All walks › Hay & the Black Mountains
Hay & the Black MountainsAllt yr Esgair
A wooded ridge between the Usk valley and Llangorse Lake, with a Roman road running along it and a view from the top that takes in both.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- Ascent
- 230 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- 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 through the woods to the ridge, follow the crest north with the old road underfoot, then descend and return by field paths. Steady climbing, no difficulty.
Worth knowing
- The line along the top is a Roman road, still visible as a terrace in places.
- Excellent in autumn when the beech turns.
- A good alternative when the high tops are in cloud, since most of the walk is under trees.
What you’ll see
Beech and oak woodland, Llangorse Lake on one side, the Usk valley on the other.
Background
The ridge carried a Roman road linking the fort at Y Gaer with points east. The name means the hill of the ridge, which is about as literal as Welsh place names get.