free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
I had planned this hike months before, as soon as we'd decided we were coming down south for our summer holidays, and I nudged us west a bit into South Wales, so as to be closer to the Brecon Beacons
We started from the National Trust car park on the A470, just north of Beacons Reservoir, and headed up the Beacons Way. We were fortunate with the weather for our week in the area, and I was pleased our Pen y Fan Day was a lovely day, the better to enjoy the views of this beautiful country as we climbed.
- View of the return route
- Looking back over Fan Fawr
- Corn Du ahead
- Looking northish
We made a detour off the main path to visit the summit of Craig Gwaun Taf.
- Craig Gwaun Taf top
From here the plan was to head straight to Cribyn, and then visit Pen y Fan and Corn Du on the way back. We returned to the Beacons Way and followed it around Corn Du. We left it again as it climbed up to the top of Pen y Fan, taking a smaller path that traversed the hill south of the summit.
- Corn Du and Pen y Fan
- Looking back along the eastern flank of Craig Gwaun Taf. And two sheep
We joined the main path again coming down from Pen y Fan, and continued on down to the col between it and Cribyn.
- Cribyn ahead
- Looking back at the steep eastern face of Pen y Fan
We climbed up to the summit of Cribyn, and stopped for a breather, and to take in the views in every direction. It was a lot less busy here - just a couple of others - compared to the crowds we could see on Pen y Fan.
- Cribyn summit, with Llangors Lake and the Black Mountains in the distance
- Looking south along Craig Cwm Cynwyn, with Pentwyn and Pontsticill Reservoirs beyond
- Looking north over Brecon
- Pen y Fan from Cribyn
Then it was back down Cribyn, and straight up to the summit of Pen y Fan. Near the top we could hear what sounded like someone doing a loud impression of a sheep. Once up, we discovered it
was a sheep, with a side hustle scrounging food from walkers. We watched it being hand fed cucumber by children as if it were in a petting zoo
- Pen y Fan summit
- View north-west from Pen y Fan
- View over Brecon
- View back over Cribyn
- View over to Corn Du
It was a short hop over to Corn Du for the last summit on our itinerary.
- Corn Du summit
- Looking back at Pen y Fan
From there we descended west along the Cambrian Way for a mile or so. Soon after crossing Blaen Taf Fawr we turned off the main path again onto a smaller path, and followed this south beside the Blaen all the way back to the car park.
- Looking down on Blaen Taf Fawr
- Back to the NT car park
