Pen Y Fan and Corn Du Circular Walk
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Pen y Fan and Corn Du circular walk Pont Ar Daf A strenuous mountain walk on well-made footpaths to the TRAIL summit of Pen y Fan and Corn Walking du. GRADE Moderate DISTANCE 4 miles (6km) TIME 2 hours 30 minutes OS MAP Terrain Explorer OL12 Brecon Beacons National A circular walk to the top of southern Britain's highest mountain Pen y Fan on well-made upland footpaths. Dogs are welcome but must be kept under close control. Park Contact Things to see 01874 625515 [email protected] Facilities Toilets at the start (not National Trust) Refreshment vans on most weekdays and weekends Blaen Taf Fawr Corn Du Summit plateau The footbridge crosses the Blaen Corn Du is the second highest The summit was once covered Taf Fawr that flows all the way to peak in the Brecon Beacons. in peat and grass. The Neuadd Cardiff. valley and reservoir stretch away towards the south. nationaltrust.org.uk/walks Pont Ar Daf Start/end Start: Pont ar Daf car park, grid ref: SN988199 End: Pont ar Daf car park grid ref: SN988199 How to get there By foot: The Beacons Way runs from Abergavenny to Llangadog and passes through the property. The Taff Trail 1. Take the footpath through the woods at the southern end of the car park, pass through the kissing travels along the western and gate and cross the wooden footbridge over the river. From here, follow the footpath uphill towards eastern fringes of the property Bwlch Duwynt. As you take this steady climb up the footpath you'll notice the different methods of footpath construction used on the Brecon Beacons. The gullies on the uphill side of the path take from Beacon (8 miles / 12 the water flowing downhill to suitable crossing points were we have constructed culverts; this keeps km) and also approaches the most of the water off the footpath and prevents erosion. Some of the footpath has been stone pitched. property from Talybont-on-Usk This method of creating a hardwearing surface predates Roman times, but is costly and very time to the east consuming. By bus: X43 Sixty Sixty buses, Cardiff to Abergavenny, alight 2. Once you reach Bwlch Duwynt (which means 'Windy Pass' in Welsh), take the footpath at about Storey Arms for access to the 11 o’clock which leads across the southern slope of Corn Du. You'll soon reach the saddle between Beacons. For more information Corn Du and Pen y Fan. From here there are spectacular views to the south, down the Neuadd Valley go to Transport Direct to the reservoirs that are above Merthyr Tydfil. Continue along the footpath for the last push to the summit of southern Britain’s highest mountain - Pen y Fan - at 2906 feet (886m). By bike: National Cycle Network Route 8 (Lon Las 3. The cairn on the summit was a Bronze Age burial chamber. When it was excavated in 1991 Cymru) and the Taff Trail a bronze brooch and spearhead were found inside the chamber. The views from the top are travels along the western spectacular when weather permits. To the north, the town of Brecon can be seen and on a and eastern fringes of the particularly good day the summit of Cadair Idris is just visible. Looking east you can just make out the property from Brecon and also Sugar Loaf in the far distance, and to the south-west the Bristol Channel at Porthcawl can be seen on approaches the property from a bright day. Once you've finished taking in the views, retrace your steps to the saddle inbetween Pen the north, from Talybont-on- y Fan and Corn Du, and make your way up the pitched footpath to the summit plateau of Corn Du. Usk to the east and Cardiff from the south. The infamous 4. The cairn on Corn Du was also a Bronze Age burial chamber. Looking north-west from here into Gap Road, the highest trail in the Cwm Llwch valley is Llyn Cwm Llwch. On the ridge line there's the Tommy Jones obelisk, a England and Wales, crosses memorial to a five year old boy who died after getting lost on the Beacons in 1900. Leave Corn Du the property and joins the trail from the northern end and climb down the steep section to reach the pitched path below which heads towards the obelisk. After about 330 yards (300m) the path divides, take the permisive path to the at Torpantau left that heads down towards the stream, Blaen Taf Fawr. Once across the stream, head upwards By train: Merthyr Tydfil station following the path to the gate on the Gyrn. Y Gyrn has a considerable amount of heather on it, this is 12 miles (19km), Abergavenny because the grazing by sheep and ponies is managed to promote a healthy habitat for upland birds station 30 miles (48km). Links like red grouse. from both stations with X43 bus 5. Keep following the path and descend down to the A470 at Storey Arms. The old coach road is still By car: 8 miles (13km) from visible on the right as you reach the gate. Turn left and follow the road back to Pont Ar daf car park. Brecon on A470, Brecon to Cardiff nationaltrust.org.uk/walks.