Pen y Fan

Pen y Fan stands at 886 metres in Brecon Beacons National Park, the highest point in South Wales. It is the highest British peak south of Cadair Idris and forms part of a ridge that stretches from Talybont Reservoir to the A470. The mountain is owned by the National Trust, which works to repair paths damaged by the hundreds of thousands of walkers who climb it each year. Pen y Fan and its neighbour Corn Du were once called Cadair Arthur, or Arthur’s Seat. The name means ‘top of the summit’ in Welsh, reflecting its place in the landscape. The mountain plays a role in military training, used by the UK’s Special Forces for selection tests. Three soldiers died during a march in 2013 while taking part in the Point-to-Point test. A Bronze Age cairn with a stone cist marks the summit, reconstructed by the National Trust. The grave once held ashes and grave goods such as flint tools and cinerary urns. Nearby Fan Foel was excavated in the early 2000s, revealing similar items including meadowsweet flowers. Walkers reach the summit via well-made paths from Storey Arms or Pont ar Daf, both starting 460 metres below. The Beacons Way long-distance path crosses the massif from east to west. On clear days, views stretch to the Bristol Channel, Gower Peninsula, Black Mountains and beyond. A memorial obelisk near Cwm Llwch remembers five-year-old Tommy Jones, who lost his way in 1900 and was found after 29 days. The stone marks a spot used as a landmark in misty conditions.