I saw this walk in Trail magazine and thought it would be a good day walk to do by myself. The National Trust car park was up a very narrow lane but free to members and plenty of room first thing in the morning.
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/9460962/trail-magazine-september-2021-pen-y-fan-brecon-beacons
It was a lovely day, and certainly the best I have ever had in the Beacons that is for sure! Started by walking around the bottom of the spurs which was really lovely countryside and not a sole about.
Then up the gradual hill to the top of Fan Y Big, stopping for a brew half way up in the sunshine, once at the top I saw the first people of the day, but only about half a dozen.
From there I dropped down and then back up to the top of Cribyn which on a day as sunny as this gave fantastic views over the Beacons and across to Pen Y Fan. At this stage I had still only seen a handful of people which considering how nice the weather was, was a surprise… then down the steep steps and back up to Pen Y Fan. As I started to clamber up to the first bit of Pen Y Fan there were twenty or thirty people which was to be expected but I wasn’t prepared for the site that met me when I finally stepped up to the summit..
I estimated that there were probably 2 – 300 people on the summit and queuing back across to Corn Du!! Mad….. I had originally planned to go to Corn Du and then drop down to the lake and onward back to the car park but I couldn’t face it and so dropped straight off the back and down the spur behind Pen Y Fan as shown on my map. Stopping half way down, once it was quiet again for some lunch, I made it down, to a now busy car park for the drive home. All in all a highly recommended route but maybe not on a weekend if you don’t like the crowds!
Hiking & Wild Camping 