Snowy Welsh peak
Watch night turn to day from the icy summit of this Welsh wonder, says Drew Buckley
Pen y Fan, Powys
Looming 886m above the Powys countryside in the Brecon Beacons National Park is Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in South Wales.
Its distinctive flat top was created over a long period of time as the soft brownstone that bands the massif was eroded away, leaving a hard plateau of rock behind, a characteristic shared with its neighbouring summit Corn Du (873m). Below the twin peaks is Llyn Cwm Llwch, a deep hollow scooped out by grinding glaciers in the last Ice Age.
Starting at the Storey Arms Outdoor Centre or Pont ar Daf car park – at around 440m – it’s a manageable 6.4km circular walk to the awe-inspiring views at the top. Pen y Fan has had significance for millennia; look for the remains of a Bronze-Age burial cairn at the summit. For a bigger challenge, try the 17.7km Beacons Circuit, adding in Corn Du and Cribyn (795m). It’s a true winter environment up here, so be prepared for extreme weather and chilly temperatures and dress accordingly. In the right conditions, however, it can be a truly magical place to visit in cold climes; a summit sunrise is a spectacular sight you’ll never forget.