Fiona Barltrop enjoys a truly spectacular ridge walk
SITUATED in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park, the area known as the Black Mountain (singular) – not to be confused with the Black Mountains (plural) that form the easternmost range (which, to add to the confusion, include a peak – actually a point along a ridge – called Black Mountain!) – is the Park’s wildest and most remote region. In the past the National Park Authority preferred not to promote it for ecological reasons, mindful of damage caused by the great numbers of walkers on the popular central hills. But the peaks known as the Carmarthen Fans, which form the dramatic northern escarpment, have long
attracted adventurous walkers by providing one of southern Britain’s best ridge walks.
Strictly speaking the Carmarthen Fans refer to those within Carmarthenshire – Fan Foel (the highest point in the county at 781m/2562ft), Picws Du and Waun Lefrith – the first straddling the border with Powys, in which the escarpment’s highest peak, Fan Brycheiniog (802m/2631ft) lies.
It had been years since I’d walked this escarpment, and a return visit was long overdue. So one hot summer day I drove down the A4067 and parked in the lay-by near the Tafarn-yGarreg pub. A young man with a large pack and an Alsatian by his side set off just ahead of me, but I soon caught them up, and we headed uphill together. I was glad of just a day pack, since Peter, my new acquaintance, was finding it hard work in the heat with his heavy rucksack. He was on a carefully planned mission: to camp on the top above Llyn y Fan Fach (one of the two lakes at the foot of the cliffs) in order to photograph the sunrise the next morning. Kesha, his canine companion, who was carrying her own food and water in black doggy panniers, kept dutifully by our sides, posing obligingly for photos when asked.
Despite the ups and downs, it’s exhilarating walking along the edge of the escarpment, with far-reaching views. In places great slabs project from the
Old Red Sandstone cliffs that rise sheer above the moorland far below. Since my last visit, path maintenance work had obviously taken place, evidence no doubt of increased footfall. But today, apart from one or two others heading back down, we had the place to ourselves.
I’d thought I might return via the foot of the escarpment, but I was loath to lose the sun (which it would have meant); so having parted company with Peter and Kesha I retraced my steps, savouring the views in reverse. Peter achieved his aim with a superb sunrise photo the next morning, added to his website and blog post. Thanks, Pete, for the reference to meeting a ‘lovely lady called Fiona’! (And thank you again, Andy at the Tafarn-yGarreg, for changing the flat tyre awaiting me on my return.)
This walk is dedicated to Kesha, very sadly no longer with us.