A Gale-Force Trek Up Sugar Loaf

Monday, 15 September 2025

After two full days of exploring the Brecon Beacons, Monday marked the final chapter of our Welsh weekend. With bags packed and legs pleasantly tired from the previous hikes, we decided to round things off with a shorter, simpler walk - a climb up the nearby Sugar Loaf before heading home.

The forecast promised fewer showers than Sunday but warned of gale-force winds, so a modest outing seemed the sensible choice. Breakfast was back to the early 7:30 slot, after which we packed our newly dried gear, checked out, and picked up lunch supplies from the local garage before setting off.

My phone chose this morning to throw in the towel - no GPS signal, no maps, nothing. Later I discovered that rain from the day before had worked its way inside, fogging the camera lenses and confusing its sensors. Every photo looked like it had been taken through a bathroom mirror after a hot shower. Fortunately, Jack’s phone stepped in to guide us to the National Trust car park at the base of Sugar Loaf.

Another little drama occurred partway along one of the narrow country lanes. We hit a traffic jam of a different kind: a small flock of sheep. Most of the sheep eventually ambled into a nearby field, but one remained, frozen with indecision in the middle of the road. It was at this unfortunate moment that Vince stalled the car, completely blocking the narrow road. For a heart-stopping minute, the engine refused to restart. Just as the sheep finally found its way back to the flock, the engine sputtered back to life. A few relieved, shaky laughs followed this brief moment of panic.

When we arrived, the car park was completely empty - and it didn’t take long to understand why. Even at that lower elevation, the wind was fierce enough to make putting our boots on a bit of a battle. A brief shower swept through just as we set off, leaving a rainbow glowing over the hills as if to wish us luck.

The path to the summit was broad and grassy, with only the occasional sprinkle of rain. We made quick progress and soon reached the top - where the wind hit with full force. Standing upright was a challenge in itself. After a few hurried photos, we ducked behind some rocks for a well-earned banana break, enjoying the sweeping views in relative shelter.

The descent turned into a bit of a fight against the elements. From the eastern end of the summit, we turned south and walked straight into the gale, accompanied by another burst of rain. Our plan had been to drop down into Cwm Trosnant, but when we reached the fork in the path, we wisely opted for the right-hand route - the one we’d come up. It was the fastest way back to the car and, more importantly, out of the wind’s relentless grip.

A short but memorable walk - wild, blustery, and the perfect way to end our trip.

As we drove away, Sugar Loaf fading in the rear-view mirror, we agreed that although it might have been windy, wet, and wild at times, that had only made it more memorable. A weekend well spent. 

Summit	Height (m)	Status
Sugar Loaf	596	Marilyn

Three Peaks, Zero Views: A Wet and Wild Hike in the Brecon Beacons

Sunday 14 September 2025

Breakfast was half an hour later than usual this morning, as our B&B hosts take a well-deserved lie-in on Sundays. Over dinner last night, we decided that today’s plan would be to complete Nuttall route 13.2. I walked this route solo back in June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Vince had already bagged Waun Rydd and might have passed close to Bwlch y Ddwyallt, but Allt Lwyd would be new for him. All three peaks were firsts for Jack.

We set off after a quick stop at Morrisons to pick up sandwiches for lunch, then made the 17-mile drive to the Talybont Reservoir car park. It was already quite busy when we arrived, but we managed to find a spot to squeeze in. The forecast was for wet and windy weather, and as we laced our boots, it was clear the forecasters had got it right.

Only five minutes into the walk, Vince realised he’d forgotten his gaiters. Having already gained a bit of height on the lower slopes of Allt Lwyd, we quickly agreed that turning back wasn’t worth it. Low cloud hung over Craig y Fan and Waun Rydd, and the first drops of rain began to fall. Vince sensibly pulled on his over-trousers.

We reached the summit of Allt Lwyd in just over an hour. The top was completely misted over, offering no views, but we still took our traditional summit photos beside the small cairn before dropping down slightly for a quick banana break out of the wind.

