Length: 17.5 km/10.9 mi for the traverse to the Storey Arms
bus stop or 23.1 km/14.3 mi for Talybont
to Brecon via Pen-y-Fan [shorter options available]
Ascent/Descent: 1409/1089m for the traverse or 1255/1266m for Talybont to Brecon [easier
options available]
Net Walking Time: 6 hours or 7 hours
Toughness: 9 out of 10 in both cases
Meet at 08.40 (sharp) next to the Market Tavern,
where it borders the Morrison’s car park. Car drivers bring their cars into
the car park. We will then allocate walkers to cars.
Spare walkers will take the 08.51 bus X43 (direction
Abergavenny/Y Fenni) from Stand 3 to Talybont-on-Usk, The White Hart,
arrives 09.10. This bus also calls at Free Street, Barracks and
Dering Lines. The walk will not start before the bus has passed through.
Return buses from Glyn Tarell, Storey Arms (Line T4): xx.23
to 18.23.
This route is a combination of some of the many variations described in
the pdf for the Brecon Beacons Horseshoe and following the write-up will
require frequent shuffling of paper within the 19 page document.
The route rises out of Talybont from the side of the Mon & Brec
Canal out of the lush Usk Valley onto the upland peat bog of the Waun
Rydd. You pass a WWII airplane memorial and then follow a clear path
around a steep sided glacial valley, the first part of one of the best ridge
walks in South Britain, featuring some spectacular views in all directions
in good weather. It is exceptionally exposed to the elements though.
Climb up to Fan y Big, the first of four table-top peaks across the
majestic core of the Central Brecon Beacons (Crybin, Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du
being the others) and finally descend to one of the highest bus stops in Wales,
on the saddle between the Beacons and Fan Fawr, concluding the adventure.
Alternative descents to the centre of Brecon or to a
couple of car parks are described.
Shortcuts:
·
Either descend at the shallow saddle between the Waun Rydd and the Bwlch y
Ddwallt, to the right down to Brecon (map-led) or to the left down to the Blaen-y-glyn
car park (two cars required),
·
or descend from the ridge off Fan Y Big or Crybin to Brecon,
·
or turn left from the saddle between the two with the Horseshoe Route to the
car park that is the starting point for the Horseshoe (two cars required).
Lunch: Picnic.
Tea: Plenty of options in Brecon.
For walk directions and options, route map , height
profile, photos or gpx/kml files click here.
T=swc.278.a
2 comments:
With the tent dweller and the park runner back in the fold, all n=13 remaining souls started on time (9.20) in Talybont, quickly getting the mostly shaded approach to and initial ascent up the hill out of the way, before temperatures could rise much from 20 (Brecon was forecast to reach 27 in the pm). Once through the hill fence onto the open bracken covered hillside, it was just us and the sun though, until the end of the walk, most of the time though with a fairly refreshing breeze. 1 walker fell behind on the next bit of ascent, she followed the route on up Waun Rydd and to the War Memorial and followed the ridge for a bit, then went back down to Talybont.
The rest reached the Carn Pica cairn before noon, where we had the second of many refreshment stops. On to the memorial (remnants of a Canadian Air force plane crashed in 1942) and then along the ridge with views down to Brecon. All of us 12 went up and over the three big tops without shortcuts and stayed together until Cribyn, when a few sped ahead, then we all went down via Corn Du to the Storey Arms, arriving on time for the 16.23 bus (some only with the aid of a 5 delay in the service though).
Group dinner will be in the garden of The Castle Hotel, with views to the Beacons Ridge just walked, fittingly.
W=near-perfect-summer-walking-weather
Follow the link to see a group photo!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/Hc78KPlalzFtXwI061SxHp6FzNI8dWDZknREKuhwLen
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