Whilst we were visiting the Brecon Beacons last weekend, the thing at the top of our list was to walk up Pen y Fan.
It is the tallest mountain in South Wales after all.
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Pen y Fan Height
Pen y Fan has a grand height of 886 meters above sea level. Thats 2,906 feet! Making it the tallest mountain not only in South Wales, but also the highest British peak south of Cadair Idris in Snowdonia.
How is Pen y Fan Pronounced?
I always pronounced this mountain ‘Penny-Fan’ which is what I’ve heard many others say. That all changed when I began hearing Welsh people call it ‘Pen-Er-Van’ which is actually the correct pronunciation, and instantly makes it sound way more Welsh. Don’t you think!?
That also makes the other peak named ‘Fan Y Big’ sound a lot less amusing when pronounced correctly…
Is Pen y Fan a hill or a mountain?
The UK definition of a mountain is any peak that is 2000 feet or more above sea level, or for the metric lovers thats 610 meters. So Pen y Fan is 100% a mountain, not a hill.
What does Pen y Fan mean?
The Welsh name roughly translates to ‘The mountain peak’ or ‘The top of the summit’
Do you have to pay to walk Pen y Fan?
Not many things in life are free, but the Pen y Fan walk is. Sorry, but you cant use lack of money as an excuse to get yourself out of this one!
Is there a car park nearby?
There’s a few different starting points depending on what route you want to take up Pen y Fan.
We parked at the main Pont ar Darf carpark which was free.
Although National Trust are currently expanding the carpark, adding an additional 200 parking spaces. Once these works are complete, I believe that you’ll have to pay to park here. Unless you’re already a National Trust member that is.
We got super lucky and found a space as someone was leaving, but there were plenty of cars parked all along the verge of the main road. I thought it would only be that busy during the summer months. Oh how wrong I was.
Theres also another small carpark nearby at Storey Arms, which is just down the road. Although this one has no facilities.
Are there any toilets?
There were a few handy portaloo’s in the Pont ar Darf carpark at the base of Pen y Fan.
Make sure you go before you start people, as there are no toilets on route or at the summit.
Is there anywhere to get drinks & snacks?
There was a little burger van in the Pont ar Darf carpark which was also selling hot and cold drinks. I cant comment if it was any good, as we packed our own food and drink to take with us.
Our plan was to have a picnic up on the summit but it was baltic! Therefore, we held off until we had ventured half way back down, where the temperature was a little more bearable.
What should you wear to hike Pen y Fan?
Wales, along with the rest of the UK, tends to have pretty fickle weather. Although the forecast can change even more dramatically when you’re up a mountain, high above sea level. So be prepared, and make sure you check the weather before you decide to hike up Pen y Fan.
We visited at the start of March when it was 3c at the bottom but a bone-chilling -3c on the snow capped summit. You’ll want to pack a couple warm layers ready for when the temperature starts to drop.
We wore a long sleeved t-shirt, a lightweight fleece & a waterproof coat. But packed our hats, gloves and neck gaiters which we used in Lapland ready for the temperature change higher up.
There’s zero protection from the elements when you’re up there. Even at -3c the wind was painfully cold and my face rapidly felt numb!
If the weather is looking a bit iffy, make sure you have a windbreaker and a waterproof coat on hand just in case.
On the flip side, if your’e visiting during the summer months make sure to have plenty of SPF to protect your skin from burning.
Do you need walking boots, or can you wear trainers to walk Pen y Fan?
You don’t need walking boots, you could do it without. Having the appropriate footwear though will make your hike much easier!
I saw people going up in normal trainers, and even a few struggling in open-toed sandals and crocs would you believe! They were all slipping about with their minimal grip, and I have no idea if they actually made it to the summit. Plus they had no ankle support or toe protection, which isn’t ideal on this type of walk.
A twisted ankle is a much higher possibility without the correct footwear, so I would 100% recommend walking boots if you have them. They have their purpose, and this is it!
This was my new walking boots first outing and they were great. They didn’t rub and had fantastic grip even on the loose stones (review coming soon)
Which route should I take?
There are so many routes you can take to reach the summit, all varying in distance and difficulty level.
If you go on something like Alltrails you’ll get to see lots of different route options with a little breakdown of what to expect. That way you can help find one that will best suit your personal fitness level.
