Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Mountain hikes & routes

Corn Du – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

Routes

Mountain hikes & routes

Corn Du – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

Moderate

4.5

(2)

hikers

Corn Du – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

02:25

6.43km

440m

Mountaineering

Moderate mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 16, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

371 m

Blaen Taf Fawr Valley

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Blaen Taf Fawr and Afon Tarell segments start at the Storey Arms parking area. Head through the gate towards Corn Du, to the Taf Fawr bridge. Ignore the path and head upstream to a small gorge, with the waterfall at its head. Return to the parking area, and head northwest towards the Storey Arms. A track starts below it, heading down the right side of the valley. It soon passes over a stream. Head upstream to see the waterfalls on the Afon Tarell.

Tip by

2.21 km

Windy Gap

Highlight • Mountain Pass

This is the col between Corn Du and Craig Gwaun Taf. Not only is it a fine viewpoint, but it is also the parting of the ways. Turn right at the marker stone you will follow the crowds down to the Storey Arms, turn left to Craig Gwaun Taf and you arfe likely to have the airy path all to yourself.

Tip by

2.27 km

View of Pen y Fan, Corn Du, and Cribyn

Highlight • Viewpoint

Pen-Y-Fan is the highest peak in the whole of south Wales, and is situated in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Standing Tall At 886 metres (2,907 ft) Above sea-level, it's also the Highest British Peak Just South of that to Cadair Idris in Snowdonia.
Penyfan is the highest point of the historic county of Brecknockshire. Though in modern administrative terms, it now lies within the unitary council called Powys.
The twin summits of Pen y Fan at 886 m (2,907ft) and Corn Du at 873 m (2,864 ft) were formerly referred to as the Cadair Arthur or as 'Arthur's Seat'.

Tip by

2.28 km

View of Bannau Brycheiniog from the Summit Cairn

Highlight • Summit

this is a good spot for a breather and to take in the incredible views

Tip by

2.65 km

Corn Du

Highlight • Natural Monument

From the 2,864 feet (873 m) summit of Corn Du, you get spectacular views of Llyn Cwm Llwch directly below and over Wales stretching out below. The trail to this peak is great fun, whether ascending or descending. Pen y Fan is very close to Corn Du, so it can get busy here at peak times. Get up early to beat the crowds.

Tip by

2.66 km

Col between Corn Du and Pen y Fan

Highlight (Segment) • Mountain Pass

This easy col between Pen Y Fan and Corn Du is a gorgeous easy hill section no more than a few hundred metres long with minimal height gain and loss. It is very busy for a good reason, as the views north and south are picture postcard. Being a broad col and a bit lower than the nearby summits, it is a popular rest/picnic area. There is also easy access from Pontardaff car park, which is about a 45-minute walk away. This is high mountain country though, so it would be wise to dress appropriately for the weather.

Tip by

3.22 km

Pen y Fan

Highlight • Summit

Chief of the Brecon Beacons and the highest summit in south Wales, Pen y Fan is a hugely popular peak with routes to the top to suit everyone from first time day-trippers to potential SAS commandos. Red sandstone creates its unmistakable layered profile and gives hue to the Bronze Age cairn that tops the summit.

Tip by

3.26 km

Beacons Way to Pen y Fan Summit

Highlight (Segment) • Viewpoint

PYF Test Route.
This is a Strava segment and a personal fitness test of mine from the swing gate at Pontardaff Lay-by to the summit post that I have done for the last forty years. It is 3.2km to the top of PYF with 460m of height gain.

These are my guideline test times from the gate to the summit with a 3-5kg sack.
15 mins - You are a physical mutant.
20 mins - You are exceptionally fit and bordering on genetic mutation.
25 mins - You are very fit, train hard and love pain.
30 mins - You are fit, smile and wave to others in an annoying way when going past them.
35 mins - You are fit, try to smile but can't be bothered to wave at others.
40 mins - You are pretty fit but you grimace a lot.
45 mins - You are doing okay but mumble a lot during bouts of pain.
50 mins - You are maybe suffering from the Stella from last night.
55 mins - You are definitely suffering from the Stella.
60 mins - Your best days are behind you.

Tonight I did it in 40min 34secs with a 5kg sack...there was a lot of grimacing!

Tip by

6.43 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

4.47 km

1.18 km

665 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

4.47 km

1.26 km

665 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Friday 15 May

11°C

2°C

-- %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: -- km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Moderate

4.5

Corn Du – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

02:25h

6.43km

440m

Moderate

5.0

Corn Du summit – Pen y Fan loop from Neuadd Car Park

04:36h

14.0km

610m

Hard

5.0

Cribyn Summit – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

06:22h

17.8km

1,020m

Hard

Corn Du summit – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

06:23h

18.8km

930m

Moderate

Craig Cwareli – Fan y Big loop from wild camp

04:28h

15.0km

420m

Moderate

5.0

Llyn y Fan Fach – Narrow Path Below Picws Du loop from Fforest Fawr

02:50h

8.30km

450m

Moderate

Pen y Fan – Corn Du summit loop from Heol-fanog

03:54h

11.0km

610m

Moderate

Pen y Gadair Fawr Summit Cairn – Pen y Manllwyn Summit loop from Blaen y Cwm

04:36h

15.1km

460m

Moderate

Blaen y Glyn Waterfall – Blaen-y-Glyn Waterfalls loop from Allt Forgan

03:09h

9.20km

460m

Moderate

Pen y Fan – Cribyn Summit loop from Heol-fanog

04:33h

13.2km

690m

Easy

View of Pen y Fan – Craig Cerrig Gleisiad loop from Bannau Brycheiniog National Park

01:43h

5.09km

260m

Corn Du – Pen y Fan loop from Beacons Reservoir

Blaen Taf Fawr Valley

Windy Gap

View of Pen y Fan, Corn Du, and Cribyn

View of Bannau Brycheiniog from the Summit Cairn

Corn Du

Col between Corn Du and Pen y Fan

Pen y Fan

Beacons Way to Pen y Fan Summit

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️