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Walks in the Black Mountains
Table Mountain Walk (Moderate, 3 miles, 3 hours)
Cwm Beth and Middle Barn (Easy, 2.5 miles, 2 hours)
Gwernvale Farm (Easy, 1.5 miles, 1 hour)
Sugar Loaf Walk (From Llangenny, Moderate
4 miles, 3 hours)
Pen Tir (Moderate, 4 miles 3 hours)
Pen Cerrig-calch (Moderate 5.5 miles, 4.5 hours)
Pen Allt-mawr (Moderate 8 miles, 5.5 hours)
Waun Fach
Grwyne Fach Resevior (Moderate/Hard 8 miles,
5.5 hours)
Bal Mawr
Table Mountain Walk
The Table Mountain (Grid Reference SO225207) is clearly visible from most places in Crickhowell. It is just to the north of the village on the eastern shoulder of the much larger Pen Cerrig-calch (701m) which dominates the northern views from the village. Table Mountain is the site of an ancient Iron Age hill fort, the earthworks for which are obvious when you get up close.
The great thing about this walk is that if you are staying in Crickhowell you do not need the car to get to the start of the walk..
The total distance is approximately 3 miles (~5km).
To comfortably do this walk you need around 3 hours.
The walk covers several steep stretches across open fields and there are 7 styles to negotiate on the way up. This walk retraces the path up, so you'll encounter the same 7 styles on your return.
There are several ways up on to Table Mountain, the description here is the most direct from the centre of Crickhowell.
Start point: Grid Reference SO218185. The pay and display car park to the east of the main A40 (Beaufort Street) as it goes through the village.
Leave the car park through the pedestrian access on to Standard Street. Turn left down Standard St and right at the bottom. Walk passed the Bear Hotel and on passed the petrol station and then
Table Mountain from the south
right up Llanbedr Road. Continue straight up the hill passed Ffynonanai on the left. At the junction at the top of the steepest part of Llanbedr Rd continue stratight on up the lane for about approx. 250 yds.
Go through the farm gate opposite the electrical sub-station and walk up the straight track to the farm yard (The Wern). Once in the farm yard go to the top right hand corner and proceed through the gate and directly across the field in an easterly direction until you arrive at a style. Follow the path to the left, up the hill to the next style. You now have a walk up the fields towards Table Mountain.
Eventually you arrive at a copse where you climb over a style and go right and up the rough track and over a further style which takes you out on to the open hill side with a clearly marked path through the bracken. Table Mountain is ahead and to the left. Follow the path around the shoulder until you meet the path going more steeply up to the top of the hill. The top of Table Mountain is flat and slopes gently. The views are stunning.
To get back down again, simply retrace your steps. If you have more time and are well prepared for a more demanding extension to this walk, you can carry on up the hill to Pen Cerrig-calch, Pen Allt-Mawr and Waun Fach. Now you climbed this far, why not keep going!
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Cwm Beth and Middle Barn 
This is a gentle walk with nothing too demanding for the walker.
Total distance is approximately 2.5 miles. Allow 2 hours to do the walk comfortably.
Start point: Grid Reference SO218185. The pay and display car park to the east of the main A40 (Beaufort Street) as it goes through the village. Exit the car park into Standard Street and turn left down to Beaufort St. Turn right, go passed the Bear Hotel and on passed the petrol station. Turn right up Llanbedr Road and walk for several hundred yards where you will turn left into Oakfield Drive. After about 200 yards turn right up Darren View. At the top of the road it bends round to the left. Follow the road and continue on the flat until the road stops. On your right there is a large 5 bar gate onto a sunken lane. Turn left and immediately on your right there is a style into a field with various large sheds in it. There are sometimes donkeys in this field. The path heads on passed the buildings and up the field over towards another style.
The path continues north for the best part of a kilometer parallel with the Cwmbeth Brook within earshot down in the steep gully to the left.There are beautiful views of the Table Mountain over to your right.
The gully with the Cwmbeth Brook in it is heavily wooded and eventually as you carry on the path gets closer to the brook as the gully gets shallower. Eventually the path forks at a wooden bridge across the stream. The main path continues north along the stream. You must take the wooden bridge (Grid Ref: SO219201, see photo) . Once across the bridge the path goes steeply up the bank and soon emerges into an open field looking west towards the Brecon Beacons. Cross the fields via the styles towards Middle Barn and then through the small livestock yard. A
View eastwards from the Cwmbeth Brook
walk (SO216195)
signpost has been placed for walkers going to Crickhowell amongst a set of very derelict ruined buildings. Wend your way through until the path intersects the other side of a style with the track going up to the house at Twyn
. Turn left down the hill away from Twyn and follow the
track down through a gate and down the hill towards the farm. When at the farm go through the gate and turn right (through a second gate onto Pregge Lane. At SO215193 the sunken lane you crossed over at the end of Darren View intersects with the lane from the left. Turn along it, across the bridge over the Cwmbeth Brook and in a few yards go through the 5 bar gate out onto Darren View. Retrace your earlier steps back into the centre of Crickhowell.
