David Whittaker

Walking on the Brecon Beacons


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for forming the red soil of the path. On a still day you will often hear the sound of croaking ravens high above you.

      Towards the end of the path, as you cross a number of small gullies, there are quite steep drops away to the right and the path surface becomes uneven and stepped. As you are walking along this path the views of the main face of Pen y Fan change and become even more impressive (see ‘Geology and geomorphology of Pen y Fan,’ Walk 5). This path can be dangerous in winter conditions and crampons and ice axe may be needed.

      FLORA OF NORTH-WEST FACE OF CRIBYN

      Ledges of this face are more accessible to sheep grazing than those of the north-east face of Pen y Fan and so the interesting arctic-alpine plants are not so prolific. Nevertheless, roseroot (Sedum rosea), mossy saxifrage (Saxifraga hypnoides), purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), and vernal sandwort (Minuartia verna) are common. Rock stonecrop (Sedum forsteranum) can be found but is more localised. Other species include cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), green spleenwort (Asplenium viride), brittle bladder-fern (Cystopteris fragilis), limestone bedstraw (Galium sterneri), viviparous fescue (Festuca vivipara), great wood-rush (Luzula sylvatica), cowslip (Primula veris), common wild thyme (Thymus drucei) and northern bedstraw (Galium boreale). The wet ledges also support an excellent collection of upland bryophytes.

      Cwm Sere Valley

Start Pont y Caniedydd (SO 039 244)
Distance 6.25km (3.6 miles)
Total Ascent 250m (820ft)
Map OL12 Western Area

      A low-level walk around one of the most beautiful and spectacular of the Welsh valleys. The sheer size and steepness of the impressive north-east face of Pen y Fan can be fully appreciated from the head of Cwm Sere. Like all valley walks there is little danger of getting lost, even in poor weather, and it can be enjoyed with a leisurely approach requiring not too much exertion. The main features of interest are the geological features of the headwalls and north-eastern faces, the glacial valleys and the woodlands.

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      From the car park turn right (N) along the road for 100m to where it bends to the right (NE) and flattens out at the crest of a hill. Leave the road through a gate, taking a track to the left (W). The track leads to Pant Farm after 200m and then curves round to the left in front of the buildings.

      Continue on this track, leaving the buildings on your right, and climb steadily up the slope through a gap between hawthorn hedges. Bear right and then left, continuing in the direction of Cwm Sere to Croftau. Leave the house on your left, pass through the gate and a large oak on the right and keep to the left side of the field to another gate where you enter Cwm Sere proper.

      Continue through yet another gate along the obvious track leading into sparse woodland and across to a gap in the tree line. Continue across the field for 300m to a line of trees in front of you. In the centre of this barrier is a gate leading to a track which bears slightly right past moss-covered ant hills and through mixed woodland of beech and hazel.

      The track is easily followed as it drops through the woods, crossing a small stream running down from the right. At the end of the woodland is the hill fence through which a gate leads out onto the hillside, opening up a magnificent view of Cribyn on the left and Pen y Fan straight in front. Drop into the stream bed and follow this upstream, encountering small waterfalls on the way towards the headwall at the end of Cwm Sere between the north faces of Pen y Fan on the right and Cribyn on the left.

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      Cwm Sere and Pen y Fan

      Cross over the stream and make your way back down the eastern side of the valley. The going is easier if you keep above the steep-sided stream gully, making use of the occasional sheep track. Eventually, the hill fence forces you above the stream and guides you to the gate where you meet the Roman Road. Take the stony track for 250m where you bear left when you meet a road.

      CWM SERE WOODLAND

      The woods on the eastern bank of Nant Sere are leased from the National Trust by the Brecknock Wildlife Trust and 42 acres are managed as a nature reserve. Even though it has been heavily grazed in the past, the majority of the trees appear to be very old. Parts of the woodland are very wet and these areas are dominated by alder. A particularly rich collection of insects, liverworts and fungi thrives in these boggy conditions where rotting wood is abundant. Drier areas of woodland are populated with ash, rowan, cherry, field maple and sessile oak. Brown birch is common near the top of the wood. Woodland birds are numerous and include willow warblers and redstarts with a surprisingly large rookery located in a clump of birches. Open glades in the wood are ideal habitats for species such as pied flycatchers. The reserve has a wide range of invertebrates including a number of specialities such as a rare lace-wing fly and rare craneflies. All in all, this reserve is a fascinating area, the combinations of damp and dry woodland and damp and dry glades resulting in a great variety of plant and animal species.

      Follow this road down the hill and so back to the start just across Pont y Caniedydd.

      Cwm Cynwyn and Bryn Teg

Start Pont y Caniedydd (SO 039 244)
Distance 8km (5 miles)
Total Ascent 641m (2102ft)
Map OL12 Western Area

      The route enters Cwm Cynwyn and crosses the stream to the other side of the valley, avoiding the busy and rather monotonous walk along the Roman Road. An ascent of Cribyn via Craig Cwm Cynwyn is followed by an exciting descent along the prow of Cribyn and an easy walk back along Bryn Teg ridge. The headwall ascent to Cribyn and the first part of the descent to Bryn Teg are steep. Adverse weather makes the use of map and compass mandatory, and in snow and ice conditions crampons are desirable. The walk is quite energetic. A nature reserve, the glacial nature of the valley, the views from Cribyn and the Roman Road are the main points of interest.

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      Cross the bridge and head south up the road, passing Bailea Farm on the way. On the right of the road in the valley of Cwm Sere is a woodland nature reserve (see Walk 7) and at the head of this valley is the north-east face of Pen y Fan. To its left is Bryn Teg ridge. Ignore the turning on the left to Bailea Farm and follow the road up the hill to where it swings sharp left and through a gate. Ignore this turning and follow the stony track straight ahead to a gate in the hill fence on the far side of which is a National Trust sign for Cwm Cynwyn. This stony track is popularly known as the Roman Road (see Walk 11).

      Fifty metres on the left is a gate which leads into a walled enclosure at the end of which is a second gate. Follow through these and down the rough track to another gate and so to the farm (New Cwmcynwyn) via the lane to the right. Pass through the farmyard to a gate and through this to a stony lane where ahead is a fine view of Fan y Big. At the bottom of this stony lane the track bears to the right up the valley. Ignore this and continue dropping down left alongside the green moss-covered stone wall to the stream.

      Cross the river, aiming for the gate opposite. In spate, this river may be very difficult to cross. If so, retrace to the stony lane south of New Cwmcynwyn Farm and continue up the right side of the stream rejoining the route at the stone sheep pens.

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