From there, a well-made path led us north-west along the broad ridge towards Waun Rydd. The weather worsened steadily, with driving rain that soon had Jack and I stopping to pull on our waterproof trousers. Our route met a path running from Carn Pica to Rhiw Bwlch Ddwyallt. We turned left onto this and followed it past two small lakes on our left. After the second lake, we looked for a path branching right and soon found an obvious grassy track leading up to the summit of Waun Rydd. Once again, there were no views, just another set of wet and windswept summit photos

We pressed on south-west, rejoining the main track and following it west to a col, then another few hundred metres along a ridge to reach Bwlch y Ddwyallt, our final summit of the day. The photos from here say it all - three soaked and battered hikers, and nothing to see but grey mist.

We briefly considered stopping for lunch but decided against it. None of us felt like sitting still in the rain, so we pressed on, eager to get back to the warmth of the car. Retracing our route (bypassing Waun Rydd this time), we made for Carn Pica. I remembered this fine cairn from my previous visit in 2021, when it was being rebuilt under sunny skies - it was a completely different story today.

The path continued over Twyn Du, an unexpected and rather unwelcome extra climb. The descent from there was tricky, with the ground turning into a mudslide in places. We picked our way down carefully to avoid any undignified slips. Vince claimed to have landed on his backside, but since Jack and I didn’t see it, we let him keep his dignity. I wasn’t so lucky—I stepped straight into a drainage gully and crashed onto my knees. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt and, being last in line, managed to escape unnoticed.

The final stretch followed a pleasant green lane as we left the Access Land. Instead of turning right onto the bridleway across the fields, I suggested continuing straight down to the road by the dam for a quicker and simpler return.

As if to have the last laugh, the rain intensified just as we reached the car. We scrambled to strip off our wet outer gear and jump inside. Although I’d stayed dry under my outer layers, I managed to get soaked while wrestling off my waterproofs.

We sat in the car, eating our sandwiches and enjoying a hot drink while the rain drummed on the roof. Back at the B&B, we gratefully accepted our host’s offer to use his drying room -an essential end to a wild but satisfying day in the hills.

Summit	Height (m)	Status
Allt Lwyd	654	Sub-Hewitt, Nuttall
Waun Rydd	769	Hewitt, Marilyn, Nuttall
Bwlch y Ddwyallt	754	Nuttall

 

All the weekend photos can be seen here

The Western Black Mountains: Sunshine, Gales, and Hail

Friday 12 September 2025

Vince and I had planned another weekend of hillwalking in Wales, and for the first time since 2022, Jack was joining us again, having now finished his studies. After the hottest UK summer on record, we somehow managed to pick a weekend with heavy rain and gales in the forecast. The Met Office had issued yellow wind warnings – but we were mildly reassured that it wasn’t quite bad enough to be named the first storm of autumn.

We left Wantage in Vince’s car early in the afternoon, bound for our guest house in Abergavenny. True to form, our journey wasn’t without delays. We hit a hold-up on the M4 after a collision between a lorry and a small truck. The truck was transporting a McLaren F1, and someone’s very expensive car looked rather poorly.

Upon arrival, the owner of the Park House Guest House welcomed us, and we sorted out times for breakfast. Anticipating the weather ahead, he also mentioned a drying room we’d be free to use - a detail that would prove invaluable.

After settling in (Vince and I sharing a twin room and Jack having his own), we made tea and began discussing route options. We had a few Nuttall routes in mind: 13.4 Fan Fawr, 13.2 Waun Rydd, or the remaining three peaks from 12.2 The Western Black Mountains, which we’d partially completed back in March 2024. After poring over the maps and weighing up the forecast, we agreed on the Western Black Mountains.

With plans made, we walked into town for dinner at Wetherspoons, which would become our regular evening spot for all three nights. Vince and I tried a guest ale - Rutland Beast from The Grainstore Brewery in Leicestershire – which remained our drink of choice for the weekend.

Saturday 13 September 2025

After a 7:30 breakfast, we stopped by at the Morrison’s Daily for lunch supplies. Jack’s choice of a baguette struck me as a brave one; would it survive intact in his rucksack? (Spoiler - it did!).

The 10-mile drive to the Mynydd Du Picnic Area car park at Blaen-y-cwm took only about 30 minutes. As we arrived and began to pull on our boots, the first drops of rain began to fall. Vince and Jack wisely donned their waterproof over-trousers straight away, while I decided to rely on my Mountain Equipment Ibex trousers.

