Welsh Country - Issue88 - May - Jun 19

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Turn left onto this, pass a
Pen Milan National Trust
and continue out onto
open hillside. Keep heading
straight up, although there’s
no discernible path to start
with, and then break right
into a deep groove that
then traverses the steep
hillside. This eventually
makes a sharp switchback
to climb steeply onto Pen
Milan. Stay with the path
at the top and continue
south, following either the
grassy ridge top track or
the clearer path that runs
along the escarpment edge.
Continue past the Tommy
Jones Memorial - a place to
stop and reflect - and carry
on up onto the rock-topped
summit of Corn Du, which
offers wonderful views
back north to Cwm Llwch
and your approach path,
as well as your first look at
the southern cwms and the
Neuadd Reservoirs.
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Scramble easily down
the steep sandstone steps
and as it levels, walk right
slightly to take in the full
scale of the imposing north
face - this is regularly
scaled when covered with
snow and ice in winter.
Now continue easily along
the ridge top – delightful
walking – eventually
climbing to pt. 701m.
Drop again and then, just
as the path starts to climb
once more, fork left onto
a grassy path that leads to
the quarry ruins of Cwar
Mawr. Continue down this
path for a few more metres
and then break left to
freelance over the bilberry
to the spur of Twyn y
Dyfnant. This is a great
spot with plenty of rocky
shelves to shelter behind
and spectacular views back
south to the summits.
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With the first peak in
the bag, the bulk of the
work is done so head east
into the broad col that
divides the two summits
and then climb easily on
a well-surfaced path onto
the summit of Pen y Fan
– marked with a National
Trust plaque. Head south
from the summit to peer
over the precipitous northeast
face, and then locate
a steep and rough descent
path, due north of the
summit cairn.
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