Wild Trails Wales Guide: Walking up Pen y Fan

No doubt about it, Pen y Fan is the most popular mountain in southern Wales, being the highest point in the south of Britain. A rite of passage for so many locals, and one of the main draws for visitors to the Brecon Beacons National Park. Ease of access from the main arterial road through Wales, the A470, and with a well-made and relatively easy-to-follow path make this one of the busiest walks in Wales. Popular for charity challenges and sunrise walks, with everyone from families and army trainees, the main route up Pen y Fan is almost always busy. That’s not to say it is easy if you aren’t experienced or prepared; it is still a mountain after all, and susceptible to some severe weather. Whichever route you take, you should know that the weather at the top can be dramatically different from where you start at the car park, and you may be exposed to strong winds, heavy rain, snow, icy paths or strong sunshine, sometimes all in one day! There is little to no shelter on the mountain, and cloud can and does cover the peak at a minute’s notice, so even if conditions feel good when you set out, you should be prepared for them to change abruptly. Check a specialist mountain weather forecast such as MWIS or Met Office Mountain Weather for realistic conditions at the summit. Knowing where you’re going and what to expect helps you to be prepared, so here’s a guide to everything you need to know about climbing Pen y Fan from the main Pont ar Daf / Storey Arms route, as well as several alternative routes up to the summit.

The Pont ar Daf route up Pen y Fan, looking back down to the car park

Pen y Fan from Pont ar Daf (Storey Arms)

3.7 miles, 450m ascent & descent

Public transport accessible, read more here. Parking available - National Trust car park & layby’ parking. Avoid parking on the road verges as you are likely to get a fine. Toilets and food / drink available in the car park.

Nicknamed the ‘motorway’ route, the route from Pont ar Daf to the summit of Pen y Fan is the most popular, and relatively easier route, with the least ascent required. The simple out-and-back route climbs steeply to Bwlch y Duwynt (saddle) where it levels out to go behind the peak of Corn Du, which will be on your left, and the Gwaun Taf valley below you to your right. It then begins to climb again for a short final section to reach the summit plateau. The advantage of this route is the well made path, which is easy to follow in good weather. It’s the best route to take for sunrise if you’re not a competent navigator or are short on time. This route can get treacherous in icy weather.

There are still a few things to watch out for on this route though; firstly, don’t mistake, as many have done before, the peak of Corn Du, which is visible, in good weather, from the car park. Pen y Fan itself is behind Corn Du, and you won’t be able to see it until you reach the bwlch / saddle. Secondly, on your descent, be sure to set off in the right direction, particularly in bad weather. Having a map and compass is useful for this, but otherwise, with your back to the cairn sign at the summit, you will have steep ground to your right, and more open, sloping ground to your left. Then, once you’ve followed the path around the back of Corn Du again, be sure to turn off right (south-west) once you reach the Bwlch - a small pile of stones marks the turning point. A fairly common mistake which catches people out is to continue along Craig Gwaun Taf; if you start climbing again and have steep ground below you on your left, you have missed your turn-off back to the Pont ar Daf car park.

If you want to climb Corn Du as well, there is a straightforward route around the steep edge which leads you to the summit cairn and back down to rejoin the lower route. An alternative return route is to summit Corn Du, then drop directly off the western slope, following the edge of Craig Cwm Llwch to a fork in the path, where you can take the left branch down to a stream at Blaen Taf Fawr, before climbing again and descending next to the woodland at the Storey Arms outdoor centre. There is a pavement and a path to take you back to the main car park.

The Cwm Llwch route

6 miles / 8.5km out and back, 638m ascent / descent

Small amount of parking in field at Cwm Llwch, down some nail-bitingly narrow lanes. Pay the farmer.

