Pen y Fan routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
886 m ยท Brecon Beacons
Pen y Fan is the highest mountain in southern Britain, a flat-topped sandstone summit at the centre of the Brecon Beacons and one of Wales's busiest hills.
Peakify lists 1 measured route up Pen y Fan, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Pen y Fan routes, easiest to hardest
There is one measured route so far, graded Moderate. Grades run Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pont ar Daf | Pont ar Daf car park | 3.3 km one way | 469 m | 1h 25m | 2h 5m | Moderate |
Pen y Fan route times by Naismith's rule
The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.
Each Pen y Fan route
Pont ar Daf
A wide, pitched path over the shoulder of Corn Du to the summit. It starts from Pont ar Daf car park. 3.3 km one way with 469 m of ascent. About 1h 25m to the summit and 2h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Pen y Fan route GPX
This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Pen y Fan route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Pen y Fan, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.
Before you pick a route
The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Pen y Fan today and the Pen y Fan 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Pen y Fan routes
The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.
Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.
Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
If you are new to Pen y Fan, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.
Questions about Pen y Fan
What is the easiest route up Pen y Fan?
The pitched path from Pont ar Daf on the Brecon to Merthyr road is the most direct and popular route.
How much time does each Pen y Fan route take?
Pont ar Daf: about 1h 25m up and 2h 5m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.
Can I get a GPX file for a Pen y Fan route?
Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.