dcf.cymru stimulus sheet · Geography · Year 7
The search screens, blog, commercial advert and forum post in Sections 1 and 2 are invented for this lesson. The geography figures in Section 3 (Pen y Fan at 886 m, park area 1,347 sq km, designated in 1957, and Countryside Code rules) are real.
A Year 7 geography group wants to make a 3-panel digital visitor safety card for families walking up Pen y Fan in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. First, look at the four weak search queries they typed into a search engine:
| Search | What the pupil typed | What they were actually trying to find out |
|---|---|---|
| Search A | mountains in wales | Key facts about Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (area, highest peak, visitor numbers). |
| Search B | is it cold on the big hill today | The mountain weather forecast and wind chill for the summit of Pen y Fan. |
| Search C | please tell me where to park my car for the walk | Official parking, route map and footpath advice for walking up Pen y Fan from Pont ar Daf. |
| Search D | dogs and rubbish rules | Countryside Code rules on dog leads near sheep and litter in Bannau Brycheiniog. |
Read the 6 pretend search results carefully. Check the web address, the date, whether it is marked Sponsored / #Ad, and who wrote it.
Result 1 · Official National Park Authority
https://www.bannaubrycheiniog.gov.wales/visit/key-facts-and-countryside-code · Updated September 2026
Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority: Key Facts & Visitor Code
Official guide to Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly Brecon Beacons National Park). Covers 1,347 sq km across South and Mid Wales, rising to 886 m at Pen y Fan. Includes seasonal dog-lead rules, upland farming protection and footpath care.
Result 2 · Personal Walking Blog
http://daves-rambling-diary.freeblog.co.uk/brecon-walk-2011 · Posted 14 May 2011
My Sunny Stroll up Pen y Fan (No Map Needed!)
Parked for free in the lay-by at Pont ar Daf and walked up in trainers and a T-shirt! Just follow the eroded mud shortcut straight up the steep bank; nobody bothers with the stone steps.
Result 3 · National Weather Service
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/mountain/brecon-beacons · Updated today, 06:00
Met Office Mountain Weather Forecast: Bannau Brycheiniog & Pen y Fan (886 m)
Specialist upland forecast comparing valley conditions in Brecon (14°C) with summit temperatures on Pen y Fan (6°C, feeling like 1°C in 35 mph gusts, 80% cloud on tops). Includes mountain safety kit checklist.
Result 4 · Commercial Advert (Sponsored #Ad)
https://www.extreme-quad-thrills-southwales.com/book-now · Sponsored Ad
FORGET WALKING! Blast Across Mud Tracks on 400cc Quad Bikes! Only £65pp!
Why hike up boring hills when you can race our quad bikes at our private quarry track 12 miles outside the National Park? Use code MUD10 at checkout!
Result 5 · Unverified Public Forum Post
https://www.uk-chat-zone.net/threads/welsh-hills-post-9941 · Posted by @AnonHiker99, no sources cited
Re: How high is Pen y Fan?
“Pretty sure Pen y Fan is 1,085 metres high, making it the tallest mountain in all of Wales. You can let dogs run off the lead all year round because sheep are used to them, and you can camp and light a campfire anywhere on the summit ridge.”
Result 6 · Conservation Charity Route Page
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/pont-ar-daf-and-pen-y-fan · Updated August 2026
National Trust Cymru: Walking Pen y Fan from Pont ar Daf safely
Details the pitched stone footpath maintained by National Trust rangers to prevent peat bog erosion, pay-and-display car park rules at Pont ar Daf, and the 4-mile (6.4 km) return route taking 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Use skimming (reading the bold section headings) and scanning (looking for numbers, units and dates) to extract verified facts from the three trusted pages below.
| Heading on trusted page | Verified text extract |
|---|---|
| A. Park Identity and Area (Result 1: National Park Authority) |
Designated in 1957, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (known in English as the Brecon Beacons) covers 1,347 sq km (520 square miles) of mountains, moorland and valleys. Around 33,000 people live inside the park, and it welcomes 4.1 million visitors each year. |
| B. Highest Peak and Trails (Result 1 & Result 6: National Park & National Trust) |
The highest peak in the park, and the highest summit in South Britain, is Pen y Fan at 886 m (2,907 feet) above sea level. (Note: Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon in North Wales is 1,085 m.) The main route from the National Trust pay-and-display car park at Pont ar Daf is 6.4 km (4 miles) there and back and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours. In 2019, rangers closed the eroded mud shortcut and rebuilt a wide pitched stone footpath to stop rainwater washing away the fragile upland peat soil. |
| C. Mountain Weather and Kit (Result 3: Met Office Mountain Forecast) |
Temperature drops by roughly 1°C for every 100 m of height gained. On Saturday: Brecon valley town (160 m) will be 14°C with light winds (8 mph). On the summit of Pen y Fan (886 m), air temperature will be 6°C, but 35 mph wind gusts create a wind-chill temperature of 1°C with 80% cloud cover reducing visibility below 30 m. Walkers must carry a waterproof jacket, warm fleece layer, gripping walking boots, water, food, a map and compass, and a fully charged phone with a power bank. |
| D. Countryside Code and Dogs (Result 1: National Park Authority) |
Over 70% of the upland area is grazed by sheep and home to ground-nesting birds such as skylarks and golden plover. By law on open access land, dogs must be kept on a short lead (no more than 2 metres) from 1 March to 31 July, and at all times near livestock. Wild camping without the landowner’s permission and open campfires or disposable barbecues are strictly prohibited because dry peat and moorland grass catch fire easily. Take all litter, including banana skins and biodegradable food waste, home with you. |