Black Mountain, Brecon Beacons
Stride out on a circuit of the stunning scarps and lakes to be found in this wild western corner of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Wild, steep and rugged; the Black Mountain is one of the most picturesque and captivating landscapes in the Brecon Beacons. A circuit of the steep escarpments on its northern fringe offers the chance to get up close and personal with gorgeous lakes and mini cascades. There’s plenty to explore in the area, from the incredible vanishing river at Sinc Giedd to the sombre plane crash sites dotted across the desolate moors. This route skirts the fringes of the range, taking in some of the most outstanding views in South Wales.
The 99-mile Beacons Way, traversing the national park from east to west, has two alternative routes across the Black Mountain, in recognition of the serious nature of this wild terrain. The spectacular high-level route along the top of Fan Hir, Fan Brycheiniog and the splendid curve of the Carmarthen Fan is advised for good weather and good fitness. The low-level route is brilliantly worthwhile in its own right, hugging the contour and skirting the edges of both lakes. It’s hard to choose between the two paths, so why not take both? Our circuit loops out on the high path and returns on the low.
1 SN848171 Take the public footpath leaving the lay-by opposite the Tafarn y Garreg Inn, crossing a footbridge almost immediately. Follow the river upstream and then turn left along a narrow lane, staying on the Beacons Way. Enter the open access land by a series of sheepfolds and pick your way steeply up the hill to the west on a well-worn track. As the ground becomes less steep, the track bends to the north and gradually becomes more well defined as it begins to follow the edge of the steep Fan Hir escarpment on the right. 2km further along the escarpment, the track drops a little into the saddle of Bwlch Giedd, where a wander toward the edge affords a view of the unmistakable water of Llyn y Fan Fawr below.
2 SN828215 Keep the steep ground to your right and climb uphill to the Fan Brycheiniog trig point. This is the highest point on the route and, on a clear day, has unrivalled views as far north as Cadair Idris, south to Exmoor and certainly across to the central Beacons. The ridge descends slightly to Fan Foel, a narrow finger-like promontory reaching out to the north. Take care here not to stray onto the steep descent track off the nose of the ridge but head back to the south, staying above the precipitous drop again. Descend into another saddle before the climb to Picws Du where the incredible view of Llyn y Fan Fach appears beneath you. Continue to follow the edge until you pass the end of the lake below to a split in the track.
3 SN797219 Take the right-hand fork in the track, descending a curving path towards the lake. A small bothy (unfortunately often vandalised and filled with rubbish) sits by the dam at the head of the lake. After passing the dam, stay alongside the channel to the north, before picking up another track that follows a stream gently uphill towards the bottom of the escarpment. As the ground steepens, follow the curve of the hillside, staying low and rounding the end of Fan Foel before dropping down to the shore of Llyn y Fan Fawr.
4 SN830220 Llyn y Fan Fawr is a little harder to get to than its cousin along the ridge, so usually sees fewer visitors. Linger a while at this beautiful glacial lake, then head to the south. Follow the shoreline south and west. When the track begins to climb up to the higher ground again, turn left and stay on the lower track beneath the Fan Hir escarpment. After around 2km the trail descends alongside a small mountain stream, passing several small cascades. Once you reach a field boundary, keep it to your left as the stream drops away from you. Follow this boundary until you reach the sheepfolds passed at the beginning of the walk and retrace the initial route back to the start point.