Beacons Way

The Beacons Way [1] is a waymarked long distance footpath in the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales, United Kingdom.

The large landslip at the north end of the Skirrid

Distance

It is a linear route which runs for 161 km / 100 miles east to west through the National Park, and passes many of the most important landmarks and mountain peaks in the mountain range. It also includes many of the towns in the park as well as popular attractions such as Carreg Cennen Castle near Llandeilo at the western end of the path.

The route

Black Mountains

Llanthony Priory tower and nave

The Beacons Way as originally conceived started in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, at the eastern end of the National Park and headed northeast to Ysgyryd Fawr. It has since been changed so that it starts on the B4521 road immediately south of the hill at coordinates (). Beyond Ysgyryd Fawr the route drops down to Llanfihangel Crucorney, passing The Skirrid Mountain Inn before joining the Offa's Dyke Path to climb Hatterrall Hill. It then runs along the Welsh–English border for a few miles before descending into the Vale of Ewyas at Llanthony beside Llanthony Priory.

From Llanthony the route climbs to the ridge below Bal Mawr, follows this south and then makes for the village of Partrishow and over the slopes of Crug Mawr before dropping into the valley of the Grwyne Fechan to the north of Llanbedr. It climbs again to the spectacular Iron Age hillfort of Crug Hywel [2] and then descends to the small town of Crickhowell.

Crug Hywel just north of Crickhowell

Pen y Fan

File:Pen Y Fan.jpg

The summit of Pen-y-Fan

From Crickhowell [3] the Beacons Way skirts the mass of Pen Cerrig-calch to reach Cwmdu in the Rhiangoll valley then head up onto the southern ridge of Mynydd Llangorse which it then follows southwards to the village of Bwlch. The Way crosses the River Usk to enter Llangynidr and heads up around Tor y Foel making for the head of Glyn Collwn above Talybont Reservoir. The route then crosses the highest peaks in the central Beacons : Pen y Fan and Corn Du. In good weather, the peaks are usually crowded with visitors.

After dropping down to the Storey Arms on the A470 road, it heads northwest to the summit of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad in Fforest Fawr, and then continues southwest over Fan Dringarth and Fan Llia to cross the Afon Llia at Blaen Llia.

The Black Mountain Range

Llyn y Fan Fach lake below Picws Du

The route then follows a section of the Roman road known as Sarn Helen before cutting off west through the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu national nature reserve to Penwyllt. The Beacons Way passes by Craig-y-Nos Castle, once home to Adelina Patti, and up around the northern edges of the Black Mountain traversing Fan Brycheiniog before entering Carmarthenshire and passing above Llyn y Fan Fach. The footpath crosses several peat bogs, where stone pavements have been laid to protect walkers. The path climbs the main escarpment near Llyn y Fan Fawr via a well graded stone staircase to the summit. It passes the summits of the Carmarthen Fan especially Fan Foel, Picws Du and Waun Lefrith.

A low level alternative runs by Llanddeusant. In the west, the route climbs to Carreg Cennen Castle and Garn Goch. The route formerly finished at the railway station at Llangadog but now stops at the village of Bethlehem ().

Completing the walk

It is a strenuous walk with plenty of ascents and descents. Parts of the route across open moorland can be difficult to navigate in poor weather - this and the isolation of these sections can make following parts of the route hazardous. The Beacons Way can be walked in its entirety in about 8 days but could easily take twice as long as there is so much to explore and enjoy en route. There are numerous camping sites along the route, and accommodation is available in the towns and villages on the route.

Development of the route

The Beacons Way was conceived by the Brecon Beacons Park Society and local walkers, particularly the Society's Secretary John Sansom [4], Arwel Michael and Chris Barber and was developed as recently as 2005.

External links

• Brecon Beacons Park Society route info
• The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority's information on The Beacons Way
• Googlemap of a 6-day version of the Beacons Way route