Bridge across Cwmbeth Brook SO219201
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Gwernvale Farm
This is ideal for young families and older people alike. It's on tarmac lanes and farm tracks and offers some great views over the Usk Valley above Crickhowell. It is short and can be a great walk before the kids go to bed, or to get the appetite going before a meal.
Starting from the pay and display car park (at Grid Reference SO218185) exit the car park into Standard Street and turn left down to Beaufort St. Turn right, go passed the Bear Hotel and on passed the petrol station. Turn right up Llanbedr Road and walk for several hundred yards where you will turn left into Oakfield Drive. After about 200 yards turn right up Darren View. At the top of the road it bends round to the left. Follow the road and continue on the flat until the road stops. On your right there is a large 5 bar gate onto a sunken lane. Turn left along the lane and down the hill. It goes over a bridge across the Cwmbeth brook and meets Pregge Lane. At the T junction with Pregge Lane turn right up the hill. The first hundred yards or so are steep, but it soon evens out into a gentle walk up the quiet lane which leads up to Gwernvale Farm.
Beware, the OS map (OL13) has labelled the farm as a hotel, which it is not. Go through the gate across the lane and into the large yard with stock sheds on the right and to the left you will see a lane continuing up through another gate. Go through the gate and enjoy the walk following the lane as it goes up towards Twyn. The lane climbs steadily up to a further gate. You can stop and turn around having paused and enjoyed the views from the lane just below the gate, out across the Usk Valley. Return to Crickhowell by retracing your steps.
The view back down towards Gwernvale Farm at SO214197
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Sugar Loaf (from Llangenny)
There are many ways up and down the Sugar Loaf. This walk starts on the west of this striking and distinctly shaped hill in the small village of Llangenny (240180), just to the east of the bridge over the Grwyne Fawr as it tumbles south into the Usk near Glangrwyney.
If you are driving to the start, parking needs some thought. It is very tempting to drive as far up the lane running from Llangenny towards the farm at 252185 where the paved road ends and the footpath begins as you can. Consideration for local people and the fact that large tractors need access should encourage you to find a space in or close to Llangenny itself. Once out of the car head straight up the lane, passed the cottage on the cross roads at 2244181. 
View up lane to cottage at cross road at 2244181
Go passed the cottage up the lane
Eventually you arrive at a farm (252185) on the right hand side as the lane takes a sharp right turn. The path up the hill through the 5 bar gate is the one you need to go through. There is a footpath sign pointing right. Ignore it – it heads off to the south.
Farm at top of the lane at 252185
Go through the 5 bar gate on left of picture and up the track
The track up through the fields is rough and increasingly steep and you need to stay to the right at the beginning once through the gate, going straight ahead (see picture). The broader track on the left quickly goes into the fields
The gate out on to the hillside at 255187
from which exit is difficult. Eventually after several hundred yards you come to a dry stone wall with a gate through it leading out onto the open hill side. The map shows that you have arrived at a T junction in the paths at 255187. In fact there is a fairly clear path leading straight ahead and up the steep side of the hill. In the interests of avoiding eroding the fragile surface further, stay to the marked paths. At the gate turn left and follow the path around on the flat as far as the small outcrop of rocks at 253189 and turn right, and slightly back on 
yourself up the hill. The path is pointing almost due east as you walk up the hill. On a clear day the view opens up soon to reveal the rest of the walk up to the summit of the Sugar Loaf at 272188.
The path to the top
The white trig point is at the far end of the short rocky ridge. It is easy to get confused about which path you came up on once you get to the summit. There are many clear paths heading back down the hill to the south. It is possible to return to Llangenny by a slightly longer route, via the very clear path heading down to an intersection of paths at 265183 where you need to head due west to 260183. From there follow the path around the hill back to the gate at 255187
The trig point at the top of the Sugar Loaf
where you first emerged onto the open hill side on you way up. Alternatively, simply establish which path you came up to the summit on, and retrace your steps back down to Llangenny.
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Pen Tir
This walk is approx 4 miles long. It has some steep stretches and one steep descent. A compass is necessary especially if the weather is changeable. Allow 3 hours to complete the walk comfortably.
Pen Tir is one of the most westerly of the Black Mountains with beautiful views across high heather moorland west towards the Brecon Beacons and east towards the highest of the Black Mountains, Waun Fach at just over 810m..