We set off at 9:20, walking about 900 metres along the road beside the Grwyne Fawr stream. It looked perfect for dippers, and sure enough, we soon spotted one - a great start to the day. At the end of the road, we crossed a stile and forded the river. The mapped path was hard to spot at first, but Vince soon found it hidden in the bracken, while I was distracted watching the dipper that had followed us upstream.

The track climbed steeply through the bracken before opening onto the hillside, with Mynydd Du Forest on our left. The rain eased off, and Jack decided it was safe to take off his over-trousers.

By 10:30 we reached our first summit, Pen y Gadair Fawr - a broad, low heap of stones marking the top. Although the summit was clear, the wind was fierce, making it difficult to take our usual summit photos.

A well-made gravel path led us onwards to our next peak, Waun Fach. The wind continued to batter us, but patches of blue sky began to break through the clouds. I stopped to pull on an extra fleece as the chill set in. A couple of other walkers were at the top when we arrived, but they soon left, leaving us the summit to ourselves for a quick banana break..

We retraced our steps back to Pen y Gadair Fawr, which was now much clearer. The cloud base had lifted, revealing views all around, and we managed some far better summit photos the second time around. From there, a grassy path led us south-east toward our final peak of the day, Pen Twyn Mawr. Along the way, a herd of wild Welsh ponies watched us curiously. The sun was out and the sky dotted with white clouds, but the wind refused to ease. As with the other summits, a modest pile of stones marked the top.

With our three objectives complete, we continued along the grassy path, deciding that we would stop for lunch at the cairn where our trail met the footpath that would lead us down through the forest. Just as we located the cairn, it started to rain, and within moments, it turned into a hailstorm. The stinging hail sent us dashing for the cover of the forest. We scrambled over a stile and descended about 100 metres until we reached a forest road. We ate our lunch under the cover of the trees. By the time we finished, the hail and rain had stopped.

We continued our descent through the forest on paths and forestry roads, briefly losing our way before retracing a few steps to get back on track. Eventually, we emerged onto the same road we had driven in on earlier, leaving a final 1.5 km walk back to the car.

I suggested making use of the picnic table at the car park for a coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake, but as soon as we sat down, the rain started up again. We dashed for cover in the car and enjoyed our cake there instead - a familiar end to a day of ever-changing Welsh weather.

Summit	Height (m)	Status
Pen y Gadair Fawr	800	Hewitt, Nuttall
Waun Fach	811	Hewitt, Nuttall, Marilyn
Pen Twyn Mawr	658	Nuttall

All the weekend photos can be seen here

Sunshine and Shortcuts: Exploring the Pontsticill Hills

Monday 24 March 2025

Monday morning, same routine as Sunday: after breakfast and checking out of the B&B, a quick dash to Morrison’s Daily for those essential hiking sandwiches. Then, a three-quarter hour drive brought us to our starting point – a convenient layby overlooking the northern reaches of Pontsticill Reservoir. The day was unfolding beautifully, bathed in glorious sunshine.

Today’s plan involved a little modification from the Nuttall recommendation. Their suggested parking spot at the southern end of the reservoir did not appear to exist (as checked out with Google Streetview), so we decided on a slightly shorter route beginning at a layby at the northern end. A few less kilometres meant we could potentially shave some time off and get a head start on the journey home later. Efficiency is key!

Our adventure kicked off with a pleasant stroll across the bridge connecting the two reservoirs. The views towards Corn Du and Pen y Fan, though a little hazy in the distance, were still impressive against the clear blue sky. Once across, we joined the bridleway nestled between the Pontsticill Reservoir and the Brecon Mountain Railway line. A leisurely kilometre followed before we ducked through a tunnel beneath the railway tracks, emerging into a short stretch of woodland and then onto the open hillside.

Just like yesterday, the elusive path marked on the map played hard to get. Undeterred, we navigated in its general direction, crossing a couple of babbling streams and a gentle rise in Cwm Criban before finally intersecting the north-easterly bridleway we were aiming for. Not far away, the intriguing “Inscribed Stone” marked on the map caught our eye, beckoning us towards it. It provided the perfect spot for our mid-morning coffee and banana break.

Suitably refreshed, we took a bearing on the trig point on Cefyn yr Ystrad and began our ascent up the sun-drenched grassy hillside. As the summit came into view, a clear path emerged, guiding us along the upper edge of the disused Cwar yr Ystrad quarry (apologies for the tautology – cwar means quarry). We then circled around to reach the summit trig pillar – a wonderfully sunny perch to settle down for lunch on its concrete base.

