Sunday 19th February 2023
Several months have passed since I last wrote on this blog and that was never my intention. Between working full-time and stepping in to the world of self-employment, I’ve not allowed myself as much time as before, for blogging and even getting out on regular walks.
Returning to February for the timing of this walk, this will be my first instalment of returning to my writing – one month before I would spend a week away in North Wales.
I’ve often been one for avoiding the Central Beacons, when it comes to mountainous hikes in South Wales. Corn Du and Pen y Fan, by some statistic, must be one of the most-frequently-visited outdoors spaces in the south of the UK. But over the road, across the A470 from these “honeypot hills”, many miles of undulating moorland remains unexplored by the masses.
My plan had been to park close to the Storey Arms Centre, from which the majority would begin their journey to the top of Corn Du. It was a sunny Sunday in February. But even here in the winter, by the time I arrived at 9:30am, the main car park was already full! Fortunately, a bit further west along the road, I found plenty of free spaces around a semi-circular layby.
There is no signpost for ‘Fan Fawr’, or at least as far as I could find. Over the stile and I was following tracks that appeared to correlate to the black dashed lines on my phone (my paper map is out of date, by comparison).
To the east of the Storey Arms lies the Pont ar Daf car park. It looks to be much larger and again, it was busy on this day. But building work was also underway. Are they building a second visitor centre?
It reads as though they’ve been adding another two-hundred parking spaces to this site and that parking there will be free for National Trust members… While the rest of us will be expected to pay near-Lake District charges.
My pathway continued faintly at times. All I knew with certainty was that I was heading uphill and it wasn’t going to be easy.
Between the bog, I could see the unmistakable rise of Fan Fawr and would soon spot a defined path to follow up it.
At the start of this ascent, I paid attention to this path running away to the north. Following this ascent, I would return to this point and follow the way north towards Fan Frynych.
Superb views from all round and it was important to pay attention with them, as I paused to refill my lungs and allow my heartbeat to relax.
On the top, I soon met and would pass this stone cairn, on my way to the trig point. I didn’t realise in this moment but, at 734m above sea level, this was the highest point of Fan Fawr.
In amongst the pile of stones was one that didn’t belong. Painted and with the name ‘Lottie’ on once face. Ironically, I knew a Lottie who was going to repeat this walk soon after, taking inspiration from my own footsteps.
Fan Fawr may be classed as a fairly low-level mountain, compared to others further north in the UK and certainly, other peaks around Europe and beyond. But being up here and surrounded by the rising cloud, I enjoyed the experience.
This trig point stands at a mere 715m above sea level. I’d seen another walker ahead of me, continue over the hillside and towards the south. No-one visible behind me or on either side. I sat down away from the trig, enjoyed and cup of tea and had something to eat.
Before I finished, I talked briefly with a lady walking her two dogs, who had been coming here for many years and could not believe how busy the car parks were at this time of year! Her walk would continue down towards Ystradfellte Reservoir and loop back around – along paths unknown to my OS map data! Local knowledge, and all that!
Retracing my steps past the cairn, I would have to descend down this almost-cliff-like slope… Wishing I’d not decided to leave my walking poles in the car.
My knees survived – just about – and I’d pass another walker on the way down. With a familiar West Country accent, I was curious of the Welsh scarf around his neck. He explained that his wife is Welsh and that he likes to wear it when walking in “God’s Country”. He may’ve mistaken me for a local, when asking what the hill or mountain was called… But I’d enjoyed briefly meeting two other walkers who prefer the sense of solitude to be found, this side of the A470.
Meanwhile, Pen y Fan and Corn Du were concealed by the cloud!
As I passed around the northern face of Fan Fawr, I could see a worn path heading north down from the top. Had I realised this, I could’ve evaded the drop back down the way I’d hiked up the mountain. I appreciate that it’s impossible to see in the photo above.
My walk continued north across the moorland. Splashing through shallow bog. Crossing the occasional stream. Always following in the footsteps of others.
I’ve just released a YouTube video of this walk, which was slightly happened by audio recording issues. My own fault for using a £5 microphone that I hadn’t tested beforehand. Needless to say, it has since been replaced.
Close to where I’d join the Beacons Way at Craig Cerrig Gleisiad, I could see the white trig point of Fan Frynych – illuminated in the winter sun.
I waited patiently for a couple of others to move on before I made my final approach. At 629m above sea level, this was my first visit to the summit of Fan Frynych. I could see a few others nearby. With its reinforced stone paths, I imagine this one is more popular than Fan Fawr.
For me, this was the perfect time for lunch. But, as lovely as this day appeared to be, the wind was cold and beginning to bite on higher ground. Sitting above the gorse would’ve been uncomfortable and so, I ventured on, looking to get down and out of the wind.
From up here, you can see the Black Mountains range, to the east of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Hay Bluff, Mynydd Llangorse and Offa’s Dyke would’ve been visible among others.
I settled upon a space beneath these isolated trees; curious towards the erect orientation of one particular branch.
After lunch, I passed a can that looked to have held an emergency flare. Hopefully used only in a training exercise, as the army will frequent this National Park.
I soon made my way down to the A470, beside a small picnic area and car park. Crossing the busy road, I would follow a permissive footpath down in to Blaen y Glyn.
To cross the Afon Tarell there is just one footbridge…
I may never know quite what happened here… But it does look as though the tree fell – perhaps breaking the old rails. But then, rather than try to remove the obstruction, new rails were installed over it? Concealing the fallen trunk??
Uphill across the next field and over a stile. I was now walking on the Taff Trail, which I’d follow back to the Storey Arms Centre. Today, the Taff Trail is a fifty-mile long cycle route, between Cardiff and Brecon and one I’d like to cycle one day. Formerly, it was another lost railway line.
…Yet I ended up behind a group of “tourists” and their hatchback car!! They were determined to blame Google for their misdirection. I didn’t find out how far they’d travelled already but hopefully not from Brecon! At every dip across the path, to allow water to run off and down in to the valley; they’d move rocks about and direct the driver from all sides, to ensure a passage that was… Safe enough!
They seemed to make it to the Storey Arms with losing any wheels or lumps of metal. From there, they could rejoin a definitive route for motor vehicles!!
I had a short walk down the road to my own car ahead of the long drive home. Such a beautiful day, this had been and I still regard it as my most enjoyable walk of 2023 thus far. Cars were now lining the grass verges of the A470… Behaviour you’d expect to see in the summer months. Not February. Hopefully the expanded car park will help to combat this.
Thanks for reading.
Walks With Olly 