This route to the summit of Pen y Fan approaches from the north, nearest to Brecon. it climbs along a stream and through fields with mature oak and ash trees, then out onto mountainside with hawthorn trees and beautiful views over the countryside to the north. Ahead are the peaks of Corn Du and Pen y Fan. The route is straightforward up to the lake, Llyn Cwm Llwch, but not paved like the Pont ar Daf route. The lake makes for a really lovely rest stop, before climbing steeply up on to the escarpment which skirts above the lake, now far below on your left, and climbs up to the summit of Corn Du. Just before the summit the path steepens significantly, and there is a small clamber up to reach the top. From Corn Du keep the steep ground on your left, descending slightly before climbing again to Pen y Fan. This route offers some beautiful scenery but is a tougher climb than the main route. Follow the Cwm Gwdi / Cefn Cwm Llwch route down, and walk back along the lane to return to the start for a lovely circular route.

The route to Pen y Fan along Cefn Cwm Llwch from Cwm Gwdi

The Cwm Gwdi / Cefn Cwm Llwch route

4.6 miles / 7.5km out and back, 593 metres of ascent / descent

Limited parking at a small National Trust car park at Cwm Gwdi, accessed down very narrow lanes.

This is a lovely ridge walk from a pretty valley, offering a quieter approach to Pen y Fan. Some good navigation is required in poor visibility to stick to the main route along the ridge and avoid branching off down other spurs, especially at the lower part of the route. From the car park, walk uphill, along a track to a gate leading into a field. Follow the field round, heading for a track which climbs underneath the steep ground on the right (west) side of Cwm Gwdi. The rocky path climbs up next to the slope, then onto more open ground. At this point continue uphill directly, heading north. Soon the ridge becomes more defined and you can stick to the edge of the steep ground which falls away on the left (east). Just before the summit of Pen y Fan, the path steepens significantly and the final scramble to the top needs care as the path is eroded. This brings you up right at the summit cairn of Pen y Fan. This route can be combined with the Cwm Llwch route to make a great circular full-day walk. If you’re descending this way, carefully look for the route dropping off directly north near to the summit cairn.

The Neuadd route up Pen y Fan via Craig Cwm Sere

Neuadd route - Craig Cwm Sere

7.5 miles / 12km out and back, 510m ascent / descent

Parking available at Neuadd car park, can get full at peak times, but there is an alternative parking area further down the road at Owl’s Grove.

One of the longest ways to reach the summit of Pen y Fan, this route begins very gradually, following a rocky track around the east of the Taf Fechan valley, reaching Bwlch ar y Fan, between the summits of Fan y Big and Cribyn. It then skirts round the southern flank of Cribyn, before climbing steeply north west along Craig Cwm Sere to the summit of Pen y Fan. The final ascent is steep and involves a very small scrambly section at the top. This is one of the quieter routes, with less dramatic views. This route can be combined with the Neuadd / Craig y Fan Ddu route, with the option of also summiting Cribyn and Corn Du for a horseshoe walk.

Looking towards Corn Du and Pen y Fan from the Craig Fan Ddu route

Neuadd route - Craig Fan Ddu

8 miles / 13km out and back, 508m ascent / descent

Parking available at Neuadd car park, can get full at peak times, but there is an alternative parking area further down the road at Owl’s Grove.

Sharing the same start point as the Neuadd - Craig Cwm Sere walk, this route skirts the western side of the Taf Fechan Valley. Turning north out of the car park, cross the new bridge over the outflow of the old Neuadd reservoir, go through a gate and climb steeply with the woods on your left. This path is very steep and can be eroded in places. The toughest climb of the walk is out of the way early on, as the walk becomes a nice easy cruise along the escarpments of Graig Fan Du and Graig Gwaun Taf, all the way to join the main Pont ar Daf path at Bwlch y Duwynt, which you can then follow behind Corn Du to the summit of Pen y Fan. The views on this airy walk are fantastic, but it can feel exposed in strong south westerly winds. You can climb to the summit of Corn Du as an extension, and combine with the Neuadd Craig Cwm Sere route to create a horseshoe.

Please note this guide is for information and inspiration only and we can’t be held responsible for any inaccuracies or problems arising. We advise you to take a paper map and compass and be able to use them. Please be Adventure Smart.