Pen y Fan

Quoted message said:

Off to the Brecon Becons next week and we are thinking of doing Pen y Fan
from the car park marked on the OS map at Grid Ref: 023 247 and by way of
Bryn Teg - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - Cwm Liwch, picked this route mainly
because this is about the right distance for one of our party who is
recovering from a long term back injury. Can those who know the area give
an opinion on this chouse? Good, bad, better routes and so on.

Not done it from that way myself, but I'm told the north ridge of the Cribyn
is a scramble rather than a walk. You can't see it very well on 1:50k as
most of the contours are missing, but on 1:25k its 130metres vertical ascent
in about 400 metres horizontal distance! If you don't mind a couple of km
more, going via bwlch ar y fan at 032 205 looks more viable.

MP wrote on Wed, 9 Mar 2005 00:12:38 -0000....

Quoted message said:

Off to the Brecon Becons next week and we are thinking of doing Pen y Fan
from the car park marked on the OS map at Grid Ref: 023 247 and by way of
Bryn Teg - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - Cwm Liwch, picked this route mainly because
this is about the right distance for one of our party who is recovering from
a long term back injury. Can those who know the area give an opinion on this
chouse? Good, bad, better routes and so on.

This is a good route, which I did a month or two ago. The car park is
called Cwm Gwdi and is on the site of a former army training camp.
You may find the odd road sign to help you find it.

There's a footbridge over the stream if you turn left just before the
information board. Then head east and follow the field boundary just
inside open country for a little way, until you reach the public
rights of way that take you around Plas-y-gaer farm (now diverted so
you don't go through the farmyard). The Explorer map shows a ruined
building called Pant, but keep left across the field above it, then
turn left onto a track leading to Pont y Caniedydd. From there
there's a short walk up a minor road to the start of the Bryn Teg
ridge.

Be warned that the last little bit up to the summit of Cribyn is very
steep. But if your injured friend doesn't like the look of it,
there's a splendid little path which bypasses Cribyn across its north
face and comes out at the col between Cribyn and Pen-y-Fan.

From there, the path up to Pen y Fan also has a couple of steep
sections, the last of which is rocky (but not scrambling). On the way
down to Cefn Cwm Llwch, the first little bit off Pen y Fan is also
steep.

A popular alternative would be the horseshoe from the south. Park on
the verge of the minor road just before the Lower Neuadd Reservoir,
around 032179. Cross the reservoir dam (since it's a public right of
way, everybody ignores the 'No Unauthorised Entry' sign on the gate -
probably intended for motor vehicles). Choose one of the two paths up
to Graig Fan Ddu (can be a little boggy, and the last bit is steep
again). Now follow the ridge to Corn Du and Pen y Fan. Next is
Cribyn if you like, or you can bypass it to the south if you don't
like. From Bwlch ar y Fan it's an easy return along the Roman road
back to the Lower Neuadd Reservoir.

This southern horseshoe doesn't take you to the more dramatic northern
side of the Beacons, but Graig Fan Ddu / Craig Gwaun Taf is
nevertheless an excellent ridge walk, and once you are on it you've
already done most of the day's climbing.

--
Tim Jackson
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Peter G Sheppard wrote on Wed, 9 Mar 2005 01:41:01 -0000....

Quoted message said:

I'm told the north ridge of the Cribyn
is a scramble rather than a walk. You can't see it very well on 1:50k as
most of the contours are missing, but on 1:25k its 130metres vertical ascent
in about 400 metres horizontal distance!

Steep, certainly, but not a scramble.

--
Tim Jackson
[email hidden]
(Change '.invalid' to '.co.uk' to reply direct)
Absurd patents: visit http://www.patent.freeserve.co.uk

Tim Jackson wrote on Wed, 9 Mar 2005 02:13:29 -0000....

Quoted message said:

On the way
down to Cefn Cwm Llwch, the first little bit off Pen y Fan is also
steep.

I've just noticed you said Cwm Llwch, rather than Cefn Cwm Llwch.
That's also possible, but of course it's a bit longer. From Pen y Fan
go over Corn Du, then down to the Tommy Jones Obelisk at 000218.
Pause to read the tragic story inscribed on it, then down into Cwm
Llwch. You can follow above the boundary wall just inside open
country all the way back to Cwm Gwdi car park, but it's a long time
since I've done it.

