Length: 21.8 km (13.6 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 1061m
Net Walking Time: ca. 7 hours
Toughness: 8 out of 10
This is an out-and-back walk , you can return at any point you like and make the walk as short as you like.
Take the 08.41 Bus T4 from Brecon Interchange Stand 1, direction Merthyr Tydfil (for Cardiff). Bus calls Llanfaes, St David’s Church and arrives Glyn Tarell/Storey Arms at 08.56.
Return buses: xx.34 every 2 hours to 15.34 , then 17.44 (arrives Brecon, Bulwark 18.00 if on time) and 19.41. A taxi won’t cost the earth.
[ Note : if you are intending to depart from Brecon today by Public Transport, the last bus to Abergavenny leaves at 18.15, so the 17.44 from Storey Arms leaves you just 15 mins to retrieve any luggage you may have. After that, there is still the 18.25 T6 though, which connects to the last train to Paddington at both Neath and Swansea.]
This is an out-and-back walk initially up the highest mountain in South Britain and then descending steeply down the slope of the Beacons Ridge, skirting Cribyn and Fan y Big halfway up, to follow an Old Roman Road and forest tracks to the heritage railway station at Torpantau . And then you walk back the way you came.
The route mirrors the famous SAS and British Army Endurance Exercise of ‘ The Fan Dance ’ which soldiers conduct in full gear, with a weapon to hand and carrying additional 30 kg of luggage plus water. And they do it against the clock. Occasionally a soldier dies during this exercise. Read more about it on the webpage.
If you time it well (and have the time), you can take the steam train from Torpantau along the Pontsticill Reservoirs to Pant and back and then finish the walk. Book here , for your ride on the Brecon Mountain Railway . Pant Station has a tea room , Pontsticill Station a café , Torpantau has neither.
Lunch: Picnic lunch.
Tea: Kiosks in the car park at Storey Arms.
For
walk directions,
map,
height profile and
gpx/kml files click
here. T=swc.285
Alternative Walk for today: