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Pen y Fan – Pen y Fan Gate loop from Beacons Reservoir

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Hiking trails & Routes

Pen y Fan – Pen y Fan Gate loop from Beacons Reservoir

Moderate

4.8

(246)

4,919

hikers

Pen y Fan – Pen y Fan Gate loop from Beacons Reservoir

02:33

6.97km

430m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: May 26, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

217 m

Beacons Way to Pen y Fan Summit

Highlight (Segment) • Viewpoint

PYF Test Route.
This is a Strava segment and a personal fitness test of mine from the swing gate at Pontardaff Lay-by to the summit post that I have done for the last forty years. It is 3.2km to the top of PYF with 460m of height gain.

These are my guideline test times from the gate to the summit with a 3-5kg sack.
15 mins - You are a physical mutant.
20 mins - You are exceptionally fit and bordering on genetic mutation.
25 mins - You are very fit, train hard and love pain.
30 mins - You are fit, smile and wave to others in an annoying way when going past them.
35 mins - You are fit, try to smile but can't be bothered to wave at others.
40 mins - You are pretty fit but you grimace a lot.
45 mins - You are doing okay but mumble a lot during bouts of pain.
50 mins - You are maybe suffering from the Stella from last night.
55 mins - You are definitely suffering from the Stella.
60 mins - Your best days are behind you.

Tonight I did it in 40min 34secs with a 5kg sack...there was a lot of grimacing!

Tip by

3.14 km

Pen y Fan

Highlight • Summit

Chief of the Brecon Beacons and the highest summit in south Wales, Pen y Fan is a hugely popular peak with routes to the top to suit everyone from first time day-trippers to potential SAS commandos. Red sandstone creates its unmistakable layered profile and gives hue to the Bronze Age cairn that tops the summit.

Tip by

3.16 km

Cefn Cwm Llwch

Highlight • Trail

This is the ridge route to Pen y Fan from the north. A fine route that steepens sharply near the top.

Tip by

3.17 km

Col between Corn Du and Pen y Fan

Highlight (Segment) • Mountain Pass

This easy col between Pen Y Fan and Corn Du is a gorgeous easy hill section no more than a few hundred metres long with minimal height gain and loss. It is very busy for a good reason, as the views north and south are picture postcard. Being a broad col and a bit lower than the nearby summits, it is a popular rest/picnic area. There is also easy access from Pontardaff car park, which is about a 45-minute walk away. This is high mountain country though, so it would be wise to dress appropriately for the weather.

Tip by

3.79 km

Looking towards Pen y Fan from Corn Du

Highlight • Viewpoint

Looks even better under snow!

Tip by

4.69 km

Windy Gap

Highlight • Mountain Pass

This is the col between Corn Du and Craig Gwaun Taf. Not only is it a fine viewpoint, but it is also the parting of the ways. Turn right at the marker stone you will follow the crowds down to the Storey Arms, turn left to Craig Gwaun Taf and you arfe likely to have the airy path all to yourself.

Tip by

6.53 km

Blaen Taf Fawr Valley

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Blaen Taf Fawr and Afon Tarell segments start at the Storey Arms parking area. Head through the gate towards Corn Du, to the Taf Fawr bridge. Ignore the path and head upstream to a small gorge, with the waterfall at its head. Return to the parking area, and head northwest towards the Storey Arms. A track starts below it, heading down the right side of the valley. It soon passes over a stream. Head upstream to see the waterfalls on the Afon Tarell.

Tip by

6.82 km

Pen y Fan Gate

Highlight • Trail

The gate here has been the local start point for the Pen Y Fan gate to summit test for a number of years. It is 3.1km from here to the summit with 450m of height gain. A good running time for it (one way) is 20 minutes and an up and down time within 40 is excellent. With a 7kg pack, if you can do it one way within 35min and down within an hour you can't complain.

Tip by

6.97 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

4.47 km

1.26 km

1.12 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

4.47 km

1.25 km

1.21 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Sunday 12 July

25°C

11°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 25.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Pen y Fan – Pen y Fan Gate loop from Beacons Reservoir

Beacons Way to Pen y Fan Summit

Pen y Fan

Cefn Cwm Llwch

Col between Corn Du and Pen y Fan

Looking towards Pen y Fan from Corn Du

Windy Gap

Blaen Taf Fawr Valley

Pen y Fan Gate

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