magazine summer 2012 magazine summer 2012 Wales Wales Berwyn mountains, Denbighshire Brecon Beacons, South Wales 11/05/2012 16:00 Route 05 Route 06 master ● Distance 23km/14½ miles ● Time 7hrs ● Type Mountain master ● Distance 19km/12 miles ● Time 7hrs ● Type Mountain NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL Plan your walk Plan your walk Holyhead ● Bangor ● SOUTH WALES DENBIGHSHIRE BRECON BERWYN BEACONS MOUNTAINS Carmarthen ● ● Snowdonia National Park Swansea ● ● Aberystwyth Cardiff ● WHERE: Circular walk WHERE: Circular walk from from Llandrillo over Nant Cwm Llwch via Lower the Berwyns, returning Neuadd Reservoir, Cribyn, PHOTOGRAPHY: FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: along Cwm Pennant. FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: Pen y Fan and Corn Du. START/END: Llandrillo Unknown by many, the Berwyn valley walk at the end of the day START/END: Cwm Llwch The Brecon Beacons National again for the latter part of the village car park (SJ035372). mountain range in northeast returns you to the start. parking area – at end of Park comprises four separate walk, but by bagging Cribyn, Pen TERRAIN: Clear tracks Wales provides some excellent road (SO006244). ranges. From west to east: the y Fan and Corn Du late in the day, and paths over both walking away from the crowds. 1. START The village of Llandrillo TERRAIN: Clear, well-worn Black Mountain (singular), Fforest you should fi nd them a lot quieter grassland and heather This large area of high moorland lies on the banks of the River mountain paths and tracks Fawr, Central Beacons and Black – if not have them entirely to moorland, with sections of is situated east of the Snowdonia Ceidiog, which fl ows into the (some repaired by pitching), Mountains (plural). The name yourself! In fi ne weather the boardwalk across boggy National Park, bounded to the River Dee about a mile to the both grassy and stony over ‘Brecon Beacons’ is used to refer views throughout are splendid. stretches along the ridge-top. north and west by the Dee Valley west. It makes a good base from bare hills. Not recommended to the whole of the Central Good visibility advised. and by the Welsh/English border which to explore the Berwyns, in poor visibility. Beacons area, although, strictly 1. START From the parking area MAPS: OS Explorer 255; to the east. The most popular which rise to the east and south. MAPS: OS Explorer OL12; speaking, it applies only to the (SO006244), follow the delightful OS Landranger 125. starting point for walks in the From the car park (SJ035372), Landranger 160. ‘big three’: Corn Du, Pen y Fan track beside the Nant Cwm Llwch GETTING THERE: Nearest Berwyns is the famous 73m/240ft turn L along the main road GETTING THERE: There’s and Cribyn. Corn Du and Pen y brook. At Cwm Llwch farmhouse, mainline trains stop at Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall (often (B4401), very soon forking R no public transport to the Fan’s decapitated tops are the take the waymarked path to the Wrexham/Ruabon, from mistakenly claimed to be the along a minor road. Follow this start, which is three miles most popular peaks in the whole R that bypasses the track. Further where Arriva Cymru bus tallest in Wales) and one of the to the end, where you join a from Brecon. Good bus national park, and on sunny on, cross a stile and continue up X94 to Barmouth (not Seven Wonders of Wales. Other track. Fine views over the Dee services operate between weekends there can be quite a the steep grassy slopes (another Sundays) takes you to approaches are quieter, including Valley appear as you climb Brecon and elsewhere, crowd up there. The most popular path stays lower and goes to Llandrillo (✆ 0871 200 2233, this walk from the west, whose steadily up the hillside. In the including Cardiff, Swansea, routes to their summits are those Llyn Cwm Llwch). The path www.traveline.info). highlight is the splendid stretch distance, the Arans and Arenigs Abergavenny and Hereford from the A470 in the west. This curves round the hillside above EATING & DRINKING: along the central Berwyn ridge can be seen. At a crossing of (✆ 0871 200 2233, walk approaches from the north, Llyn Cwm Llwch, Corn Du and In Llandrillo: Dudley Arms that includes the three highest tracks, keep ahead and continue www.traveline.info). using one of the most attractive Pen y Fan above – a fi ne sight. Hotel (✆ 01490 440223, summits: Cadair Bronwen the steady ascent with views EATING & DRINKING: of the various ascents to the main (A path up from the lake joins www.dudleyarms.co.uk); (784m/2,572ft), Cadair Berwyn ahead towards the Berwyn ridge. Lots of restaurants, pubs, northern escarpment. But instead from the L. Remember to keep Tyddyn Llan (✆ 01490 440264, (830m/2,723ft) and Moel Sych cafés and takeaways in of heading