Lunch with a view in the spring sunshine – what could be better? Afterwards, we had a little wander over to one of the ancient cairns nearby, which looked suspiciously like it might be a tad higher than the trig point. The debate continues!

Our descent took us north, where we picked up the mine road that winds between the Cwar yr Ystrad and Cwar yr Hendre quarries. A short walk along this track, and then we turned left, heading across the open moorland of Gwaun Nant Ddu towards a restricted byway. This track gently guided us down through the peaceful forest and the valley of Cwm Callan, eventually bringing us past the Dolygaer outdoor education centre and back to our car at the Pontsticill Reservoir.

	Summit	Height (m)		Status
	Cefn yr Ystrad	617		Hewitt, Marilyn, Nuttall

More photos from today’s walk can be seen here (plus those from the rest of the weekend).

Navigating the Mist on Carmarthen Fan

Sunday 23 March 2025

A slightly later start as breakfast was not until 8:30 (the B&B proprietors like a lie in on a Sunday!). A quick stop at the local Morrison’s Daily to grab a sandwich for lunch and we were on our way. An hour and a quarter drive to the Llyn y Fan Fach Car Park, Llanddeusant.

The sheer number of cars upon arrival was a surprise – the car park overflowing, with vehicles lining the grassy verges. The hilltops were cloaked in the mist predicted by this morning’s forecast, a slight disappointment compared to the optimistic plans hatched on Friday evening.

While the masses headed towards Llyn y Fan Fach, we opted for a less-trodden route. Crossing the Afon Sawdde, we followed a track west before turning south onto the Beacons Way. Now, the Beacons Way is a famous trail, you'd think it would be obvious. Not for us! Our Strava recording a brief navigational dance as we veered slightly east, then west, before finally connecting around the 500m contour. From there, it was a steady climb to the junction with the track coming up from the dam.

Our next objective was Garrag Las, and we set off south-west towards Pen-Rhiw-goch, guided by compass as our target was invisible in the mist. A sheep track, it seemed, led us slightly lower than intended, bringing us to the Twrch Fechan stream flowing from Waun Lefrith. We followed its course west, then south-west to a ford, an ideal spot for our customary banana break.

Refuelled, we continued south-west towards Garreg Las. The final approach saw grassy slopes give way to a more rugged landscape of boulders, the material used to build the impressive ancient cairns adorning the summit. After a brief exploration of the higher, northernmost cairn, we retraced our steps to the ford, then followed a track back towards Waun Lefrith. A somewhat untidy heap of stones standing a few metres back from the cliff top path above Bannau Sir Gaer indicated the top. Supposedly the Bristol Chanel and Carmarthen Bay are visible from this spot – but not today!

Another half-hour along the ridge brought us to Picws Du. Sadly, the persistent mist once again denied us the dramatic views down to Llyn y Fan Fach – exactly as it was when we walked this ridge in 2002.

Time was becoming a factor, so as we continued eastward along the ridge, we made the call to bypass a direct route to Fan Brycheiniog. Instead, we looped around to Fan Foel (not on the Nuttall list), where we paused for lunch and a strategic reassessment. The decision was made: we would forgo Fan Brycheiniog (which had done in 2002) and Fan Hir (which we hadn’t!). Our revised plan involved descending the north ridge of Fan Foel, picking up the track below the cliffs, and heading west towards the dams at Llyn y Fan Fach.

The final leg was an easy two kilometres on a rough road back to the car park, now almost deserted, a stark contrast to the morning's bustle.

The mist proved a frustrating companion on today's walk, stealing the anticipated views. However, the memory of being utterly soaked on our previous Bannau Sir Gaer ridge trek kept spirits (mostly) dry. It was an enjoyable outing nonetheless, underscored by the ever-present need for careful navigation when the mountains cloak themselves in mist.

A quick shower back at the B&B preceded our search for an evening meal. Our hopes of revisiting last year's excellent Sunday dinner spot were dashed – they'd stopped serving. Their recommended alternative was also closed. Thankfully, some helpful local teenagers pointed us in the direction of Wetherspoons. The food wasn't a culinary highlight, but with the beer at £1.99/pint we weren't complaining!