This walk starts at the Community Hall in Cwmdu to the west of Crickhowell. Take the A40 westwards out of Crickhowell. After approx 1.5 miles take the right turning onto the A479. Cwmdu is a small village approx 2.5 miles up the road. The Community Hall has a small car park on the right hand side of the road at Grid 
Ref: SO180240. The car park is at the start of a small single track lane which runs parallel with the main road until it branches off up the Cwm Sorgwm. Start walking up the lane. It crosses the Rhiangoll stream. After a few hundred yards a path leaves the road steeply up to the left and turns back slightly on your previous direction, behind the land attached to the small cottage which fronts the lane on the left hand side. The path heads in a south westerly direction diagonally up the hill. The path eventually forks. The lower fork goes off the the remains of the ancient hill fort (Coed y Gaer Grid Ref: SO176241). Take the upper fork which continues a little further up and goes round the end of the hill to the west.
View north east towards Waun Fach (Grid
Ref: SO218300) from Pen Tir
The path you need next heads off to the right steeply up the shoulder of the hill in a northerly direction. It is not signed posted and the OS map suggests more than one path. Take the first clear path through the braken. It is a good idea to start taking compass bearings at this stage. Essentially you want to head almost due north. The views quickly open up and you are soon walking on the top. The summit of Pen Tir 
will stay on your right. The photo opposite is the view you will have looking east just after passing the highest point of Pen Tir.
You now need to head for the cairn at SO166262. It is a little tricky to spot as you approach from the south becasue it lies below the horizon and is therefore a little indistinct. You might want to take a compass bearing towards the grid reference point of the cairn. At the cairn take the path which leads off the hill to the east. Take a compass bearing on
Grid Ref: SO170253. The descent once you get to the lip of the hill is fairly steep, but the path is clear. The lane you join at the bottom is the same lane you started out on from the car park. Make sure you don't mistakenly cross the bottom of the valley to Blaenau draw but stay on the same side as Pen Tir.
Head along the lane towards Pencaeau Farm and beyond back to the start point.
Sheep grazing beneath Pen Tir at Grid Ref SO168264
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Pen Cerrig-calch
Both this walk and the one following to Pen Allt-mawr are more demanding walks. The walk up to Pen Cerrig-calch (701 meters) is approximately 5.5 miles from the car park in Crickhowell, but it does include some pretty steep stretches, especially the last section up onto what is a plateau on which the trig point (Grid Ref: SO217224) stands. Allow at least 4.5 hours. A compass is needed because both the changeable conditions up on the top and also because the domed plateau on the top can be 
disorientating if your visible reference points are lost in the clouds.
Start the walk in the pay and display car park and follow the directions for getting up Table Mountain (see Table Mountain walk). Instead of turning up to the top of the Table Mountain once up on the shoulder of the hill, continue on the more gently rising path and head for the shoulder of the main hill in front of you. Set a compass bearing on the Spring (Trwyn Ysgwrfa) marked on the OS map at Grid Ref: SO225214. The climb is fairly arduous right up on to the top so take it steadily. Once at the spring, the path twists round a rocky outcrop and continues up towards a summit. The path now becomes indistinct and the whole
Looking up towards Pen Cerrig-calch from
near Middle Barn (Grid Ref SO215202)
landscape becomes rocky and between the rocks, marshy. Set a compass bearing on the trig point which is invisible over the brow of the hill until you are only a few hundred yards away from it.
The views from the trig point are stunning. Now you have a choice to either continue along the top towards Pen Allt-mawr (Grid Ref SO207244) or to descend back down to Crickhowell by retracing your journey up. There are no real alternative routs back down to the village from Pen Cerrig-calch. The Sugar Loaf mountain to the east south east is a useful marker to guide the first part of the walk back down, but if it's cloudy, take another compass reading based on the spring at Trwyn Ysgwrfa to get you off the top safely.
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Pen Allt-mawr
This walk is a continuation of the walk to Pen Cerrig-calch. The walk is approximately 8 miles and you need to allow at least 5.5hours if starting from the car park in Crickhowell. 
To walk to Pen Allt-mawr (Grid Ref: SO207242) from Crickhowell follow the directions to Pen Cerrig calch and continue on passed the trig point in a north easterly direction. The path leads to the lip of Pen Cerrig calch. It's a bit of a scramble down, but the path soon evens out as you head for Pen Allt-mawr. If you take a bearing at this stage on Pen Allt-mawr, you'll need to bear in mind that the path makes a wide arc westwards round to the trig point on the summit. In poor visibility
View north east from SO215226, between Pen
Cerrig calch and Pen Allt-mawr
you need to ensure that you don't leave the ridge running the length of the walk between the two summits of Pen cerrig calch and Pen Allt-mawr.
