Tal y Fan routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 4 measured routes up Tal y Fan, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Tal y Fan routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Tal 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 Tal y Fan route

Bwlch y Ddeufaen

A path follows a wall up the ridge to the summit. It starts from Bwlch y Ddeufaen road end. 2.1 km one way with 232 m of ascent. About 0h 50m to the summit and 1h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Easy.

South ascent from Bwlch y Ddeufaen

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Bwlch y Ddeufaen track junction. It starts from Bwlch y Ddeufaen track junction. 1.6 km one way with 220 m of ascent. About 0h 40m to the summit and 1h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Rowen via Cae Coch

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Rowen public lane. It starts from Rowen public lane. 3.8 km one way with 460 m of ascent. About 1h 30m to the summit and 2h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Sychnant Pass and northern ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Sychnant Pass mapped public path. It starts from Sychnant Pass mapped public path. 4.7 km one way with 390 m of ascent. About 1h 35m to the summit and 2h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Tal y Fan route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: South ascent from Bwlch y Ddeufaen, Rowen via Cae Coch, Sychnant Pass and northern ridge. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

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 Tal y Fan today and the Tal y Fan 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Tal 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 Tal 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 Tal y Fan

What is the easiest route up Tal y Fan?

Bwlch y Ddeufaen has the easiest grade of the 4 routes listed here (Easy).

How much time does each Tal y Fan route take?

Bwlch y Ddeufaen: about 0h 50m up and 1h 15m there and back. South ascent from Bwlch y Ddeufaen: about 0h 40m up and 1h 0m there and back. Rowen via Cae Coch: about 1h 30m up and 2h 15m there and back. Sychnant Pass and northern ridge: about 1h 35m up and 2h 30m 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 Tal y Fan route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.