Pen Y Fan Walk: Everything You Need To Know

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Preparing for the Pen Y Fan walk? Good on you! Read this detailed guide to make sure you’re all prepped and ready to go…

The Pen Y Fan Walk: The Lowdown

Every year, more than 120,000 people flock to summit Pen Y Fan.

Known as the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons area, the Pen Y Fan walk is perfect for someone who loves a good view but doesn’t want to spend 10 hours hiking to see it.

Located in the heart of the Brecon Beacons, Pen Y Fan measures 886m above sea level and takes only a few hours to complete, and can be completed by anyone with moderate fitness levels.

When we visited the Brecon Beacons, Tom knew straight away he wanted to do the Pen Y Fan walk, and me, erm, not so much. My fear of heights was taking over (as usual), and I was reluctant to climb. So I sat in our little glamping pod whilst Tom woke up at 6 am to do the Pen Y Fan walk in the pouring rain. 

However, the Pen Y Fan is known to be a walk that most can complete.

With no sheer drops or edges, the relatively wide and flat climb can be completed in a few hours (both ways). It’s a great day out that will reward you with some pretty incredible views. 

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Hiking the Pen Y Fan walk: Tom’s experience

My experience of the Pen y Fan walk was certainly different. Jen and I were only in Wales for a few days and the forecast was grim for the duration of our stay.

Jen decided she didn’t want to do the walk in the rain, and since we were on limited time, I had to do the hike early in the morning.

This meant that I started my walk up at 7am, just as the sun was rising.

It was me and a couple of other cars, and I barely saw another person whilst going up.

I couldn’t tell you if this was because it was so early that nobody else was on the mountain, or because the weather was so bad that I could barely see 5 meters in front of me.

That weather forecast certainly was accurate for me, it was terrible.

The first five minutes were okay with light rain but as I started to climb it turned. I couldn’t face one way because the wind and the rain were so strong, and I couldn’t see a thing. 

I’m a big guy but the wind was still managing to push me towards the edge. I thought I’d definitely need to turn back!

I made it to the top in about 50 minutes (although I had no time to stop for snacks on the way up and no view to admire) However, a bonus was that I was the only one at the top! 

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The descent back down Pen Y fan

A couple of minutes were spent making funny videos of myself and I sped back down.

With rain still hammering down and the wind howling, I ran parts of the flatter summits to get dry and warm!

It was incredibly slippery on the way down and I did have a few close falls. As I got close to the final stretch, a few brave souls were beginning their Pen Y Fan walk – I hope the weather improved for them!

An important lesson I’ve learned: leave a spare set of dry clothes in your car. I had nothing, so had to ditch the trousers and drive back in my boxers, jump in the shower and get warm.

I did the whole thing in just under 2 hours, and although I certainly didn’t benefit from the views you might normally get, I did get a unique experience in being the only one up there.

If you are going to try the hike at 7am in the thunderous rain, make sure you have something dry at the end, and don’t expect to stop to eat on the way up!

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How long does it take to walk up Pen Y Fan?

Each route will be different. If you choose the ‘Motorway’ route, it will take you on average 2 hours.

However, if you pick the steeper route, which is the one Tom did, it can take you under an hour if you’re happy to do it without stops!

There’s more information of the 4 different routes further down in this blog post. 

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How high is Pen Y Fan?

Pen Y Fan is the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons. It is 886m above sea level, but only just over 450m from each car park. 

How many routes are there to climb Pen Y Fan?

There are 4 main routes for the Pen Y Fan walk. 

• Pen Y Fan walk from the Storey Arms (note that the Storey Arms is an outdoor centre and not a pub!). A 7.2km circular route with a red postbox marking the starting point, this Pen Y Fan route has a clear constructed path.

This is the well-known military route and has a super busy car park, so you’ll need to arrive early to guarantee a space. This route usually takes around 2 hours to complete (one way).

You will summit at Corn Du first, a distinctive flat base, and then walk a final ascent to Pen Y Fan.

• Pen Y Fan walk via Beacon’s Way from Pont Ar Daf is the most popular route. Also known as the ‘motorway’ route, Popular due to it being slightly (slightly) easier, with the path being very wide the whole way up. Again, this Pen Y Fan route will take you around 2 hours one way. 

• Pen Y Fan walk via the Horseshoe from Cwm Taf Fechan, which is one of the longest routes. It can take up to 6 hours to complete and is the most popular route for mountain bikers. 

• Finally, the route where you’ll gain the most height (approx 600m) is from Cwm Llwch. This Pen Y Fan route will take you around 2.5 hours, and is definitely one of the quietest ways to the summit. 

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Do I have to be fit to do the Pen Y Fan walk?

At the end of the day, you’re climbing an 886m mountain, so your levels of fitness need to be pretty good.

Tom is quite fit and active, and he said after the climb it was pretty tough and really pulled on his calves.

