale just shout. I can print OS maps down to 1:10000

Reactions: 2

gpj

· #17 · May 2, 2010

MJH said:
So two questions for YD:

1. Who would like to sponsor me? Going to split money raised between
Help 4 Heroes and Combat Stress.

2. Is anyone else daft enough to want to try this with me?

1. No problem, I'll sponsor you.

2. Errr I'm not that daft !

3. Nice to meet you today, thanks for the dive!

Graham.

p.s. have you defrosted yet?

Reactions: 1

MJH

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 2, 2010

Garf said:
As requested, here's a PDF of the route, at least one version of it anyway. It's almost precisely 12k end to end, so 24K with the return. You stop and turn around where you meet the minor road.

www.noviz.co.uk/FanDance.pdf

It's 4 MB so be patient. This is a custom OS 1:25000 map. If you need a 3d flythrough map, or maps on any other scale just shout. I can print OS maps down to 1:10000

Looks like you could be right

Bugger!

I'll amend my original post

Reckon I'm still likely to die on the way round though!

Garf

· #19 · May 2, 2010

it's still a hell of a hike, don't worry. If you have time to enjoy it, take a camera in case the mist burns off and gives you some good views.

MJH

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 2, 2010

gpj said:
1. No problem, I'll sponsor you.

2. Errr I'm not that daft !

3. Nice to meet you today, thanks for the dive!

Graham.

p.s. have you defrosted yet?

Thank you

Stopped shivering by the time I got to M25 lol

1 - 20 of 57 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.