href="#ulink_a53bac1a-1d00-5168-aacb-7065b1871405">FF11, so is most likely to be of interest to walkers seeking to climb Fan Nedd on their way back from Fan Gihirych. From the bog a trail is clearly visible snaking up towards the N cairn. Where it becomes a little capricious higher up, head direct for the ridge through easy, short-cropped heather.
S ridge (FF16)
This route is used in FF H4 as a descent to the picnic area near the woods at 927165.
The way is obvious, indeed the bridge at the picnic area can be seen quite clearly from the summit of Fan Nedd. The only decision is when to drop down L to the road – it is best left until just before the woods.
High-level Walks
The E edge walk (FF H1)
Climb Fan Fawr from the Storey Arms and then drop down to the depression near Craig y Fro, walking first on 315° and then on 45° to avoid the scattered crags that litter the peak’s N slopes. Follow the edge N along a narrow path until, having crossed a wire fence, you join the path climbing up from Cwm Cerrig-gleisiad. Stay with this round the rim of the cwm and carry on to Fan Frynych along a bulldozed road. This starts near a gate where the cwm trail meets a wall coming in from the W (FF4 refers).
You could regain the A470 by following FF6 in reverse, but a shorter option is to retrace your steps a little to descend via FF4. Either way you visit the romantic Cwm Cerrig-gleisiad after which there is a 1.5-mile march along the road to regain your starting point.
Fan Fawr/Fan Llia semi-circular walk (FF H2)
This route maintains height, giving good varied views all day.
From the map a circular walk round the Ystradfellte reservoir seems tempting, starting and finishing near Fan Fawr and crossing Fan Llia on the way. In reality the S half of this walk is a dull grind with little to sustain morale. Much better is the double semi-circle suggested here.
On leaving Fan Fawr work round to Fan Llia in a N arc, crossing the upper reaches of Nant y Gwair and Nant y Caseg but taking care not to cut the corner too fine because – apart from losing height – you will get embroiled in some unpleasantly rough, tussocky grass lower down. Having sampled the view from Fan Llia advance N to the edge of Craig Cwm-du. Follow this along E, admiring the lush green of the cwm below, and then cross the neck of the plateau to the rim of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad. You now have two choices (plus an optional extension to Fan Frynych).
The first is to descend down FF4. This gives a chance to explore the attractive Cwm Cerrig-gleisiad but necessitates a long haul back along the road.
The second option is to hug the edge to Craig y Fro and then drop down to the A470 there (see FF2). This misses the cwm but reduces the road work.
It sounds a lot, but the easy terrain permits rapid progress and ensures a fairly ‘middling’ sort of day. What the round has in abundance is variety. You take in all the ‘sights’ of the E half of Fforest Fawr – the two cwms, the Senni Valley, Fan Fawr itself – with wide open vistas all the way.
Fan Gihirych/Fan Nedd (FF H3)
This is a natural for the W half of the range, giving an easy half-day. Climb Fan Gihirych as in FF11. Return over Fan Nedd using FF15 for ascent and FF14 for descent.
Fan Nedd/Fan Llia (FF H4)
This could easily be done in a shortened day when rain dictates a late morning start.
Here is a route that straddles both halves of Fforest Fawr, taking in two of its finest vantage points. Scramble up Fan Nedd from Maen Llia (FF14) then follow the S ridge down to the picnic area at 927165, enjoying glorious views of the S Wales foothills (FF16). Next it’s up the springy turf of Fan Llia’s S ridge (FF9) and down to Maen Llia (FF10) in the evening shadows.
Fforest Fawr hills complete (FF H5)
Try this on a good clear day and you will never again listen to the doubters who write off Fforest Fawr.
Dedicated peak-baggers will have little difficulty in claiming all six Fforest Fawr tops in a single day. The bridge at Heol Senni (925233) is as good a place as any to start, and it neatly divides the road work between morning and evening.
Walk up the road to Penwaindwr and claim Fan Gihirych along the long N spur leading to Bwlch y Duwynt. Next climb Fan Nedd via the NW ridge, drop down to Maen Llia and pull up to Fan Llia. Curve round the plateau to Fan Fawr, taking care not to lose too much height (as much to avoid the jolty tussocks in the valley as anything else). Carry on along the E edge first to Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and then on to Fan Frynych. From there tired walkers can descend to the bridleway near Pont Blaen Cwm-du as in FF7, or follow FF6,1 to reach the minor road by Forest Lodge.
Lower-level Walks/Easier Days
Cwm Cerrig-gleisiad (FF L1)
The cwm below Craig Cerrig-gleisiad (see FF4) is ideal for an afternoon stroll or a lazy day in the sun.
Escape the noise and hustle of the road to enjoy a haven of tranquillity and beauty with both the grandeur of crags that are unparalleled in S Wales, and the softer charms of the cwm itself – playful hillocks, the sheep, the stream, the colours of the heathers and bracken. While in the cwm try exploring the trail leading up to Fan Frynych (FF6). This leads to more pretty exhibitions of woodland and fell – Fforest Fawr at her most accommodating.
Cwm-du (FF L2)
Good for a rain-shortened day; a short brisk walk along the bridleway, and a foray into the cwm, might be rewarded with late shafts of sunlight.
Cwm-du bears more than a passing resemblance to Cwm Cerrig-gleisiad; a steep craggy face on one side facing pleasantly wooded slopes on the other. However the head of Cwm-du is narrower, and it twists itself more deeply and intimately into the curves of the engirdling hills with no crags, this time, to bar the way.
It takes longer to reach Cwm-du than Cwm Cerrig-gleisiad (see FF7 for approaches to Pont Blaen Cwm-du) and it does not exhibit quite the same pristine freshness.
Craig Cerrig-gleisiad (FF L1)
Senni Valley (FF L3)
Seen from the barren uplands of Fforest Fawr the Senni Valley appears like a jewel.
No directions are needed for an exploration of the Senni Valley. The map shows plenty of paths and lanes, and there are even more on the ground. The upper reaches of the valley, beyond Llwyn-Hydan, are splendidly wild and impressive.
Mellte Valley (FF L4)
This hauntingly beautiful walk cries out for inclusion, despite being some distance from the hills.
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