All walks › Brecon & the Usk Valley
Brecon & the Usk ValleyThe Taf Fawr Reservoirs
A chain of three reservoirs in the valley below Pen y Fan, linked by forest tracks. Sheltered, easy and a sensible choice when the tops are unwalkable.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr
- Ascent
- 150 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
Follow the forest tracks along the valley between the Beacons, Cantref and Llwyn-on reservoirs, choosing your turning point to suit. Mostly level with gentle climbs between the dams.
Worth knowing
- A good bad-weather alternative with the mountain scenery still visible above the trees.
- The tracks are firm and wide, which makes for easy going underfoot.
- Fishing and watersports operate on the lower reservoir; the upper ones are quieter.
What you’ll see
Three reservoirs, conifer plantation, and the southern flanks of the Bannau above.
Background
Built between the 1890s and 1920s to supply Cardiff, part of the same expansion of city water supply that produced the Elan Valley scheme further north.