Key Facts
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Brecon Beacons (3h-3h30 from London by train and bus)
Time: 3 hours
Distance: 6.5km
Kit required: Hiking boots, a few layers, waterproof jacket and trousers, map, food, water and a head tourch in case you get stuck out.
Logistics
You can take the train to Cardiff Central (2h from London) and then a 1h30 bus or a 35 minute taxi ride (probably cheaper as a group) to Storey Arms where the hike begins. If you're staying for the weekend then why not stay at the YHA Brecon Beacons and go for a hike round some of the reservoirs the next day.
The Hike
We prefer the Pen y Fan and Corn Du circular walk, so you go up a different way to down.
- Start on the Beacons Way from the car park
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This is a very wide track that starts from the car-park and immediately heads over a bridge. Follow this one all the way up for around 45 minutes-1 hour until you get right up to the ridge line and can see the other side of the mountain. This is called windy pass and you can often see why!
- Choose between a scramble and a path
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At the intersection of paths here, turn left. You then have two options - straight ahead is an easy rocky scramble, or you can skirt round just to the right to avoid it.
- Enjoy the summit views
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Enjoy the summit views and then re-trace your steps back to the little saddle just below you, and then take the right of the two paths onto the rocky scramble (Corn Ddu).
- Head right down the steep face of Corn Ddu
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Scramble down a few steps heading right rather than back to windy pass. Follow this path for 10 minutes and then take a left at the inter-section, which will bring you all the way back to the road and car park. Time for the pub!
Pictured: Hikers coming down after wild camping on the summit in winter.
