Pen y Fan & Beyond

Brecon Beacons Hiking Holidays - Pen y Fan

For Brecon Beacons Hiking Holidays – Pen y Fan is a must-do hike. The moment the path lifts beyond the tree line and the winds begin to pick up across the open ridge, the allure of Pen y Fan becomes unmistakable. Rising to 886 metres, this is the highest point in southern Britain — and a magnet for walkers, runners and wayfarers drawn to the drama of the Beacons’ high ground. Yet for those based in Merthyr Tydfil, the climb is only the beginning of what becomes a deeply memorable day in the hills.

From our holiday cottages, it’s less than a 20-minute drive to the main trailheads. Most walkers begin at the Storey Arms or Pont ar Daf, where the well-trodden route curves up to Corn Du before levelling out across the plateau to Pen y Fan’s exposed summit. The cairn at the top is more than just a photo stop — it marks centuries of reverence, the site once believed to have been used in ancient ceremonies. Peer over the northern edge and you’ll glimpse the glacial valleys that shaped this high ground long before maps gave it a name.

But Pen y Fan rarely stands alone. Walkers with a little more time (and energy) often opt for the four-peak circuit, a full-day hike linking Corn Du, Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Fan y Big in a sweeping horseshoe. This route, best tackled clockwise from Neuadd Reservoir, delivers high ridgelines, grassy plateaus, and steep ascents that reward with panoramic views across Mid Wales, the Usk Valley, and — on a clear day — as far as the Bristol Channel.There’s a rhythm to the ridges here. Cribyn rises in a sharp pyramid, often overlooked but arguably the most satisfying peak in the range. Its eastern flank falls away steeply, while the ascent from the saddle feels almost Alpine in character. Beyond it, Fan y Big stretches out with a gentler profile. Its summit, marked by the “Diving Board” — a slab of rock jutting into the sky — has become a favourite photo spot for brave souls willing to perch for a dramatic panorama.

While many head up mid-morning, those who walk in the half-light are rewarded differently. At sunrise, the hills blush with colour, clouds snag on the peaks, and the only sounds are the low call of crows and the scrape of boots on frost-hardened stone. In summer, long dusky descents bring out the wildlife — hares on the slopes, kites overhead — and a deep hush settles across the uplands. Bring a head torch, an extra layer, and a thermos of tea. These are the hours when the Beacons truly show their soul.

The name ‘Pen y Fan’ translates to “Top of the Beacon,” and in the days before satellites and signage, the peak served just that purpose. Legend still clings to its slopes — from ghostly soldiers glimpsed in the mist to tales of kings and battles lost in the folds of the land. Even now, on a cloudy day, the peaks vanish and reappear as if teasing, always present, but never fully revealed.Hiking these summits is a rite of passage for anyone who comes to the Brecon Beacons. And from a base in Merthyr Tydfil, that journey is not just accessible — it’s effortless. You can be on the trail shortly after breakfast and back in time for supper, legs aching, mind cleared, and memory stocked with the soft drama of the Welsh uplands.