Brecon Beacons Walking – part one

This week I made a return visit to the HF Holidays house in Brecon. The first visit was last September, which was my first lead with HF. Since then I’ve led  from Sedbergh in the Yorkshire Dales, Dolgellau in southern Snowdonia and Glen Coe in the Highlands. The arrival in Brecon presented some good views of the Beacons, sadly as the afternoon progressed the weather deteriorated.

Sunday – Fan y Big & the Menasgin Ridge

Sunday provided an opportunity to take a group up to Fan Y Big as part of the Menasgin horseshoe. The route started at Llanfrynach and followed the lanes for a short distance before heading up towards the open ridge of Gist wen that would provide our means of access to Fan Y Big. The views presented of Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du were tempting but these summits would need to wait until Tuesday.
The path then follows the edge towards the summit of Fan y Big around the glacial Cwm Oerrgwm with the Nant Menasgin and its rich woodlands. We soon reached the summit and the opportunity to enjoy the fine views of both the Beacons and Brecon our final destination. Fan y Big’s small ‘diving board’ didn’t look too tempting but provides one of those classic photo opportunities. The return to Brecon was down the Cefn Cyff ridge and through the lanes and fields around Cantref. Many of the sunken lanes were historic drove roads and the dense canopy they provided protected us from the afternoon rains. Tantalising glimpses of Brecon could be had through gaps in the hedgerow of the green lane leading down to Christ College and the desecrated sixteenth century bridge across the Usk. 

Monday – Waterfall Country

Today’s walk was along the Afon Mellte and Nedd Fechan with views of the various waterfalls and the features of this limestone area. Starting at the car park on the minor road we followed the path down to the first waterfall of the day, Sgwd Clun-gwyn. As we followed the riverside path up to Porth yr Ogof we had the opportunity to watch some Dippers hopping in and out of the rushing water.
A quick look at the Blue Pool where the river emerges from its quarter mile underground journey. Then on to Porth yr Ogof where the river enters the large cave and makes its way through the softer limestone. Inside could be heard the voices of pothollers whose head torches barely pierced the gloom.



After lunch a cross country journey along sunken lanes and open grassland took us to the Nedd Fechan and the final string of waterfalls. The final one being Sgwd Gwladys, after which the the destination of Pontneddfechan provided a good resting point before the return to Brecon.

Tuesday – Central Beacons

Today’s walk started at the layby just beyond the Storey Arms. A quick ascent to Bwlch Duwynt along a made up path proved that it certainly lived up to its name of ‘windy col’. At this point we turned right and headed out along the descending ridge. The other group who were slowly ascending behind us would quickly reach Corn Du from this point while we would take the more circuitous route & make this our last peak of the day.
As we headed out along Craig Gwaun Taf and Graig Fan Ddu the visibility deteriorated and only as we descended down a rocky path to Neuaudd Reservoirs did the landscape open up before us. A slightly squelchy trudge to the reservoir grounds soon enabled us to enjoy the respite provided by the old waterworks as a desirable lunch spot in the sun. This was not to last as the old Roman/drovers track up to the ‘gap’ soon demonstrated.
At the gap we caught up with a heavily laden walker who trudged ahead of us. While he carefully avoided the highs that the Beacons have to offer we headed on up to the top of Cribyn and into the thickening mist. In record time we had Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du under our belts in part because there was no reason to linger and admire the non-existent views.

The descent to the Storey Arms provided an interesting route but sadly little to see. The only blessing was the fact that it hid the busy A470 long after we could hear its intermittent drone. The sight of the roadside vender with her friendly welcome & warming tea and coffee’s was something we were glad to savour while we awaited our transport back to Brecon.
So ended the first part of the week, tomorrow was a rest day and the weather was due to break and provide a most promising final two days in the Brecon Beacons.