Walking Route - Fan Brycheiniog, South
Wales
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Glyntawe > Fan
Brycheiniog > Waun Lefrith > Glyntawe
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Distance: 13 miles (21
Km)
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Height Gain: 3386 ft
(1116m)
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Collectively known as The Black Mountain this often
forgotten porton of the Brecon Beacons National Park offers
excellent walking
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Maps: OS LR 160, Explorer
OL12
Online: Streetmap
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Strenuousness: 2
Technicality: 2
Photo Grade: 2
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Start Point: SN
846 165
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Overview Gentle slopes and sharp escarpments characterise this
long day's walk in what is tradionally known as Carmarthen Fan. From
a high point of over 2600 ft on Fan Brycheiniog the land falls away
to the south where it meets the limestone and Dan Yr Ogof cave
system.
Ideal country for wild camping - Cruxter
Man
Collectively known as The Black Mountain this often forgotten
porton of the Brecon Beacons National Park offers excellent walking
in fine weather, but can become desolate and diificult to navigate in
poor weather.
Section 1: Glyntawe to Fan Brycheiniog
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Distance: 4.7 miles (7.6km)
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Height Gain: 2295ft (699m)
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Starting from the car park at the Dan Yr Ogof show caves take
the path to the Shire Horse Centre then turn left onto a wide
bridleway heading north east towards Carreg
Goch.
At the rocks on the right hand side of the path turn right to
cross the Afon Haffes just beyond the gorge of Cwm Haffes. The south
flank of Fan
Hir rises steadily in front, and a bearing slightly East of
North across the trackless limestone and grass brings you to the
ridge line three miles from your start point.
The next mile follows the edge of the escapment and climbs
steadily to Bwlch Giedd with views down to Llyn Y Fan Fawr. A final
climb brings you to the summit trig point of Fan
Brecheiniog.
View from the summit with Pen y Fan above a Brecon cloud
inversion - Arafdown
Section 2: Fan Brycheiniog to Waun Lefrith
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Distance: 2.3 miles (3.6km)
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Height Gain: 416ft (1271m)
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Average Time: 1 hour 15 mins
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From the summit of Fan Brycheiniog you can continue north west
following the line of the escarpment, or cut the corner off and
bypass Fan Foel for a direct approach to
Bannau
Sir Gaer to the west.
Although only a minor top it's worth the diversion to Fan Foel for
the view of Bannau Sir Gaer's steep northern face and Llyn Y Fan Fach
below. Bannau Sir Gear is a long, almost level, ridge stretching from
its eastern summit, Picws Du to the western summit at Waun
Lefrith.
The route turns south west from here, but a few yards north of the
summit is the best place for views of Llyn Y Fan
Fach.
Section 3: Waun Lefrith to Glyntawe
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Distance: 6 miles (9.7km)
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Height Gain: 613ft (187m)
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Average Time: 2 hours 45 mins
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The initial part of the return leg is pathless, with a choice of
routes depending on visibility.
Directly west of Waun
Lefrith lies the rocky Carreg Yr Ogof, easily identifiable on
approach and with a good path just to the east. The downside of this
option is the lower slopes of Waun Lefrith and Carreg Yr Ogof tend to
get boggy.
The view from Fan Hir looking down tp the Afan Tawe
Cruxter
Man
Alternatively take a south west line from Waun Lefrith down the
ridge to reach a wide track at Esgair Ddu. You reach the same point
from Carreg Yr Ogof by taking the path heading south as you approch
the summit from Waun Lefrith, then keep left at the fork.
From Esgair Ddu follow the track downhill to the east then
turning south east. A short climb at Ban Wen Gwyn comes just before
another fork, where again staying left will keep you on course.
The path now follows the flat, boggy plain of Afon Haffes,
with marshy ground to the left and the rocks of Diswylfa then Castell
y Geift up to the right. The final few hundred yards retrace your
outward steps to Dan Yr Ogof and the start point.
