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.
Tap/mouse over a coloured circle (1-3 easy walks, 4-6 moderate walks, 7-9 hard walks) and click to select.
The summit of Pen y Fan is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You can find Pen y Fan & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Pen y Fan and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Pen y Fan and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Pen y Fan
Tia Cain has walked up [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 climbed it on March 22nd, 2025 [from/via/route] Storey Arms [with] April Bryant [weather] Very misty, poor visibility
Melfyn Parry bagged it 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.
Hazel Gilbert hiked it on February 13th, 2002 [with] Lawrence [weather] snowed
Donovan Suddell summited on June 7th, 2024 [from/via/route] Nant Gwdi [with] wife [weather] Sunny Day, a bit blustery at times
Daniel Moran conquered it on March 5th, 2019 [from/via/route] Night walk [with] Chel and frankie [weather] Clear night sky - Date not right
Esther Nagle scaled on July 10th, 2019 [from/via/route] Neuadd car park [with] Suzanne and Joe Wise - I've walked it many other times, but this is one I've got a definite date record for
Erin Ryan walked up on August 31st, 2021 [weather] Cloudy on top
Mark Davidson climbed it on October 21st, 2004 [from/via/route] Walk po127 Fan y Big, Cribyn, Pen y Fan & Corn Du from Neuadd Reservoir [with] Theresa [weather] Rain & Mist!
Rich Jenkins bagged it on December 29th, 2021 [from/via/route] Pontsticill reservoir [weather] Low cloud around peak height. Windy on top. - Wet underfoot & water running off slopes.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Pen y Fan
Pen y Fan (far left) and Corn Du with Llyn Cwm Llwch tarn below from near the Tommy Jones Obelisk
The cairn on the summit of Waun Rydd with Corn Du and Pen y Fan in the distance
Corn Du and Pen y Fan (centre left) and Cribyn (centre) from Neuadd Reservoir
Me striding out across Craig Cwmoergwm with Corn Du (centre - distance), Pen y Fan, Cribyn amd Fan y Big (far right).
Corn Du and the Brecon Beacons from the summit of Pen y Fan just after sunset
Waun Rydd summit cairn with Corn Du and Pen y Fan (The Brecon Beacons) in the background
Craig Cwm Cynwyn, Cribyn, Craig Cwm Sere, Pen y Fan and Corn Du from Fan y Big
A very cold day but my boyfriend and I finally made it to the top of Pen y Fan summit
Mick and Rob, friends of 40 years make it to the top of a windswept Pen Y Fan
Corn Du and the Brecon Beacons from the summit of Pen y Fan just after sunset
Me (70) and Carole (65) on Pen y Fan 2 days after our 45th Wedding Anniversary
. . . see just 20 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Pen y Fan
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Pen y Fan
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