Fan Fawr

Fan Fawr rises above the Fforest Fawr plateau in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Powys. Its eastern face drops steeply while the western slopes feed streams into the Afon Dringarth and the Afon Hepste. Two reservoirs lie close by: Ystradfellte Reservoir on the west and Beacons Reservoir on the east. The Afon Tarell carries water from the north-east into the River Usk. South of the summit the Afon y Waun begins its course toward the River Neath. The mountain’s rocks belong to the Brownstones Formation of the Old Red Sandstone laid down in the Devonian period. On the southern slopes Plateau Beds sandstones appear above the older layers. During the ice ages glaciers carved a western cwm that holds a late-glacial moraine called Cefn Bach. In 2005 the area was recognised as part of the Fforest Fawr Geopark for its geological heritage. Walkers can follow any line across the open hillside, though most set off from the car parks beside the A470 at Storey Arms and Pont ar Daf. The summit is marked by a cairn, while a trig point stands 600 m away on a lower spur to the south-west. From the top the view stretches over the reservoirs and the surrounding moorland.