The plan was, once again, to do the horseshoe that takes in Cribyn, Pen y Fan, and Corn Du. Once I had reached Cribyn at 795m, Pen y Fan, just under a 100 metres higher, was shrouded in mist and not looking too inviting. A quick look at the map and I chose to head in the opposite direction, back the way I ascended Cribyn, then up Fan y Big and along Craig y Fan Ddu.
Half way up Fan y Big, I looked back to Cribyn and for the first time, saw the cloud from her taller neighbour sitting behind had lifted! Oh well, Pen y Fan can wait. The walk I was doing was just as good.
From Fan y Big, the route hugs the edge of a steep ridge called Craig Cwmoergwm, before veering south on to a boggy area that, in bad weather, would call for a little compass work. This is a part of the Beacons Way, and you follow it to a cairn in an imaginitively named area called "Pile of Stones". The cairn is the cue to turn north-east to another steep ridge, this one named Craig y Fan Ddu. I followed the ridge steeply down to the Taff Trail. It was well worth the reroute.
- Date: 20/06/09
- Region: Brecon Beacons National Park
- Status: Solo
- Description: Taf Fechan Forest CP – Upper Neuadd Reservoir – Cribyn – Fan y Big – Craig y Fan Ddu – Taff Trail - Taf Fechan Forest CP – Rain clearing to fine. 14.5km, 5.5hrs
- Type of Walk: Personal Walking