All walks › Bannau Brycheiniog: Black Mountains
Bannau Brycheiniog: Black MountainsPen y Gadair Fawr
The shapeliest summit in the Black Mountains and the second highest, reached through forestry and out onto a long ridge with almost nobody on it.
- Distance
- 6.8 mi / 11 km
- Time
- 4 hr 30
- Ascent
- 600 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
Forest tracks climb from the valley to the open ridge, which is followed north to the summit and on towards Waun Fach. Return by the ridge and forest.
Worth knowing
- More pointed and more satisfying than Waun Fach next door, which is higher but shapeless.
- The ridge is peat and grass and holds water; boots.
- Navigation in cloud is genuinely hard up here. Compass essential.
What you’ll see
A distinct summit cairn, the Grwyne valleys either side, and the whole ridge system.
Background
The Black Mountains are the easternmost of the Bannau ranges and their long parallel ridges run north to south, cut by narrow valleys.