A quick check of my mountain log back home revealed that the missed summit of Foel Hir is the only peak remaining between me and a completed Brecon Beacons list. I’ll be back (as someone once said!).

    

	Summit	Height (m)		Status
	Garreg Las	635		Hewitt, Nuttall
	Waun Lefrith	677		Nuttall
	Picws Du	749		Hewitt, Nuttall

Today's conditions did not permit any award winning photos, but the few taken can be seen here (plus those from the rest of the weekend).

The Fforest Fawr Hills

Friday 21 March 2025

The journey to Abergavenny was uneventful. Once checked in to the Park Guest House, and our kit stowed in our room, we settled down to discuss our route options for the next three days over a cup of tea.

Given the more promising forecast for Sunday, we decided that would be the day for the Carmarthen Fan route, eager for better conditions than our previous, unpleasant experience on much of it back in August 2002. The Fforest Fawr walk would then neatly slot into Saturday and the shorter Cefn Yr Ystrad route would be ideal for our final day on Monday.

We prepared rucksacks and maps for tomorrow. A minor complication arose as our route straddled two sides of the Ordnance Survey map OL12. A clever solution saw Vince displaying the eastern section and myself the western, avoiding any mid-hike map origami.

For dinner, we returned to a bar discovered on our last visit: The Victoria. A short walk brought us to this friendly pub, where our meals were washed down by refreshing Camden Town Brewery Pale Ale.

Saturday 22 March 2025

An hour's drive brought us to the Baen Llia Forestry Commission car park, the promise of blue sky peeking through the grey as we journeyed. Boots were soon laced, and by 09:50, with a cool south-easterly breeze, we set off on what would become a surprisingly sunny adventure.

Our initial ascent took us north-east over a grassy hillside, the track playing hide-and-seek until we finally picked up a discernible path. Fifty minutes later, we reached our first conquest: Fan Llia. The summit marker, a rather humble pile of stones, didn't detract from the expansive views beneath a blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds.

The descent north-west was an easy stroll, leading us to the imposing Maen Llia standing stone. This 3-metre tall Bronze Age monolith provided a dramatic backdrop for our customary banana and coffee break.

 

Continuing our journey, we briefly followed the ancient Sarn Helen Roman road south before tackling a large ladder stile. Another climb, this time south-west over rough grassland that was boggy in places, brought us to the summit of Fan Nedd. Here, a proudly Welsh white trig pillar, emblazoned with a red dragon, stood sentinel. After the obligatory summit photos, a short 400m trek north led us to a substantial, well-built cairn, offering lovely sunny vistas west over Fan Gyhirych towards the distant shapes of Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog – two of tomorrow's objectives.

 

Our descent followed a fence north-west down to Bwlch y Duwynt, followed by a short climb to a welcoming red-coloured track. This track gently ascended to the col between Fan Fraith and Fan Gyhirych, the perfect spot to unpack our lunch and soak in the panorama.

A brief out-and-back detour took us across boggy ground to the summit of Fan Fraith, marked by a modest pile of stones. On our return, we navigated slightly to the right, attempting to outsmart the wetter sections.

Crossing back over the main track, we continued north-west across more grassy slopes, our destination the summit of Fan Gyhirych. This peak was crowned by a decaying trig pillar, its faded red paint bearing the Welsh slogans "Cymru am byth" (Wales Forever) and "Yma o hyd" (Still here).

From here, we opted for a slightly shorter route than Nuttall's suggestion, descending south back to the red track. We followed it south-west to the corner of the forest and around past the disused quarries at Pwll Byfre, before ascending by a large swallow hole onto the Beacons Way within the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu National Nature Reserve.

With all the day's peaks conquered, a significant 7km trek along the Beacons Way lay ahead. We first followed it south-east before it turned north-east onto the historic Sarn Helen Roman road, where we passed another standing stone, Maen Madoc.

Despite a forecast hinting at showers, the day unfolded into glorious sunshine – a welcome surprise. This epic trek, clocking in at over 23km, marked our longest walk together in quite some time.

	Summit	Height (m)		Status
	Fan Llia	632		Hewitt, Nuttall
	Fan Nedd	663		Hewitt, Marilyn, Nuttall
	Fan Fraith	668		Nuttall
	Fan Gyhirych	725		Hewitt, Marilyn, Nuttall

More photos from today (and the rest of the weekend) here