All walks › Usk Valley and Abergavenny
Usk Valley and AbergavennyThe Sugar Loaf
A conical hill above Abergavenny with a summit ridge of bare rock and a view over the Usk valley, the Black Mountains and the Bristol Channel.
- Distance
- 4.3 mi / 7 km
- Time
- 2 hr 30
- 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
Head up from the car park across the common and up the southern ridge to the summit. A circuit is possible by descending the western side into the Deri valley.
Worth knowing
- Not a volcano, whatever the shape suggests: it is old red sandstone left standing as softer rock eroded around it.
- The car park is small and fills at weekends; there is an alternative start from Llanwenarth Citra.
- Ponies graze the common and are used to people.
What you’ll see
The whole Usk valley, the Skirrid and Blorenge opposite, and the Black Mountains to the north.
Background
The hill was given to the National Trust in 1936. The common has been grazed for centuries and the vineyards on its southern slopes are among the oldest in Wales.