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All walksBannau Brycheiniog: Black Mountain

Bannau Brycheiniog: Black Mountain

Llyn y Fan Fawr

The larger and far quieter of the two Fan lakes, sitting under the eastern side of the Black Mountain escarpment with almost nobody there.

Distance
4.3 mi / 7 km
Time
2 hr 40
Ascent
350 m
Difficulty
Demanding
Shape
There and back

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

From the Tawe valley, a path climbs across open moor to the lake below the escarpment. Continue up to the ridge if equipped, or retrace your steps.

Worth knowing

  • Overshadowed entirely by Llyn y Fan Fach on the other side, which means you often have this one to yourself.
  • Wet peat on the approach; waterproof boots.
  • The escarpment above rises steeply and gives access to Fan Brycheiniog.

What you’ll see

The lake under its cliff, the escarpment rising behind, and the upper Tawe valley.

Background

Both Fan lakes sit in cwms scooped by ice on the north and east facing sides of the escarpment.