--
Tim Jackson
[email hidden]
(Change '.invalid' to '.co.uk' to reply direct)
Absurd patents: visit http://www.patent.freeserve.co.uk

Another route:
Park at the bridge Pont y Caniedydd, SO 03943 24378 (there's space for
about 6 cars - but can park further up the road (but have to walk up
that stretch of hill at end!)
Either: relatively gentle track to Bwlch ar y Fan then Cribyn
(bypasses steep Cribyn approach)
Or: path direct to Cribyn along Bryn Teg
Pen y Fan
Cefn Cwm Llwch
Lovely and short path through the fields back to Pont y Caniedydd

Mark

Mark Cavendish said:

Another route:

Whoops! Forgot to add: distance 10km, total ascent 750m

Mark

"Tim Jackson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MP wrote on Wed, 9 Mar 2005 00:12:38 -0000....

Quoted message said:

Off to the Brecon Becons next week and we are thinking of doing Pen y

Fan

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

from the car park marked on the OS map at Grid Ref: 023 247 and by way

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Bryn Teg - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - Cwm Liwch, picked this route mainly

because

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

this is about the right distance for one of our party who is recovering

from

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a long term back injury. Can those who know the area give an opinion on

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

chouse? Good, bad, better routes and so on.

This is a good route, which I did a month or two ago. The car park is
called Cwm Gwdi and is on the site of a former army training camp.
You may find the odd road sign to help you find it.

Excellent, you fine person. When I were a lad, I stayed at this camp back in
1968 (I think) and have been trying to work out where it was. This was one
of the candidates. The rectangular cut out in the national park boundary to
the south west was the rifle range, which confirms it. We were there at
easter in Nissen huts with almost no heating.

Cheers

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

"MP" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Off to the Brecon Becons next week and we are thinking of doing Pen y Fan
from the car park marked on the OS map at Grid Ref: 023 247 and by way of
Bryn Teg - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - Cwm Liwch, picked this route mainly

because

Quoted message said:

this is about the right distance for one of our party who is recovering

from

Quoted message said:

a long term back injury. Can those who know the area give an opinion on

this

Quoted message said:

chouse? Good, bad, better routes and so on.

I dont seem to remember too many problems with this route but it was a long
boring slog up the road and then up the ridge. I think you also have the
option to take an easier route half way up if feeling tired. Personally I
dont think the frontal route from the reservoir and up onto rhiw yr
ysgyfarnog is too bad - its a short sharp slog up fairly steep slope but it
is all grass and I dont remember it being as long and boring. Once you get
on the ridge there, the up and down is minimal.

Rob

"Tim Jackson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MP wrote on Wed, 9 Mar 2005 00:12:38 -0000....

Quoted message said:

Off to the Brecon Becons next week and we are thinking of doing Pen y Fan
from the car park marked on the OS map at Grid Ref: 023 247 and by way of
Bryn Teg - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - Cwm Liwch, picked this route mainly
because
this is about the right distance for one of our party who is recovering
from
a long term back injury. Can those who know the area give an opinion on
this
chouse? Good, bad, better routes and so on.

This is a good route, which I did a month or two ago. The car park is
called Cwm Gwdi and is on the site of a former army training camp.
You may find the odd road sign to help you find it.

Thanks to all for your views on this route and especially Tim for his
detailed reply and the "bypasses for injured friend" it's much appreciated.

We are also considering a walk from Castell Dinas up Rhiw Trumau over to
Waun Fach and Pen u Manllwyn and Y Grid, any one dune this walk, good bad
indifferent?

MP

MP wrote on Thu, 10 Mar 2005 10:38:40 -0000....

Quoted message said:

We are also considering a walk from Castell Dinas up Rhiw Trumau over to
Waun Fach and Pen u Manllwyn and Y Grid, any one dune this walk, good bad
indifferent?

I've not done that particular walk, but Waun Fach is an uninteresting
peat bog (except perhaps when frozen solid or after a long dry spell).

--
Tim Jackson
[email hidden]
(Change '.invalid' to '.co.uk' to reply direct)
Absurd patents: visit http://www.patent.freeserve.co.uk

Quoted message said:

I've not done that particular walk, but Waun Fach is an uninteresting
peat bog (except perhaps when frozen solid or after a long dry spell).

Thanks for the info Tim, might look for another walk instead then when we
get there tomorrow.
Cheers,
MP

In article <[email hidden]>, MP <[email hidden]>
writes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've not done that particular walk, but Waun Fach is an uninteresting
peat bog (except perhaps when frozen solid or after a long dry spell).

Thanks for the info Tim, might look for another walk instead then when we
get there tomorrow.
Cheers,
MP

Not too far away - have you considered the Western Fans.

Fan Brycheiniog, Bannau Sir Gaer (Picws Du) Waun Lefrith with the bonus
of visiting Llyn-y--Fan Fawr and or Llyn-y-Fan Fach.

Tim had been there as well :-)
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk