| Brecon Beacons/Bannau Brycheiniog Area/Range |
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Geography
| Brecon Beacons/Bannau Brycheiniog   | 
| Page Type: Area/Range Location: Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, Europe Lat/Lon: 51.88243°N / 3.43563°W Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Bouldering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Elevation: 2907 ft / 886 m | Page By: Nanuls Created/Edited: Aug 3, 2007 / May 26, 2008 Object ID: 319729 Hits: 2461 Loading... Page Score: 90.63% - 28 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
The Brecon Beacons (more properly called the Bannau Brycheiniog in Welsh) are a range of mountains in South Wales which are part of, and give their name to, The Brecon Beacons National Park. They are named after the ancient practice of lighting signal fires (beacons) on the mountains to warn of attacks by the English. They consist of a chain of peaks, roughly running from west to east, and have among them the highest peak in southern Britain, Pen y Fan, which reaches 886 metres above sea level. These summits form a long ridge which forms a horseshoe around the head of the Taf Fechan river to the south-east, with long parallel spurs extending to the north and north-east. The mountains owe their distinctive shape to their geology and are made of Devonian Old Red Sandstone.
The range is relatively compact with the peaks generally within 1km of one another. Most visitors start their walk at the Storey Arms Visitor and Outdoor centre (SN 983 203) which is located on the A470. From here Pen y Fan is only a short distance away and the route allows for the easy bagging of other nearby summits. The eastern part of the range is less visited, with fewer significant summits than in the west. A worthwhile route is a horseshoe that starts at the Talybont Valley carpark (SO 056 175) and follows the central ridge around to the west and then south along Craig Gwaun Taf and finishes by descending to the Neuadd Reservoir.
On the ridge that connects Corn Du (SO 007 213) with Y Gyrn (SN 989 217) and Pen Milan (SN 995 234) there is an Obelisk (SO 001 218) that commemorates the death of Tommy Jones, a five-year-old boy who died on the mountain in august 1900. The son of a Rhondda miner, Tommy lost his way near Cwm Llwch Farmhouse while visiting his grandparents, starting a twenty-nine day search which aroused nationwide concern. His body was found by a Mr and Mrs Hamer of Cast Madog near Brecon at the spot marked by the obelisk. Tommy had died from exhaustion and exposure, but how a small boy managed to climb so high remains a mystery. The obelisk, a useful landmark in misty conditions, was paid for by the proceeds of a memorial fund started when the jurors at the boy’s inquest waived their fees.
The peaksThis table list the principle mountains that make up the range. Most are located on the distinctive central spine, however a few are located further afield on the ends of the various ridges that radiate from its centre.
Geology  The bedrock geology of South Wales
The geology of the Brecon Beacons is considered to be so special that its landscape is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The SSSI covers 5009.95 hectares and covers all the ranges major summits as well as some land within the Fforest Fach area across the valley.
The range is located on the northern edge of the South Wales Syncline and its bedrock geology is comprised of two main rock types. In the north, and for most of the range, the dominant rock type is Old Red Sandstone laid down under alluvial conditions during the Devonian (416-359 million years ago). This depositional regime was interrupted by periods of major uplift. In the early Carboniferous Period, limestones were deposited on a continental shelf which deepened towards the south where there was a major sea area. During this period earth movements caused by the approach of a continent from the south caused the swallowing of the sea which led to thick alluvial and coastal plain sediments being deposited which contain extensive developments of coal. This Carboniferous Limestone can be found extensively in the south where the landscape displays typical features of karstic terrain, including dolines, deep cave systems and limestone pavement. Outcrops of this limestone can be found throughout the National Park including on The Black Mountain, Fforest Fawr and Vale of Glamorgan. Outcrops can also be found as far away as Pembrokeshire and the Gower. During the Quaternary Period various ice ages caused the deepening and widening of valleys, the formation of cirque lakes, and the creation of moraines and other associated deposits. During the Late Devensian Stadial, the last ice age which ended around 12,000 years ago, the area was covered by a sheet of ice nearly 1,000m thick which covered even the highest summits.
Wildlife and ConservationParts of the Brecon Beacons have been designated as a Special Conservation Area (SAC) and these areas are therefore strictly protected under the EC Habitats Directive. The Brecon Beacons SAC is split into three separate zones which combined cover 269.67 hectares and include within their boundaries the summits of Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Fan y Big.
According to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), who are the statutory adviser to Government on UK and international nature conservation, they are designated because the Old Red Sandstone cliffs of the Brecon Beacons support the most southerly representation of Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation in the UK. The relatively high base-status of the actively eroding rocks has resulted in a chasmophytic flora which is comparatively rich for this southerly site. Species include purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia at its most southerly British location, green spleenwort Asplenium viride, brittle bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and several rare Hieracium spp. Nationally scarce bryophyte species include Plagiopus oederianus and Scapania aequiloba.