We really wanted to do the ‘Horseshoe’ route which takes you along all 4 peeks; Corn Du, Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Fan y Big. As this route is around 10 miles long, we think we would have froze, so we’re saving that for a warmer day. Hopefully it’s quieter and a more peaceful route too.
How difficult is it to walk up Pen y Fan?
We opted for the ‘easy’ route, also known by the locals as ‘The Motorway’ for the simple reason that its busy. Really busy! It’s just a constant flow of people making their assent or windswept return.
Whoever named it the easy route though was having a right laugh.
This route was far from easy, and consisted of a steep incline for 90% of the way. There was a short lived breather whilst you walk beside Corn Du. Apart from that though, the rest is challenging and definitely more of a moderate difficulty in my opinion.
Hiking Pen y Fan is a serious achievement whatever route you take. My calves were on fire, and my heart was beating through my chest, yet the incredible scenery kept me going… Along with James biggin’ me up, and the odd swig of trusty Lucozade. That helped a bit too.
Once you make it to the top though, you will be rewarded for your efforts with incredible views for days.
Unless you go on a hazy day like us! Even so, we could still see pretty well and it was absolutely breath-taking. Partly because you’ve just hiked up a 2097 foot mountain, but mainly because of the views.
This route is the shortest option to get to the summit of Pen y Fan. It’s around a 4 mile loop which was mostly uneven paved paths and gravel tracks, making it accessible for most.
On the way back down we took a little detour to the mountains secondary summit; Corn Du.
This slightly smaller peak has a grand height of 883m, but Corn Du was a lot more fun to get up & down compared to Pen y Fan. It’s far rockier with a short scramble to climb, so I recommend adding Corn Du into your route if possible.
It’s worth the extra effort.
How long does it take to walk up Pen y fan?
The route we picked took us 1 hour 20 minutes to walk to the summit of Pen y Fan, and around an hour to come back down via Corn Du.
Some people do the trek up to Pen y Fan in 45 minutes – I mean, they must have legs of steel!
I would say to allow 1.5 hours to get up at a more casual pace.
When’s the best time of year to visit Pen y Fan?
Pen y Fan welcomes over 120,000 visitors every year.
The summer months are going to be the busiest time of year to visit. Bringing the best chance of sunshine, warmer temperatures and clear panoramic views.
The winter months are going to bring worse weather conditions with freezing temperatures, heavy rain & strong winds.
We visited in March and although dry, it was a hazy view (as you can tell from my photos) and cold. I thought it would be quiet as we visited during shoulder season, yet it was still busy.
Going off that, I imagine the summer months must be absolutely swarming with people.
Is Pen y Fan suitable for dogs?
Yes it is. Your pooch will probably find this walk far easier than you will too!
Unfortunately we did see quite a few bags of dog poo that had been abandoned on the mountain. Their owners made the effort to bag it up, but obviously couldn’t be bothered to take it with them which is a real shame.
Whats at the summit?
Pen y Fan’s summit is marked by the National Trust plaque which sits on a Bronze Age burial site.
When we went, there was quite a queue to have your photo taken beside the plaque. It seemed a running thing to have the person stood behind you in the queue, take your photo for you. So that’s exactly what we did!
You just have to use your imagination for our photo. Instead of the dull white haze you see here, please envision bright blue skies and incredible fields for miles, ok? Because thats whats actually behind us, you just cant quite see it!
What is the closest town to Pen y Fan?
The closest town to Pen y Fan is called Brecon, a lovely little market town full of cosy cafes and Georgian architecture. Brecon is nestled in the Usk Valley between the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains.
Time your visit right and you might be there for their famous Brecon jazz festival. If thats not your thing, maybe you could enjoy a relaxing stroll along the canal path or perhaps even hire a boat for the day.
Where can I stay near Pen y Fan?
We stayed at this lovely Airbnb in Clyro which was around a 40 minute drive from Pen y fan. If thats not your vibe then South Wales has lots of gorgeous accommodation options on booking.com.
We look forward to returning and doing the much longer horseshoe route when it’s warmer. What a place for a picnic.
Good luck if you give Pen y Fan a visit, I hope you have clear blue skies.
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