Pen y Fan
886m (2907ft)
The Brecon Beacons Area, The Brecon Beacons, Powys, Wales
Pen y Fan is the highest point in The Brecon Beacons National Park and the highest point in the county of Powys.
Tap/mouse over a coloured circle (1-3 easy walks, 4-6 moderate walks, 7-9 hard walks) and click to select.
The summit of Pen y Fan is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
Not familiar with this top?
You can walk to the top of Pen y Fan by using any of these 8 easy‑to‑follow route maps:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 4ml (6.25km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,736ft (487m) |
| Time: | 3.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Pont Ar Daf Car Park - Blaen Taf Fawr - Bwlch Duwynt - Pen y Fan - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Blaen Taf Fawr - Pont Ar Daf Car Park
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5ml (8km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,736ft (529m) |
| Time: | 3.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre - Y Gyrn - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Blaen Taf Fawr - The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5.25ml (8.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,736ft (529m) |
| Time: | 3.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre - Y Gyrn - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Blaen Taf Fawr - The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7ml (11km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,288ft (697m) |
| Time: | 5 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Nant Cwm Llwch - Brecon - Llyn Cwm Llwch - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Cefn Cwm Llwch - Heolfanog - Cil-rhew - Pont Rhydybetws - Nant Cwm Llwch
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8ml (12km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,629ft (801m) |
| Time: | 5½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Nant Gwdi - Cefn Cwm Llwch - Pen y Fan - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Craig Cwm Sere - Cribyn - Bryn-teg - Pant - Plas-y-gaer - Nant Gwdi
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 8.5ml (13.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,402ft (732m) |
| Time: | 5½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Lower Neuadd Reservoir - Bwlch ar y Fan - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Corn Du - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Graig Fan Ddu - Lower Neuadd Reservoir
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,850ft (869m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Lower Neuadd Reservoir - Bwlch ar y Fan - Fan y Big - Cribyn - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Corn Du - Bwlch Duwynt - Craig Gwaun Taf (Bwlch Duwynt) - Graig Fan Ddu - Twyn Mwyalchod - Lower Neuadd Reservoir
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.5ml (17km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,256ft (992m) |
| Time: | 7.25hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Nant Cwm Llwch - Brecon - Llyn Cwm Llwch - Tommy Jones Obelisk - Craig Cwm Llwch - Corn Du - Pen y Fan - (Penyfan) - Craig Cwm Sere - Cribyn - Craig Cwm Cynwyn - Fan y Big - Bailea - Afon Cynrig - Pant - Plas-y-gaer - Nant Gwdi - Heolfanog - Cil-rhew - Pont Rhydybetws - Nant Cwm Llwch
See Pen y Fan and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Brecon Beacons Area of Bannau Brycheiniog (The Brecon Beacons National Park)
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of Bannau Brycheiniog (The Brecon Beacons National Park)
More data - might take a little longer to download
See Pen y Fan and the surrounding tops on our unique, downloadable, PDF Peak Bagging Map:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, this PDF Peak Baggers' Map might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
You can find Pen y Fan & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, scaled, summited, hiked & bagged Pen y Fan
Stephanie Doyle walked up Pen y Fan on December 2nd, 2025 [with] Friend [weather] Wet, & windy, bursts of sun - Great views
Craig Barrell climbed it on August 25th, 2025 [with] solo [weather] sunny
Tia Cain has bagged it [from/via/route] Parked in the car parks at the bottom of the path. [with] Solo [weather] Perfect & clear. - Very much up up up & very simply down down down
Nikola Jenkins hiked Pen y Fan on March 22nd, 2025 [from/via/route] Storey Arms [with] April Bryant [weather] Very misty, poor visibility
Melfyn Parry summited on September 4th, 2024 [from/via/route] Started walk from car park in the Tar Fechan forest, SO 036170. Tarmac road taken up to Lower Neuadd reservoir, which is now disused, crossed a footbridge & climbed up the grassy slope to reach the ridge at a cairn SO 019182, turned right & followed easy path for about 2 miles to reach the summit of Craig Gwaun Taf. From here it is an easy walk to the top of Corn Du & then Pen y Fan (about 25mins to gain the two tops). From Pen y Fan dropped down steep path to meet Beacons Way & then steep ascent to the top of Cribyn. Turned right & followed ridge, along Cambrian Way to Bwlch ar y Fan before another steep path up to Fan y Big. From here continue along ridge to the junction of the path back to Bwlch y Fan along Craig Cwmoergwm. From this junction I dropped down the grassy slope to the Roman Road at SO 034196 & followed the path back to the car park. [with] On my own [weather] Cool breeze with sunny spells & dry. Excellent visibility. - A really nice walk, would definitely do this one again. Stunning views.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on, or of, Pen y Fan
Corn Du and the Brecon Beacons from the summit of Pen y Fan just after sunset
Me (70) and Carole (65) on Pen y Fan 2 days after our 45th Wedding Anniversary
Corn Du and the Brecon Beacons from the summit of Pen y Fan just after sunset
Pen y Fan (far left) and Corn Du with Llyn Cwm Llwch tarn below from near the Tommy Jones Obelisk
Mick and Rob, friends of 40 years make it to the top of a windswept Pen Y Fan
The cairn on the summit of Waun Rydd with Corn Du and Pen y Fan in the distance
Craig Cwm Cynwyn, Cribyn, Craig Cwm Sere, Pen y Fan and Corn Du from Fan y Big
Waun Rydd summit cairn with Corn Du and Pen y Fan (The Brecon Beacons) in the background
A very cold day but my boyfriend and I finally made it to the top of Pen y Fan summit
Corn Du and Pen y Fan (centre left) and Cribyn (centre) from Neuadd Reservoir
Me striding out across Craig Cwmoergwm with Corn Du (centre - distance), Pen y Fan, Cribyn amd Fan y Big (far right).
. . . see just 10 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on, or of, Pen y Fan
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Pen y Fan
If you would like to add your walk photographs and pictures to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
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