The mountains also support Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation on a number of cliffs and rock-faces. The more siliceous sites are often towards the top of the cliffs, where the calcareous cements have been leached out, with a transition to more calcareous chasmophytic vegetation lower down the face. Species found in this habitat include fir clubmoss Huperzia selago, serrated wintergreen Orthilia secunda and the nationally scarce bryophytes Brachydontium trichodes and Rhabdoweisia crenulata.
General site character
Bogs. Marshes. Water fringed vegetation. Fens (1.9%)
Heath. Scrub. Maquis and garrigue. Phygrana (20.7%)
Dry grassland. Steppes (52.9%)
Inland rocks. Screes. Sands. Permanent snow and ice (24.5%)
Climbing
Climbing is a popular sport in the Brecon Beacons area using both natural crags and disused quarries, however for the Beacons themselves things are slightly different. Although the Old Red Sandstone cliffs make for spectacular mountain scenery, they do not lend themselves well to rock climbing, and therefore very little climbing is ever done on them. However, climbing does take place on the Carboniferous Limestone that appears as a series of crags near the southern margins of the range and offers some excellent routes and lines. The limestone runs the entire southern length of National Park, also appearing extensively on The Black Mountain, in Fforest Fawr, on Merthyr Common and on Mynydd Llangynidr. There are numerous recognised rock climbs at such places as Dinas Rock in upper Glyn Neath. There are around 400 climbs in the Park described in the definitive guide produced by the South Wales Mountaineering Club. Mountain RescueWales has fourteen Mountain rescue services, seven of which operate in the Beacons area. They are mostly staffed by local volunteers and funded primarily by public donations. They operate with the assistance of local Police, and in serious situations an RAF helicopter from RAF Valley. The West Wales Air Ambulance also helps out when necessary. The services work is not just restricted to mountain and wilderness rescue; often teams are utilised by the local police to search for missing or vulnerable persons in the community. The Mountain rescue services are:
Brecon Mountain Rescue Team
Central Beacons
Western Beacons
Longtown Mountain Rescue Team
Severn Area Rescue Association
West Brecon Cave Rescue
Search and Rescue Dog Association
In emergency situations Mountain rescue services can be contacted by ringing one of the UKs standard emergency service numbers: 999 or 112Getting ThereMost walks start at the Storey Arms (SN 983203) which is on the A 470 in-between Brecon in the north and Merthyr Tudful in the south. If coming from the south e.g. if you’re coming along the M4, take junction 32 (ST 142 816) near Cardiff and head north along the duel carriageway, the A470, to Merthyr Tudful. At Merthyr there is a roundabout which has four exits, take the second exit and stay on the A470, now longer a duel carriageway (SO 028 077), for around 10 miles to the carpark which is located on the opposite side of the Storey Arms. If coming from the north take the A438 from Hereford (SO 407 401) to the junction just after Bronllys (SO 144 350), and from here take the A470 to a roundabout junction (SO 067 278) with four exits. Take the second exit and drive west along the A40 to another roundabout junction (SO 032 284) and take the first exit south along the A470 to the Storey Arms. If you are parking at the Storey Arms make sure you lock your car and hide all valuables. Sometimes thieves come up from Merthyr Tudful and other nearby large towns and prey on the easy pickings that are often left in the carpark.
There are also car parks to the south of the range at Pontsticill Reservoir (SO 059 129), Pentwyn Reservoir (SO 054 143), Taf Fechan Forest (SO 042 163), Nant Bwrefwr Waterfalls (SO 056 176) and the Talybont Reservoir (SO 099 197). If coming from the south take the same route as the Storey Arms but take the third exit at the Merthyr roundabout, and drive a short distance east (only about 300m), and take a left followed by another junction where you drive straight ahead onto an unclassified road north towards the reservoirs of the Taf Fechan Valley. If coming from the north take the same route as the Storey Arms, but at the roundabout (SO 067 278) just east of Brecon, take left and travel east along the A40 for about a mile. After a mile turn left (SO 078 275), and left again driving under the A40,onto the A4558 and travel in a south easterly direction for 5 miles to Talybont on Usk (SO 112 228). From here turn right onto an unclassified road along the Talybont Reservoir to the carparks in the Talybont and Taf Fechan Valleys.
Red TapeThere is no red tape however it is worth checking the countryside access map provided by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) regarding whether or not any restrictions on movement in the area are in place.
Countryside Access Map
Mountain ConditionsThis section displays the weather forecast for Brecon, which is located just to the north and is the nearest major town to the mountains. Remember that Brecon is around 150m above sea level whereas the Storey Arms (where most walks start) is over 400m above sea level, and Pen Y Fan (the highest peak) reaches 886m. This means that when looking at temperature the adiabatic lapse rate must be taken into account which in Wales is a drop in temperature of between 0.5 and 1°C per 100m in altitude. Exposure and wind speed can also have a significant affect in lowering temperatures.