directly over the big to the higher, L-hand path on www.tyddynllan.co.uk); (827m/2,713ft). The eastern side 2. On reaching the pass at Pen Brecon. Tea room at the three, it continues south along an your descent later.) You reach Berwyn Restaurant of the ridge is characterised by Bwlch Llandrillo, you’ll see a National Park Visitor impressive ridge and down to the the skyline near the memorial to ▲ (✆ 01490 440550). L steep drops and crags, providing memorial dedicated to a cyclist: Centre (see over). Lower Neuadd Reservoir. This Tommy Jones, a child who lost some impressive views. A gentle the ‘Wayfarer’. As the route is leaves a good deal of uphill work his way and died of exposure ▼ ▼ 55-56 walk35 routemaster WALES.indd 1 55-56 walk35 routemasterWALES.indd 2 Ordnance Surveymap Ordnance Surveymap Continued... START FINISH SLEEPING: Good selection 1 START of accommodation in and FINISH 1 ping ©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 around Brecon, including ping ©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 2 Cefncoedbach farm cottages (✆ 01874 623548, www.breconholidaycottages. co.uk). VISITOR INFORMATION: Brecon TIC, Cattle Market car park (✆ 01874 622485, www.exploremidwales.com); The Mountain Centre – National Park Visitor Centre, Libanus (✆ 01874 623366, www.breconbeacons.org). GUIDEBOOKS: Hillwalking in Wales, Vol 1 by Peter 3 Hermon (£12.95, Cicerone, ISBN 978 1852844677); 2 Pathfinder Guide – Brecon 4 Beacons by Tom Hutton Map not to scale. (£11.99, Pathfinder Guides, Representation of ISBN 978 1854585578). 5 OS Landranger MAP LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUP: 125 1:50,000 5 www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Four Wells Ramblers (✆ 01597 860519, www.four wells.powysramblers.org.uk). a byway, this is also a stopping to the summit of Moel Sych Continued... point for four-wheel-drive (Dry Hill), the last of the vehicles, which can be a rather Berwyns’ major summits and here. Continue climbing up SLEEPING: B&B at Dudley unwelcome intrusion on a the meeting point of three towards Corn Du. You can Arms and Tyddyn Llan; Y peaceful country walk. However, ridges (south to Pistyll Rhaeadr, ✆ either go to its very top, where Llwyn Guest House ( 01490 any present are soon left behind southwest to Milltir Cerrig you turn R (south), or bypass it 440455, www.yllwyn.co.uk); as you turn R and ascend the and northeast to Cadair and bear R. or, for self-catering, Pen Cefn rather boggy path (following the Berwyn et al). Holiday Cottages (✆ 01678 Map not to scale. fence line) to Cadair Bronwen, 2. Heading south you are soon at Representation of 3 530413, www.pencefn.com). capped by a large cairn called 4. Follow the southwest ridge Bwlch Duwynt. Keep ahead on OS Landranger MAP 160 4 VISITOR INFORMATION: Bwrdd Arthur. On a clear day, the heading for Milltir Cerrig. A 1:50,000 the eroded path along the edge Bala TIC, Pensarn Road views are excellent. Continuing boardwalk most of the way www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk ✆ of the escarpment over Craig ( 01678 521021, along the ridge, descend south down the ridge eases progress Gwaun Taf and Graig Fan Ddu. www.visitbala.org). to a col (the going is facilitated over the rough and soggy footbridge and go up to the There’s a corresponding descent GUIDEBOOKS: Hillwalking by sections of boardwalk) and heather terrain. 3. At a large cairn, turn L down reservoir access road. Turn L and the other side. Alternatively, you in Wales by Peter Hermon uphill again, keeping close to the a narrow gully that descends follow it for a short distance, can follow the Beacons Way (£12.95, Cicerone, ISBN 978 eastern escarpment for the best 5. Shortly before reaching the the escarpment quite steeply. soon turning R along a track and route, which skirts it to the 1852844677); Walks in and most dramatic views. road, you’ll meet a crossing track This loose, stony path isn’t very then L, through a gate up another south. Whichever you choose, and Around the Berwyn and a notice about the Berwyn pleasant; it doesn’t last long, but track. Bear L along the broad, continue along the path at the Mountains by John Tranter 3. The summit of Cadair Berwyn National Nature Reserve here. requires some care. Continue stony track – an old Roman road edge of the escarpment up to (£5.75, Llygad Gwalch Cyf, – the shapely peak that gives Turn R along the stony track, down the grassy hillside (which – that climbs steadily to what is the 886m/2,907ft flat rocky ISBN 978 1845240899); its name to the range – is topped which descends quite steeply may be a bit boggy in places) known as The Gap, the pass summit of Pen y Fan, the highest Walks Around the Berwyn by a trig point, but the highest through the trees to the valley towards the R and dam-end of between Fan y Big and Cribyn.