Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and Fan Fawr
The west side of the A470 tends to be a lot quieter than the east. Despite the close proximity of the highest peaks in the Park a lot of this walk follows almost trackless ground. The suggested route starts by climbing to the outlying summit of Fan Frynach. A shorter version could be had by following the Beacons Way straight up onto Craig Cerrig-gleisiad.
- Start
- Llwyn-y-Celyn GR SN972226
- Finish
- Storey Arms GR SN982203
- Distance
- 12km 7 miles
- Total
- 630 metres
- Classification
- Energetic
- Walking Time
- 4 hours
- Travel
- The X43 bus serves both stops or, if approaching by car, drop it at the Storey Arms and catch the X43 bus north to Llwyn-y-Celyn.
- Best Bus Stop
- Llwyn-y-Celyn. Storey Arms
- START. Walk back towards Storey Arms until you see a lay-by on the right. Go through the kissing gate at the southern end (signposted to Twyn Dylluan-ddu and Forest Lodge) and follow a clear footpath, until you come to a gap in the next wall. Pass through this and turn right to follow a dry-stone wall north. Head down into a small valley, cross the stream, then a stile to continue in the same direction. Drop into another, steeper valley and climb out, still following the track to a stile.
- Cross this and turn left on to a stony track up to a gate and another stile. Go over this and continue through rough ground until it levels. Bear right here to the trig point, then turn sharp left to return to the main track above the escarpment.
- Turn right on to the main track again and continue past more rough ground before dropping slightly into a broad but shallow valley. Cross a stile and climb back up, following the fence on your left, and soon you’ll see the summit of Fan Fawr ahead. Continue uphill to the summit of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and then follow the wall down for a few paces before bearing right onto a faint path that runs along the ridge towards Fan Fawr.
- Stay with this for over a mile, all the time heading straight at Fan Fawr, and when you reach the lowest point – a boggy plateau directly beneath the mountain, bear left to follow an even fainter path towards the right hand end of a small crag that’s visible on the steep hillside. Climb to a circular sheepfold, and then bear left to walk above the small crag to join a slender terrace that contours around the hillside. Follow this around the eastern flank of the mountain until you eventually meet the well-trodden main track, coming up from your left. Turn right on to this and follow it steeply to the small cairn at the top.
- From here, continue in the same direction on a faint path that follows the escarpment edge. Continue down until the slope eases a little and you can bear left to make a beeline for the top of the forest below.
- Here, turn left to follow a rough path along the top of the wood, and continue beyond this to the bank of the Afon Taf Fawr. Walk upstream on a boggy path that ends at a gate that leads onto the A470. Turn left to follow the continuation path up to the road and then cross the road to follow a footpath into the wood. This leads to the bottom end of a car park, which you need to walk through to the far end, to meet the A470. Continue up the verge to Storey Arms.
