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All walksHay & the Black Mountains

Hay & the Black Mountains

Llanigon and the Black Mountain Foothills

Rising farmland between Hay and the mountains, with dingles, old lanes and a steady climb towards the ridge without committing to it.

Distance
3.7 mi / 6 km
Time
2 hr 15
Ascent
260 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

Field paths climb south from the village towards the mountain foot, then contour and return by sunken lanes and tracks. A lot of stiles and gates.

Worth knowing

  • A good introduction to the area if Hay Bluff feels like too much.
  • The sunken lanes here are ancient and deeply worn, and hold bluebells in spring.
  • Heavy going after rain; this is clay and it holds water.

What you’ll see

Hedged fields, dingles full of ferns, and the mountain wall rising ahead of you.

Background

Llanigon’s church has a rare surviving example of a churchyard laid out around an older circular enclosure, suggesting a pre-Norman religious site.