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A straightforward circuit that follows the main trade routes up on to the roof of the National Park.
Distance 5 miles (8km)
Minimum time 2hrs 30min
Ascent/gradient 1,610ft (491m)
Level of difficulty Medium
Paths Clearly defined tracks, 2 stiles
Landscape Rugged high mountains and deeply scooped valleys
Suggested map aqua3 OS Explorer OL12 Brecon Beacons National Park Western & Central areas
Start/finish SN 982203
Dog friendliness Care needed near sheep and on cliff tops
Parking Lay-by on A470, opposite Storey Arms and telephone box
Public toilets ¼ mile (400m) south of start
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1 Cross the road and the stile next to the telephone box. The large building to your right is the Storey Arms, now an outdoor education centre but once a wayside inn on the coaching road between Brecon and South Wales. The original road can be seen forking off to your left, this forms a section of the Taff Trail, a long distance route between Cardiff and Brecon. Follow a clear, in places artificial, path up the hillside, leaving the plantation behind and crossing the open moorland of the southern flanks of Y Gyrn - a rounded summit to your left. You'll soon gain the ridge and cross a stile to drop easily down to the infant Taf Fawr - a pleasant and sheltered spot, ideal for a break before you reach the exposed hilltops above. The way ahead is clear, with the rough and badly eroded track climbing steeply up the hillside opposite. Follow this until it reaches the escarpment edge above the magnificent valley of Cwm Llwch. Below you'll see the glacier-formed lake of Llyn Cwm Llwch, and above this the steep head wall that unites the twin peaks.
2 Turn right to follow the clear path up towards the rocky ramparts of Corn Du. The path slips easily around the craggy outcrops and leads you up to the huge cairn on top of the broad summit plateau. The views down the valley are awesome, but take care as some of the summit rocks pretty much overhang the chasm below.
3 The way to Pen y Fan is obvious from here. Drop into the shallow saddle to the east and continue easily on to the summit. This opens up a whole new vista, with the narrow ridge of Cefn Cwm Llwch acting as the dividing wall for the remote Cwm Sere, to the right as you look out.
4 The north east face of the mountain is particularly precipitous so take care near the edges. The most enjoyable way to begin your descent is to retrace your steps across Corn Du to Bwlch Duwynt, the obvious saddle between the summit and the long ridge that runs south. Alternatively, a good path runs below Corn Du, allowing easy passage with no extra height gain. To locate this, drop back into the saddle you've just crossed and fork left, beneath the grassy slope that leads to the summit. The views from this section are to the south, over the two Neuadd reservoirs.
Bwlch Duwynt represents a fairly major junction of paths, but you'll easily locate the main track that leads downhill to your right, away from Corn Du. Again, sections of this track have been laid in stone in recent years to restrict the erosion caused by thousands of walkers' feet. Follow the track easily down for just over a mile (1.6km) until you see the Taf Fawr river to your right-hand side.
5 A short diversion to your right just here will reveal a great, rocky picnic spot, situated above a small waterfall. Continue down to ford the river and go through the kissing gate into the main car park. Turn right into the car park and follow it to its end where a gravel footpath (signposted with a Taff Trail waymarker) takes over.
6 Continue along the side of the plantation and cross the road to return to the start.
Every mountain has its 'trade route' - the easiest and most trafficked way to the top - and Pen y Fan is no different. This is the highest peak in southern Britain and the closest real mountain to a huge chunk of the population, attracting mass pilgrimages from the Home Counties, Birmingham, Bristol and South Wales. The most commonly used tactic is an out-and-back approach, using the motorway-like track that heads west from the southern edge of the small plantation, but this is less rewarding than the simple circular route described here, which starts by crossing the head of the Taff Valley.
Looking north from Pen y Fan, you'll see Brecon, tucked away at the foot of the mountains. It's the largest town in the National Park and also the administrative centre of the park authority. Brecon grew up as a walled settlement surrounding an 11th-century Norman castle and a Benedictine priory, which later formed part of the impressive Brecon Cathedral. It saw its steepest growth at the start of the Industrial Revolution, when it was linked with the ports to the south by a canal and railway line. Once the county town of Brecknockshire, these days Brecon relies on tourism and agriculture for most of its income. It makes a great base for exploring the National Park and has plenty of attractions in its own right. In addition to the cathedral, there's a county museum, a military museum and a theatre.
The Tai'r Bull Inn at Libanus, on the A470, south west of Brecon, is a fine pub with a wood burning stove and a cosy inglenook fireplace. The selection of food is diverse and they also serve a good pint. Alternatively, try the National Park Visitor Centre also at Libanus, which has a great coffee shop.
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