The ‘easiest’ route to the top of Pen y Fan is nicknamed The Motorway. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s busy on sunny days with hundreds of people heading in either direction or because it’s an easy-to-follow route along a (reasonably) defined path.
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Either way, it’s the one you should do first. The views at 886m above sea level are breathtaking (even if it can be a bit foggy).
My alarm went off at 5am on a Monday morning and my dog looked at me like I was having a laugh. She loves a lie-in.
An hour later we arrived at Pont ar Daf car park. This spot is just 40 miles from Cwmbran. My Google Maps told me the best route was towards Abergavenny and across the Heads of the Valley Road before eventually joining the A470.
I can’t even drive to Newport without checking the traffic on Google Maps so depending on the day of the week and time, you may find yourself heading down the M4.
This car park is 440m above sea level so as this writer says on Visit Wales, this makes the route to the top “very manageable”.
Pen y Fan is the highest peak in south Wales and you can be parked up and ready to walk in less than an hour by car from Cwmbran. Visit Traveline to check out routes by public transport.
The hardest bit was paying for the car park
Top tip. Take cash to pay for parking. This was the first challenge of the day. At 6.40am, I was standing by the machine trying to download the Pay By Phone app and all the faff involved in setting up a new account. The machine takes cash but not cards so the app is the only option if you don’t have cash. It wasn’t just me. A man and three women stood next to me staring at their phones by the machine trying to work out how to pay.
The cost was £7.50 in September 2024 so take some coins and you can head up Pen y Fan even sooner. Or download the app and set up an account with your car details before you arrive. The car park number is 808931 on the app.
Parking is free for National Trust members.
Toilets
Pont ar Daf car park has its own toilet block which was very welcome after the drive from Cwmbran and after getting back down from Pen y Fan.
The Walk- staying safe
Don’t even think about doing this walk without sensible boots and a rucksack with snacks and drinks. Your bag should also contain extra layers including protection against rain and wind.
Check the weather and remember weather conditions across Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park quickly change.
If you’re not an experienced walker, stick to daytime walks with a good weather forecast.
As Pen y Fan is so accessible, it can be easy to be complacent. The wind took my breath away when we reached the summit. It was all calm in the car park, but howling at the top.
Check my photos from the summit compared to the car park and the views on the way up. We didn’t get much of a view from the top due to the fog.
It’s the sort of conditions even on bright, dry days that make it possible to take a tumble.
And again I’ll mention sensible boots. The footpath is pebble and slabs in most spots. You don’t want to trip over and twist your ankle so wear proper footwear and take your time.
My dog loved it! We stopped a dozen or more times on the way up. Not because we were tired. The rests were just a chance to turn around and enjoy the views.
The distance from the car park to Pen y Fan and back again on my tracker was around 4.5 miles and it took us about 2.5 hours walking very slowly with lots of stops and a bit of extra time on the top for a bite to eat.
Corn Ddu
If you’re heading for Pen y Fan it would be a shame to miss out Corn Du (875m) as you pass it on the way.
My tip is to follow the path around to the right Corn Du and visit Pen y Fan first. Then on the way back you can follow the clear path (see my photos above) to Corn Du. Then return back down the same path and walk around Corn Du on the path you took to Pen y Fan and head back the the car park.