All walks › Bannau Brycheiniog: Black Mountains
Bannau Brycheiniog: Black MountainsThe Grwyne Fechan Valley
Narrow valley running up into the Black Mountains, with hill farms, a ruined chapel and no through road at the top.
- Distance
- 5.0 mi / 8 km
- Time
- 2 hr 55
- Ascent
- 350 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
Follow the valley up from Llanbedr and climb onto the ridge before returning by the opposite side. Steady climbing.
Worth knowing
- The valley is a dead end for cars, which is why it is so quiet.
- Table Mountain and Crug Hywel are a short detour from the village.
- Ponies graze the upper valley and the common.
What you’ll see
The valley farms, the Grwyne Fechan, and the ridges closing in at the head.
Background
The valley was one of the routes used by drovers taking stock from the Usk valley over the mountains into England.