Of course, you can do the Pen Y Fan walk in your own time, and take breaks along the way, but a basic level of fitness is definitely required. 

Remember, Pen Y Fan is a famous SAS/military training ground, so it’s not going to be easy!

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Can I do the Pen Y Fan walk if I’m scared of heights?

It depends on your fear of heights. Tom immediately said ‘yes’, but said to stick to the motorway route if your fear of heights is pretty bad.

If you do the Storey Arms route, it’s still possible to stay clear of any vertical drops or edges. You can be at least 3m away from any ridges if you want to be. 

My fear of heights is pretty extreme (hence me not going with Tom on his disastrous morning), so I chose not to do it. But if your fear is moderate, you’ll be fine! 

Fortunately, the majority of the walk is pretty ‘flat’ and has very few edges.

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Is Pen Y Fan harder than Snowden?

The two mountains are quite different, and can both be said to be ‘hard’, although Pen Y Fan is known to be a route that can be completed by all. 

Pen Y Fan reaches a peak of 886m, whilst Snowden is 1085m, which is considerably higher. Based on this, Snowden is harder to climb than Pen Y Fan. 

As previously mentioned, Pen Y Fan also has a lot of ‘flat’ and wide walkways. Snowden’s paths vary and do have more drops and edges.

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What’s the easiest route up Pen Y Fan?

All routes are moderately challenging whilst doing the Pen Y Fan walk, but the ‘easiest’ is said to be the Motorway walk.

This is due to there being less of an incline. 

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What time of day is best to climb Pen Y Fan?

A simple answer? Any time. If you’re a morning person, do it early and avoid the crowds.

If not, climb it later in the day.

As long as you’re not climbing in the dark, the Pen Y Fan walk can be done at almost all times of the day.

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Is Pen Y Fan steep?

Depends on the route, but not particularly.

The motorway route is less steep than the Storey Arms route but still manageable. You will feel it in your calves the next day though! 

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Are there toilets and a car park nearby?

Toilets – none further than the car parks. You’ll have to nature pee if you’re desperate!

Car parks – yes, many, at all of the starting points of the Pen Y Fan routes. 

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Why is there a stone pile at the summit of Pen Y Fan?

History fans, you’ll like this one.

The stone pile represents a burial ground from the Bronze Age (cool, right?).

It is now joined by the large stone plaque marking the highest point of the peak, marked by the National Trust. 

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What does Pen Y Fan mean?

The Welsh phrase ‘Pen Y Fan’ actually roughly translates as the ‘top spot’ or the ‘top one’.

Pretty fitting as Pen Y Fan is the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons!

Tips for doing the Pen Y Fan walk

• Wear lots of layers!
• Arrive early to beat the crowds. 
• Take snacks. Lots of snacks!
• Remember to bring a reusable water bottle
• “Just enjoy it.” (Tom’s words, not mine! 😅)

Is Pen Y Fan suitable for dogs?

Yes, but make sure your dog is well behaved as the route can get quite busy!

What should I wear for the Pen Y Fan walk?

Regular hiking clothes!

Sturdy shoes, lots of layers with a coat or fleece (especially if you’re hiking in the winter). 

Flexible leggings or trousers for comfort.

During the warmer months, still take an extra layer due to the changing weather conditions at the top. 

Remember to take a reusable water bottle, some protein fuelled snacks and your camera!

What can you see from the summit of Pen Y Fan?

When you summit Pen Y Fan, you’ll see views of the Black Mountains, the Gower Peninsula, Exmoor, the majority of the Beacons, and the South Wales valleys.  

The views are incredible (unless you’re like Tom and have done the Pen Y Fan walk in torrential rain).

It’s definitely worth the climb!

Where to stay when doing the Pen Y Fan walk

As long as you stay close to the national park, it will be relatively easy to drive to Pen Y Fan as driving-wise, it actually isn’t that big.

We stayed right by the small village of Brecon, which was about 10 minutes from the Storey Arms route.

Check out our accommodation at 68 Degrees West here. 

The closest country hotel to Pen Y Fan is the Nant Ddu, if you want a traditional countryside experience!  

Shall I do a Pen Y Fan tour?

You can hike Pen Y Fan independently, but if you’d like to take a tour, there are options available.

Book a walking tour here, which includes the hike to the top with a group of people.

Or, if you’d rather see Pen Y fan from the ground, you can book a day tour to the Brecon Beacons from Cardiff here. (I love this one as you stop off at the Wye Valley too!)

The Pen Y Fan walk: In a Nutshell

If you’re someone who likes a good view and a not-so-strenuous hike, the Pen Y Fan walk is the one for you. 

Complete the climb in either the morning or afternoon, and you’ll still have time to explore the rest of the Beacons for the rest of the day. 

Hiked Pen Y Fan recently? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below 🙂 

Happy travelling!

Jennie 🙂 x

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