Fan Hir

Fan Hir is a long ridge in the Brecon Beacons National Park in southern Wales. It stands at the eastern end of the Black Mountain and is part of the Fforest Fawr Geopark. The hill is about 4 kilometres long and rises to 760 metres above sea level. Its steep eastern face gives the peak its name, which means ‘long peak’ in Welsh. Fan Hir is separated from its higher neighbour, Fan Brycheiniog, by a col called Bwlch Giedd. A stone staircase leads up from Llyn y Fan Fawr to this col. The hill is made of Old Red Sandstone laid down in the Devonian period. A striking ridge called Fan Fechan runs parallel to the main ridge below it. This ridge may be a glacial moraine or a pro-talus rampart. The escarpment overlooks Cerrig Duon, a Bronze Age stone circle with standing stones and a stone avenue. Nearby are hut circles, house platforms and traces of ancient cultivation. Walkers can explore the open moorland of Fan Hir freely. The ridge path offers popular routes and fine views of Pen y Fan and Corn Du to the east. The Beacons Way long-distance footpath runs beneath the hill, leading to the glacial lake of Llyn y Fan Fawr. A well-built stone staircase climbs the escarpment to the bwlch below Fan Brycheiniog. The path is dry and safe, with little risk of steep drops.