Walk Summary
An ascent of the Brecon Beacon's highest mountain, Pen-y-Fan. The route avoids the Storey Arms route crowds by following an edge route from the the Taf Fechan forest. Super valley views and mountain views of Cribyn and Pen-y-Fan
Date: 18/01/2022
Length: 8.11 miles
Height Gain: 487 m
Terrain: Steep paths, boggy paths, grass path, stony track, stone steps, lightly used roads, edges with large drops (easily avoidable)
Navagation: Potentially tricky. The edges around the valley provide handrails, although map and compass may be required in bad weather.
Start: Neuadd Car Park
Route: Neuadd Car Park, Graig Fan Ddu, Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan, Tor Glas
Map: OL12 Brecon Beacons
Weather: Cloudy and misty
Walkers: Nun
Gallery
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Taf Fechan Waterfall
Captain's Log
Delayed Start
The nearest location I could get on my satnav to a forestry car park at Taf Fechan Forest was Pontsticill. The road the satnav wanted to take out of Merthyr Tydfil was closed due to major roadworks. A few minutes later the satnav directed on to a rather narrow road, and ten minutes later I was in Pontsticill. From here I knew I needed to drive alongside large reservoir, but one wasn't visible. At a junction the names on the road signs didn't relate to any location on my OS map. I took a guess and picked a road. Five minutes later I was back at the outskirts of Merthyr Tydfil again. Today wasn't getting off to the best of starts.
By a process of road elimination, I rolled into the car park at Taf Fechan Forest. I tagged the location in my satnav.
Forestry Road
The day didn't look very promising. The cloud level was well below the tops and it seemed to get lower. My target for the day was the 886 metre Pen-y-Fan, but I started my walk in the opposite direction, back along the road. The reason was to join a footpath near Birch Hall. I crossed a bridge and there was a good view of a waterfall upstream. I left the road and joined the forestry footpath...well, forestry road really. It took me through some rather uninspiring forest. The forestry track turned into a boggy path. The cloud level was still low. I wondered whether today was going to be a good day to ascend Pen-y-Fan. The forestry path ended and a well maintained stone path went straight uphill and disappeared into the mist. I pressed on upwards.
Twenty minutes later I was up on what appeared to be a broad ridge. The path headed northwards close to the edge. I started following it. My world, for the next hour or so, was the path in front of me, and a large drop to my right. I say, a large drop, but it was difficult to see since the mist prevented any view beyond 50 metres. It felt a vertical drop. A strong cross wind buffeted me towards the edge. At one point the moor to my left also turned into a steep drop (Rhiw-yr-Ysgyfarnog). It was misty, but navigation wasn't really an issue; I just kept the large drop on my right.
Ascent From Taf Frechan
Pen-y-Fan Ascent
Pen-y-Fan
Eventually the direction of the path changed and the wind was now at my back. A cairn marked the path that went down to the A170. I'd guess most people start off from there since the distance is less and you sset off from a higher point. I was surprised at having to scramble up one particular point. At last I got to the large summit cairn on Pen-y-Fan. A couple were taking selfies at the top. 'Great views', they shouted to me over the wind. Great views for about 50 metres, anyway. While I was on top the sun did attempt to break through the mist, but gave up almost straight away. I was only at the summit for a couple of minutes, but was joined by seven other people during that time. It seemed odd to see so many people when I'd spent all morning walking in misty isolation. It was time to go. I took a bearing to pick up the correct path and set off down.
Pen-y-Fan Summit
Missing Reservoirs
I dropped out of the mist and I could see down the valley to where my car was parked. I had intended going up Cribyn but it meant going back up into mist and sensory deprivation again. I decided to leave Cribyn for a better day. It deserved a view from the top. I took the path that skirts around it to the col at Bwlch Tar-y-Fan. There was a stunning view northwards from the col. The weather actually looked sunny further down the valley. It was a shame to turn my back on it, but I had to and started along the track southwards.
The OS map shows a couple of reservoirs in the valley bottom. Both had been drained. Upper Neuadd Reservoir, the larger one, had a large brick dam. Seemed a shame not to make use of it.
As I reached the car park, the hills looked just as gloomy as they did this morning. I think this walk would have been spectacular in good weather; I just chose the wrong day.
Upper Neuadd Reservoir Dam