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Fan Frynych & Fan Llia, Fforest Fawr

Brecon Beacons/Bannau Brycheiniog Walk

Nat Park - Brecon Beacons - Brecon Beacons West

County/Area - Powys

Author - Hugh Maguire

Length - 8.0 miles / 13 km    Ascent - 1700 feet / 515 metres

Time - 5 hours 40 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Fan Frynych & Fan Llia, Fforest Fawr
Click image to visit gallery of 3 images.

The less frequented places within our National Parks still offer solitude amid dramatic surroundings. The Brecon Beacons National Park, with its many popular "honeypots", does offer many hills that see few walkers and where you can still get away from the crowds. This walk, assisted by limited parking opportunities, offers just that.

This walk starts at the junction with the nameless road and the old Roman road "Sarn Helen" at grid ref. SN925185 between Fan Llia and Fan Nedd. There is usually enough space for several cars to park here.

Follow Sarn Helen north east. It is rough in places and has streams flowing across it. In very wet weather it almost becomes a stream itself. After about 2.5 miles there is a loop in the track and a small bridge crosses a stream (Nant Cwm Du)flowing from a small valley to the east.

Turn right here and follow the track east alongside this stream untill you are directed upwards by a sign. There follows a steep climb up a very boggy hillside as you make your way to the top of Fan Frynych (this is the only really difficult part of this walk). Take a break and enjoy the views to the east over the Brecon Beacons.

Turn south and walk around the head of the valley before turning south west whilst keeping to the high ground. You can now follow the ridge above the Ystradfellte Resevoir, for about 3 miles, via Fan Dringarth, to the cairn just below the top of Fan Llia. From here turn west and walk downhill to the starting point.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2645 Fan Gyhirych & Fan Bwlch Chwyth, Fforest Fawrmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 2646 Fan Nedd & Fan Bwlch Chwyth, Fforest Fawrmoderate7.0 miles
Walk 2647 Fan Gyhirych, Fan Nedd & Fan Bwlch Chwythmoderate10.0 miles
Walk 2641 Fan Fawr & Fan Frynych, Fforest Fawrmoderate6.5 miles
Walk 3616 Fan Fawr from Storey Armsmoderate6.0 miles
Walk 3205 Carnau Gwynion from Ystradfellte easy4.0 miles
Walk 3206 Ystradfellte Waterfalls Walkmoderate9.2 miles
Walk 2349 Pen Y Fan & Corn Du from near Storey Armsmoderate4.6 miles
Walk 2648 The Black Mountain, Brecon Beaconsmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 3563 Fan Brycheiniog and Picws Dumoderate7.1 miles

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