All walks › Brecon & the Usk Valley
Brecon & the Usk ValleyCraig Cerrig-gleisiad
A national nature reserve in a glacial hollow where arctic-alpine plants survive on ledges no sheep can reach. Steep, rough, and far quieter than Pen y Fan a mile away.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr 30
- Ascent
- 380 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
- 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 into the cwm from the layby, work up the steep ground to the rim, follow the escarpment edge, then descend back into the hollow. Rough underfoot with some steep grass.
Worth knowing
- The plants here are genuinely rare. Stay off the ledges and cliff faces entirely.
- Far fewer people than the neighbouring honeypots, which is the point of coming.
- Steep wet grass on the descent is the real hazard, more than the crags.
What you’ll see
Crag scenery, purple saxifrage on the ledges in spring, and ring ouzel if you are fortunate.
Background
The cwm was scooped out by ice, and the plants on its cliffs are relics stranded when the glaciers retreated, surviving because the ledges are beyond the reach of grazing.