Camping and AccommodationThere are numerous places to camp throughout the area, and there are several campsites in close proximity to the mountains themselves. The village of Libanus is very convenient for accessing the mountains as it is on the A 470 and a short distance away from the Storey Arms carpark. There are three campsites on nearby farms, one at Lower Cwmclyn (SN 987 253), one at Modrydd (SO 004 252) and one at Cwrt y Castell (SN 952 259). There are also campsites a little further away at Tyfry Farm Farm (SO 072 258) near Llanfrynach, Neaudd (SO 131 251) and Ty-Mawr (SO 126 260) near Llangasty and Pantllefrith Farm (SO 086 241) near Pencelli.
For a full list of campsites in the Brecon Beacons National Park CLICK HERE and HERE
There are also a number of Youth Hostels nearby two of which are ideally suited for the mountains being in close proximity to some of the main paths. In the west is the Llwyn Y Celyn Youth Hostel which is situated just off the A470. It’s a bit out of the way but is only a few miles down the road from the Storey Arms and only a stones through away from Craig Cerrig-Gleisiad, a designated SSSI and part of the Fforest Fawr GeoPark. At the eastern end of the range is the Danywenallt Youth Hostel which is ideally located for tackling the quieter regions of the mountains and is very close to some of the prettiest waterfalls in Britain. If you are looking for somewhere a little more central then the Brecon Youth Hostel is the best choice as it is located within the town and close to its shops, pubs and restaurants.
If you are a large party there are a number of nearby bunkhouses available. Canal Barn, Cantref Bunkhouse, The Held Bunkhouse and Joe's Lodge Bunkhouse are all relatively close the Beacons and all offer what you would expect from such establishment. The most interesting bunkhouse in the area is probably the one at the Llangorse Multi-Activity Centre which has its own indoor climbing wall and bouldering room as well as offering a number of adventure based activities.Maps  Extract from the OS 1:50k of the Brecon Beacons
Navigation Maps
OS 1:25k Explorer Series OL 12 Brecon Beacons National Park / Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog
OS 1:50k Landranger Series 160 Brecon Beacons / Bannau Brycheiniog
Harvey Map Services Superwalker 1:25k Brecon Beacons: Brecon Beacons East
Harvey Map Map Services 1:40k Walkers Map: Brecon Beacons
Road Maps
OS Road Map 9 Wales/Cymru & West Midlands
GuidebooksBrecon Beacons (Official National Park Guide) by Roger Thomas and Harry Williams
The Mountains of England and Wales: Volume 1 Wales (Cicerone Guide) by John and Anne Nuttall
Hillwalking in Wales Vol 1 (Cicerone Guide) by Peter Hermon
Hillwalking in Wales Vol 2(Cicerone Guide) by Peter Hermon
The Brecon Beacons: Walker's Interpretation Guide (Cicerone Guide) by Andrew Davies and David Whittaker
Backpacker's Britain – Wales (Cicerone Guide) by Graham Uney
Brecon Beacons and Glamorgan Walks (Pathfinder Guide) by Brian Conduit and Neil Coates
Walk The Brecon Beacons by Bob Greaves
50 Walks in Brecon Beacons by the Automobile Association
Brecon Beacons: Leisure Walks for All Ages (Jarrold Short Walks Guides)
Circular Walks in the Brecon Beacons National Park (Walks with History) by Tom Hutton
Classic Walks in the Brecon Beacons National Park by Chris Barber
External Links
General
Brecon Beacons National Park
Council for National Parks
Association of National Park Authorities
Carmarthenshire County Council
Powys County Council
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Brecon Beacons Park Society
Brecon Beacons National Park Information
Welsh Tourist Board
Mid Wales Tourism Partnership
Powys Tourist Board
Countryside Council for Wales
British Geological Survey
The National Trust
CADW
Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments in Wales
British Mountaineering Council
The Climbers Club
South Wales Mountaineering Club
Weather
Mountain Weather Wales
Weather from the Met Office
Weather Channel UK
Travel
Welsh Public Transport Information
Uk Train Timetable
Accomodation
Youth Hostel Association in Wales
Maps and Guidebooks
Ordnance Survey
Harvey Map Services
Cicerone Guidebooks
Climbers Club Guidebooks
Welsh Language
Welsh Language Board
Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg Welsh language pressure group
Cymuned Welsh language pressure group
Yr Urdd (Welsh Youth Association)
Welsh-English / English-Welsh online translator
Welsh-English / English-Welsh Online Dictionary
Welsh-English / English-Welsh Online Lexicon
Images
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