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A good summer's day in the Beacons, firstly taking the eastern approach to Waun Rydd from the Talybont Reservoir via the outliers Allt Lwyd and Bryn. Lovely grassy ridges down from and, especially, steeply up to the summit plateau which, broad and marshy, maybe doesn't have quite the same charm - bar the spectacular beehive cairn Carn Pica. Long views over the Black Mountains throughout though and also, once over Waun Rydd, of Pen y Fan and its neighbours; an outline that will take some tiring of seeing. An uneventful and quite long way back, largely through farmland, but generally a good and easy-going route.
- Talybont Reservoir
- Waun Rydd
- Tor y Foel from ascent to Allt Lwyd
- Allt Lwyd
- Twyn Du & Nant Tarthwynni valley
- Carn Pica
- Black Mountains from Waun Rydd summit
- The high Beacons: Bwlch y Ddywallt, Fan y Big, Cribin, Pen y Fan, Corn Du
- Cwm Cwareli
- Bwlch y Ddywallt
- Bryn summit
- Waun Rydd from Bryn
- High Beacons
- Northern flatlands from Bryn
- Back up the initial ascent route, Waun Rydd on skyline
Just a little time left to pick up the loose Nuttall of Y Gyrn, sitting unconsidered on the edge of the high Beacons. This is only a little round lump not far above the busy carpark, but it's a pleasant enough few minutes up the paved path heading onto Pen y Fan and then through rough grass following the high ground to the summit. Nice views, especially of Fan Fawr looking quite genuinely 'mountainous' from this side, even if this definitely isn't the best side of the main summits: the routemarch tramp up the rest of the path among the crowds didn't look too enticing an alternative to the terrific south and north approaches...
- Fan Fawr over the Storey Arms cars
- Beacons Reservoir
- Pen y Fan & Corn Du
- Fforest Fawr hills
- Fan Fawr
- Y Gyrn from the roadside