Trail magazine August 17 - Pen y Fan Horseshoe, Brecon BeaconsRoute info:
Strenuousness 2/5
Navigation 2/5
Technicality 3/5
Distance 15km (9.25 miles)
Total ascent 797m
Time 4.5 hours
Start/finish Neuadd Reservoir car park SO036170
Nearest town Talybont-on-Usk
Terrain Good paths following generally well-defined ridge shapes; some steep sections plus sections of loose earth/scree underfoot
Maps OS Explorer (1:25,000) OL12; OS Landranger (1:50,000) 160
Accommodation Travellers Restaurant and Rooms, Talybont-on-Usk (01874) 676333
Public transport No public transport to the start of this walk
Tourist info Brecon TIC (01874) 622485
Best pub The Star Inn, Talybont-on-Usk (07874) 676635
Route description:
SO036170 Walk to the far end of the car park and take the small path out onto the road, walking along it until you come to a corner with a tree-lined track gently veering off to the right. Follow this path and you'll come to a ford. The ground is loose here so watch your footing as you go down and up. Continue along this path to the foot of Cribyn. Don?t take the rocky footpath to your left, as this will take you around the bottom of Cribyn, but continue into the col between Cribyn and Fan y Big called Bwlch ar y Fan.
SO031205 Turn left and follow the rough path up to the obvious path to Cribyn's summit. It's a steep climb and wide path. Once at the summit, turn to your left (you'll be facing Pen y Fan) and follow the very obvious stone path down into the col between Cribyn and Pen y Fan. Here you'll join the Beacons Way up Craig Cwm Sere all the way to the summit. Continue over the large plateau summit, following the left-hand edge, which will lead you down another obvious stony track. Keep right at the fork, and climb up onto Corn Du's summit.
SO007213 The way down is a bit of a scramble directly on the other side of where you've climbed up. Do apply caution down this path. It's only a short scramble down and you will see the clear stone path not far below you. Continue on the path, following it around to Craig Gwaun Taf. Ensure you follow the path along the left-hand side, along the edge of the ridge. Continue along to Graig Fan Ddu. Once you've passed the Upper Neuadd reservoir down below on the left-hand side, the path will veer around to the right. Start to keep an eye out for a large cairn.
SO019182 Once you've reached the cairn you will see a path down a sharp gully. The ground is slightly loose so be very careful in your descent. Continue down towards the lower reservoir, where you will go through a gate and over the reservoir. Continue along this path, through a small wooded area and to the road, then turn right. Follow this road along, and you will come to the car park on your right side.
PLEASE NOTE: The GPX trace on this route is for use as a guide only, its accuracy may change depending on the scale of map you are using. Use in combination with judgement and a paper map. We have taken all reasonable steps to ensure these walks are safe and correctly described. However things do change and all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk. The publishers accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any injuries or accidents that occur whilst following this walk.
From Trail magazine, to subscribe visit www.GreatMagazines.co.uk/Trailmagazine Copyright Bauer Media Limited 2016.Trail magazine August 17 - Pen y Fan Horseshoe, Brecon Beacons346.4347.7353.8365.7370.2382.8396.6400.2401.5417.4426.8427.8427.7445.6448.3453.5462.5473.5474.9483.9488.5502.6502.8503.2507.1515.2522.8537.1538.7557.2560.5576.9587.6594.3587.5595.7598.8596.3609.6651.8702.1720.6728.1735.8740.7760.9787.6770.1697.4669.7671.5726749.9779.2798.7844.7876.8881.8875.1837.8871.5848.5821.6793.1798.8813.5824823.1821.9813.2803.2782.7771.1757.8744.3732.4746.4745.4740.1731.2727.2678.6708.8692.3685.2678.6668.8663.7599.6567.9517.9463.8445.9436.5428.7421433.5439.7443.5441.7430427.7422.9403.6400.2370.2365.7353.8346.4