Pen y Fan
886m (2907ft)
The Brecon Beacons Area, The Brecon Beacons, Powys, Wales
Pen y Fan is the highest point in The Brecon Beacons National Park and the highest point in the county of Powys.
The summit of Pen y Fan is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
Not familiar with this top?
You can walk/hike to the top of Pen y Fan by using any of these 8 easy‑to‑follow route maps:
Walk po101 Pen y Fan from Pont ar Daf
The shortest, easiest way up Pen y Fan
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 4ml (6.25km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,736ft (487m) |
| Time: | 3.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Pont Ar Daf Car Park - Blaen Taf Fawr - Bwlch Duwynt - Pen y Fan - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Blaen Taf Fawr - Pont Ar Daf Car Park
Walk po107 Y Gyrn, Corn Du and Pen y Fan from The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre
A less travelled route up Pen y Fan
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5ml (8km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,736ft (529m) |
| Time: | 3.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre - Y Gyrn - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Blaen Taf Fawr - The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre
Walk po158 Pen y Fan from The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre
The easiest(!) way to climb Pen y Fan
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5.25ml (8.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,736ft (529m) |
| Time: | 3.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre - Y Gyrn - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Blaen Taf Fawr - The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre
Walk po136 Corn Du and Pen y Fan from Nant Cwm Llwch near Brecon
Simply fantastic views - pick a nice day
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7ml (11km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,288ft (697m) |
| Time: | 5 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Nant Cwm Llwch - Brecon - Llyn Cwm Llwch - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Cefn Cwm Llwch - Heolfanog - Cil-rhew - Pont Rhydybetws - Nant Cwm Llwch
Walk po104 Pen y Fan and Cribyn from Nant Gwdi
Superb views - pick a nice day
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8ml (12km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,629ft (801m) |
| Time: | 5½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Nant Gwdi - Cefn Cwm Llwch - Pen y Fan - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Craig Cwm Sere - Cribyn - Bryn-teg - Pant - Plas-y-gaer - Nant Gwdi
Walk po100 Pen y Fan from Lower Neuadd Reservoir
Popular classic walk
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.5ml (13.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,402ft (732m) |
| Time: | 5½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Lower Neuadd Reservoir - Bwlch ar y Fan - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Corn Du - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Graig Fan Ddu - Lower Neuadd Reservoir
Walk po127 Fan y Big, Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du from Lower Neuadd Reservoir
Unsurpassed views from this high level route - pick a clear day
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,850ft (869m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Lower Neuadd Reservoir - Bwlch ar y Fan - Fan y Big - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Corn Du - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Graig Fan Ddu - Twyn Mwyalchod - Lower Neuadd Reservoir
Walk po169 Corn Du, Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Fan y Big from Nant Cwm Llwch nr Brecon
Simply fantastic - but pick a nice clear day
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.5ml (17km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,256ft (992m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Nant Cwm Llwch - Brecon - Llyn Cwm Llwch - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Craig Cwm Sere - Cribyn - Craig Cwm Cynwyn - Fan y Big - Bailea - Afon Cynrig - Pant - Plas-y-gaer - Nant Gwdi - Heolfanog - Cil-rhew - Pont Rhydybetws - Nant Cwm Llwch
See Pen y Fan and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Brecon Beacons Area of Bannau Brycheiniog (The Brecon Beacons National Park)
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of Bannau Brycheiniog (The Brecon Beacons National Park)
More data - might take a little longer to download
See Pen y Fan and the surrounding tops on our unique, downloadable, PDF Peak Bagging Map:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, this PDF Peak Baggers' Map might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
You can find Pen y Fan & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, scaled, summited, hiked & bagged Pen y Fan
Stephanie Doyle walked up Pen y Fan on December 2nd, 2025 [with] Friend [weather] Wet, & windy, bursts of sun - Great views
Craig Barrell climbed it on August 25th, 2025 [with] solo [weather] sunny
Tia Cain has bagged it [from/via/route] Parked in the car parks at the bottom of the path. [with] Solo [weather] Perfect & clear. - Very much up up up & very simply down down down
Nikola Jenkins hiked Pen y Fan on March 22nd, 2025 [from/via/route] Storey Arms [with] April Bryant [weather] Very misty, poor visibility
Melfyn Parry summited on September 4th, 2024 [from/via/route] Started walk from car park in the Tar Fechan forest, SO 036170. Tarmac road taken up to Lower Neuadd reservoir, which is now disused, crossed a footbridge & climbed up the grassy slope to reach the ridge at a cairn SO 019182, turned right & followed easy path for about 2 miles to reach the summit of Craig Gwaun Taf. From here it is an easy walk to the top of Corn Du & then Pen y Fan (about 25mins to gain the two tops). From Pen y Fan dropped down steep path to meet Beacons Way & then steep ascent to the top of Cribyn. Turned right & followed ridge, along Cambrian Way to Bwlch ar y Fan before another steep path up to Fan y Big. From here continue along ridge to the junction of the path back to Bwlch y Fan along Craig Cwmoergwm. From this junction I dropped down the grassy slope to the Roman Road at SO 034196 & followed the path back to the car park. [with] On my own [weather] Cool breeze with sunny spells & dry. Excellent visibility. - A really nice walk, would definitely do this one again. Stunning views.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on, or of, Pen y Fan
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