Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksBannau Brycheiniog: Black Mountain

Bannau Brycheiniog: Black Mountain

Allt Rhongyr

Limestone grassland on the slopes above the Tawe, with a hillfort next door and some of the richest plant communities in the Bannau.

Distance
2.8 mi / 4.5 km
Time
1 hr 40
Ascent
200 m
Difficulty
Demanding
Shape
Circular

Where it is

The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.

The route

Climb from the country park onto the limestone slopes and along to Craig y Rhiwarth, returning by the lower path. Steep in places.

Worth knowing

  • The limestone grassland here holds plants found almost nowhere else in the park.
  • Craig y Rhiwarth above has an Iron Age fort and cave entrances.
  • Steep and rocky; not one for trainers.

What you’ll see

Limestone grassland and its flowers, cave entrances, and the Tawe valley below.

Background

The limestone here was quarried and burned for lime, and the hillfort above commands the whole upper valley.