Fforest Fawr and the GeoPark
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| A circuit in the less-visited western part of Fforest Fawr in the Brecon Beacons, taking in Fan Nedd, Fan Gyhirych and the GeoPark. |
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Route details
| Region: |
Brecon Beacons |
| Start at: |
Ystradfellte Road |
| Circular Route |
| Grid ref: |
SN927164 |
| Difficulty: |
Medium |
| Scramble element: |
Walking |
| Grade: |
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| Distance: |
17.6 kilometres |
| Total ascent: |
746 meters |
| Approx. time needed: |
5 hrs 45 mins |
| Map: |
OS Explorer OL12 Brecon Beacons National Park |
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OS
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Road
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Satellite
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Hybrid
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Terrain
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Profile
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| Leg: | 1 |
| From: | Ystradfellte Road |
| To: | Fan Gyhirych |
| Distance: | 7 kilometres |
| Grid Ref: | SN927164 |
| Grid Ref: | SN880190 |
| Ascent: | N/A |
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From the car park on the Ystradfellte road, return to the road and walk 500m north along the road to the stile on the left; climb north-west to the ridge of Fan Nedd and its trig point summit. Descend N.W to Bwlch y Duwynt though boggy terrain until you reach the landrover track running S.W. At SN890189 leave the track and head west for the summit of Fan Gyhirych, with great views of the bijou Scottish style ridge of the hill. If you wish, you can detour en route to take in the 2000ft summit of Fan Fraith, but this is for hill-baggers only and the boggy rise is probably best avoided. |
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| Leg: | 2 |
| From: | Fan Gyhirych |
| To: | GeoPark |
| Distance: | 3 kilometres |
| Grid Ref: | SN880190 |
| Grid Ref: | SN875164 |
| Ascent: | N/A |
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Descend due south off Fan Gyhirych until you rejoin the landrover track, then at the junction at the edge of the forestry, take the left turn and continue, crossing a small river, until you come to a second junction near some quarries. Ascend the hillside to the right of the quarries and you will meet a decrepit wall and a rather more robust fence. Nip over the fence (blush); many have done this before and you're bound to find a leftover fencepost or a pile of stones to assist in the nipping over if you follow the fence eastwards. Then cut across rough heather until you meet an obvious footpath. This is the Beacons Way.
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| Leg: | 3 |
| From: | GeoPark |
| To: | Nedd Fechan |
| Distance: | 5 kilometres |
| Grid Ref: | SN875164 |
| Grid Ref: | SN911148 |
| Ascent: | N/A |
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You are now in the Fforest Fawr GeoPark and this limestone area is riddled with shakeholes. A quick detour to the south will take you to the small summit of Carreg Cadno and its limestone pavement, and you can easily rejoin the Beacons Way, following that in a S.E direction across heathery country. As you continue S.E, keep an eye open for pillow mounds, artificial warrens for rabbit farming, and a series of stone enclosures, possibly for sheep. Just after an abandoned farmstead, join another landrover track and arrive at the junction of footpaths at SN907143. Turn N.E here and drop down to cross the Nedd Fechan river. |
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| Leg: | 4 |
| From: | Nedd Fechan |
| To: | Ystradfellte Road |
| Distance: | 3 kilometres |
| Grid Ref: | SN911148 |
| Grid Ref: | SN927164 |
| Ascent: | N/A |
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Climb out of the Nedd Fechan valley onto the Sarn Helen, the Roman road that links the Usk valley with the Vale of Neath providing an important line of communication from the coastal zone to the Roman fort at Y Gaer just outside Brecon. This typically Roman straight track will take you back to your car, past the standing stone of Maen Madoc, a late Roman memorial to Dervacus, son of Justus, and a temporary encampment of the Roman army in the forestry, though this is extremely hard to see. The Afon Llia at the carpark provides a convenient spot to wash off boots or go for a paddle at the end of your walk. |
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Getting there
From the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road, take the roundabout at Hirwaun and head north through Penderyn, then turn left to take the unclassified road to Ystradfellte, then head north to the carpark just before you reach Fan Nedd. |
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Facilities
Public toilets at carpark in Ystradfellte.
New Inn pub, Ystradfellte.
Also pubs in nearby Penderyn, and if the weather turns against you, there's the Welsh Whisky distillery in Penderyn with its visitor centre.
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Disclaimer:
All routes are undertaken at your own risk. Magicalia accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any injury, death, or damage to your personal property that occurs as a result of following a route on this website. This applies whether the accident occurs as a result of your own errors or of errors in the information contained on this site. While we do endeavor to ensure the accuracy of details printed here, these routes have not been drawn up by Magicalia employees but by members of the public and we cannot guarantee their absolute accuracy. |
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