Once at Pen Allt-mawr you need to retrace your steps to Crickhowell (there are few direct alternatives). The walk to Pen Allt-mawr is on the other hand for more experienced and fit walkers, the first leg on a much bigger 20 mile-plus circuit which takes in Waun Fach (Grid Ref: SO217300), Pen Twyn Mawr (Grid Ref: SO243268), Crug Mawr (Grid Ref: SO262227) and Llanbedr (Grid Ref: SO240204). You need good weather, excellent boots and long day length (i.e. only try this in the summer).
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Waun Fach
Directions to follow
Grwyne Fach Resevior
There are two choices to make at the start of this walk. The first choice is to decide whether you want a very simple straight forward walk lasting just over an hour, on a clear track from the car park (Grid ref:SO253285) up to the Grwyne Fawr dam and back again by retracing your steps, or whether you want a longer circular walk, lasting 4 to 5 hours depending on your chosen pace. The longer walk is only for the well shod! Water proof boots and gaiters are essential. It's boggy on the tops!
The second choice only concerns you if you decide to do the longer walk and it is to choose which way round to do the walk: you can either start by walking up the valley, past the reservoir up to the very top of the scarp above some waterfalls at grid ref SO204327, crossing over to the trig point on Rhos Dirion at grid ref: SO211334 and returning back to the start by walking along the long elevated spine if the hill and cutting down to the valley bottom and the car park. The obvious alternative is to start with the steep walk from the car park on to the top of the hill and return on the lower path past the reservoir and dam.
This description takes the former route, walking NE up the valley and past the reservoir and back along the tops.
The large car park at grid ref: SO253285 is in the valley bottom. The drive up the Grwyne Fawr vally is beautiful, coming up from the direction of Partrishow. The Grwyne Fawr reservoir is sign posted. The lanes are narrow and windy.
The track leaves the car park at the far end and runs parallel with or
The track out of car park at SO253285
follows the road for the first 200 meters or so before eventually leaving the road which follows the river up the valley to the foot of the dam. You do not want to follow the road. The track climbs gentle up and clings to the side of the valley and brings you to the top of the dam wall. Very soon after starting on the track it forks (see picture). Take the left of the two paths. The other is the path you will return to the car park on. It looks innocuous enough, but it is steep and winds up through the trees and in wet weather becomes a stream bed. 
The track up to the dam is used by vehicles and off road motorbikes on rare occasions. It is clear and not too muddy, however, it can be wet under foot, especially after rain when the streams run across the road.
The views to the left are of Waun Fach, the highest point of the Black Mountains. On a sunny day the reservoir is a glorious sight. The story of how the dam was built and the industry of the area is compelling. At the reservoir wall you have a choice of two paths, each going through a five
The paths divide at SO250288. Take left path.
bar gate. Go through the right hand of the two gates and continue on the path above the reservoir. The valley gradually gets shallower as it rises, and the track deteriorates into a rocky path which can be very wet! The valley eventually levels out on to a broad peaty plateau which shows distinct marks of the damage by off road motorbikes and mountain bikers. Your path heads off to the right towards the trig point at the top of Rhos Dirion, but go as far as the gate through the fence, where the views down into the Wye valley open up at you feet. On a fine day the views are stunning and worth spending time taking in before 
heading back south east. Once at the gate take a compass bearing on the trig point on Rhos Dirion at grid ref: SO211334. Once at the trig point, turn right and take a compass bearing on Twyn Talycefn at grid ref SO222325.
The path is indistinct but the overall direction is obvious in clear weather. The compass heading stays the same all the way along this stretch. Offa's Dyke runs along the top of the ridge over to your left. Keep to the highest point of the ridge. Before the path rises up to Chwarel y Fan you need to take the path on the right down from the ridge to intersect with a forest gate at SO249294.
Looking SE from Rhos Dirion
The exact point at which the path leaves the ridge is extremely unclear despite the map suggesting a clear bridle path. Perhaps from the back of a horse its clearer, but from a walker's perspective it is not at all clear and you need to make your decision. The cairns marked on the map are not all still there either. The 
first cairn as you come south east SO250303 is very small and you need to head off diagonally to the right at this point. Aim for the forestry plantation. The galvanised gate stands out well. The map again suggests a straight path down to the track leading to the car park. It's not! It's the most difficult bit of the walk and you need to be careful not to slip. The path follows a stream bed and twists a little before emerging briefly onto a forest road before plunging down to the right (there's a blue way marker). Once at the bottom the way to the car park is clear and you have completed the walk.
The forest gate at SO249293
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Bal Mawr
Directions to follow