Wales
Fan Brycheiniog - Twr y Fan Foel
803M
2633FT
About Fan Brycheiniog - Twr y Fan Foel
Standing as the highest point of the Black Mountain, this remote summit offers some of the finest escarpment walking in Wales. The climb reveals the dark, glacial waters of Llyn y Fan Fawr tucked beneath the sandstone cliffs, while the summit itself is marked by the ancient, piled stones of Twr y Fan Foel.
Key Statistics
Rank
5th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Brecon Beacons
Prominence
?
424m
Nearest Town
Trecastle
Geology
Beneath your boots lie layers of rugged sandstone and softer, clay-like rocks. These formations create the striking high plateaus and slopes of the area.
Find It
Latitude
51.8841°N
Longitude
3.7100°W
Did You Know?
- •Fan Brycheiniog translates from Welsh as the 'Beacon of Brycheiniog,' referencing the ancient kingdom of Brychan. The specific summit name, Twr y Fan Foel, means 'Tower of the Bare Peak,' a nod to the prominent Bronze Age burial cairn that marks the highest point.
- •The stone cairn at Twr y Fan Foel is not merely a modern waypoint; archaeological excavations in the early 2000s revealed it to be a ritual burial site dating back to approximately 2000 BC, containing cremated remains and a flint knife.
- •From the 802-metre summit, the land falls away dramatically to the east, offering an unparalleled view down into the glacial cirque containing Llyn y Fan Fawr, with the ridge of Fan Hir stretching southwards like a giant spine.
- •To the north, the view extends over the patchwork fields of the Usk Valley towards the rolling hills of Mynydd Epynt and, on exceptionally clear days, the distant silhouette of Cadair Idris in Mid Wales.
- •It is worth noting that this is the highest point of 'The Black Mountain' (singular), located in the west of the national park. To confuse it with 'The Black Mountains' (plural) thirty miles to the east is a standard navigational rite of passage for many visitors.