No trip to the Brecons is complete without puffing up to Pen-y-Fan (886m), the highest peak. On cloud-free days, views stretch all the way to the Cambrians, Black Mountains and the Bristol Channel. It's popular, so avoid weekends and holidays when the biggest crowds descend. The quickest stomp to the top begins at the Pont ar Daf car park on the A470, 10 miles southwest of Brecon. It's a steep but straightforward ascent to the summit of Corn Du (873m), followed by a short dip and final ascent to Pen-y-Fan (4.5 miles return; allow three hours).
A slightly longer (5.5 miles return) but just as crowded path starts at the Storey Arms outdoor center, 1 mile to the north. The T4 bus stops here. (Note: the Storey Arms is not a pub!)
Avoid the crowds by choosing one of the longer routes on the north side of the mountain. The best starting point is the Cwm Gwdi car park, at the end of a minor road 3.5 miles southwest of Brecon. From here, you follow a path along the crest of the Cefn Cwm Llwch ridge, with great views of the neighboring peaks, and then there's a final steep scramble to the summit. The round trip from the car park is 7 miles; allow three to four hours.
Ticking off a quartet of summits – Corn Du, Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Fan y Big – the 10-mile horseshoe walk is a longer, more dramatic alternative. Pick a clear day for the solid five-hour trek, which begins at the Lower Neuadd Reservoir. The trail climbs steeply along a ridge, with phenomenal views of the bald, sheer mountains and moraine-strewn valleys.
