S- Mynydd Epynt

S Mynydd Epynt overview

Mynydd Epynt is an upland area between Brecon and Builth Wells. The mountains are not huge, but there are many picturesque valleys and some great views over the Beacons and up to Mid Wales. The whole area is a military zone, but a circular public footpath/ cycle trail has been created through the heart of it, named the Epynt Way.

As long as you keep to the waymarked trail . It is quite an experience riding this during military exercises when soldiers are firing machine guns just 50 yards away, and the artillery on the hills are shaking the ground. We have divided the circuit into 5 sections, each of them is a challenging day's ride, but very rewarding. Apart from soldiers you are unlikely to see anyone else!

S1 Mynydd Epynt South East

Grade- Moderate-several climbs, some marshy bits.

Distance- 35.9 KM

Highlights

start point. Park by the roadside in Uplands housing estate, last left turn on the B4250 out of Brecon towards Lower and Upper Chapel

ROUTE. Turn left out of the housing estate and in 50m take the bridleway left towards Pen-y-Crug iron age fort. From the summit drop down right to pick up the bridleway again and follow it out to a minor road. Turn right and then left onto the B4250. In 1km turn left towards Sarnau and just before entering the village turn left up a narrow lane to Llwyncelyn farm. Where the tarmac runs out, bear left onto a bridleway through fields.

On entering the fifth field go half left toward the field gate and out onto a lane. Turn right and follow the lane for 5km to Merthyr Cynog. Go to the right of the church and follow the bridleway through fields to reach the Mynydd Epynt firing range. Enter the range by an old sentry post and keep straight on for 100m to reach a grassy crossroads. Here turn left onto the Epynt Way.

Follow the well waymarked Epynt Way for around 5km. First descend into the Cwm Ysgir and turn right on reaching the road. Look out for a small gate and a muddy path which leads steeply down to a footbridge. The re-ascent of the opposite side involves an uphill push for around 300m. Continue over Y Grug, skirting a boggy area on the right and keeping to the left of two small conifer plantations. Then follow a sweet grassy descent down to the roadhead at Blaendyryn.

Take the narrow road down the valley for 9km until reaching a T-junction where turn left towards Aberyscir. About 300m after crossing the small bridge at Pont-ar-Yscir turn right towards the farm of Y Gaer. The Roman fort can be accessed through the farmyard. To get back to Brecon, take the bridleway left just before the farmhouse. On reaching the road turn left, then right at the T-junction and left again after about 200m to come out on the B4250 just opposite the cathedral. Turn left and follow the road uphill for 500m back to the start.

S2 Mynydd Epynt South West

Grade-

Distance- 37km, Ascent 964m

Highlights- some great scenery,

start point- park in Defynnog on side road near the junction of A4215 and A4067.

Take A4067 towards Sennybridge and turn first left onto lane just after leaving village. After 2km take second lane on left towards A40 where turn left. Follow A40 for 1.5km then, just after left hand bend, turn right onto gravel track. At T-junction turn left then straight ahead through farm into Llywel village.

Cross footbridge, bear right around house and church then uphill on a small dual carriageway. Just after crossing a cattle grid turn left on to the Epynt Way. Be prepared to hear gunfire on a weekday! Follow waymarks for around 12km crossing three river valleys until you reach a gravel track and cattle grid on top of the ridge (waymark 732).

Turn right and follow gravel track south for 2.5km to reach a lane. Go straight across and follow grassy track over Twyn Disgwylfa. Just after passing two small lakes head through a narrow neck of moorland then bear right downhill to reach a gate. Follow track then tarmac down to T-junction at Trallong where turn left.

After 2km take the left fork then after 300m turn sharp left and follow this lane to Sennybridge. At T-junction turn right onto A40 then first left through the village to reach the A4067. Turn right and follow this for 1km back to start.

S3 Mynydd Epynt West

Grade- Moderate- some long gentle climbs

Distance- 35.9 KM

Highlights -wonderful views over Mid and West -Wales

start point - Park at the Halfway Forest car park (SN836330).

This is a long loop starting in Halfway Forest, following the SW section of the Epynt Way and returning via Crychan Forest.
ROUTE- Take the RHS track uphill and go right at the next two forks. At a T-junction turn right and follow the forestry track all around the top of a quarry. At next T-junction turn left and contour around the hillside. Soon you will start seeing the yellow top post of the Epynt Way.

Keep on the track for almost 3k until you come out of the forest and turn left downhill. At the bottom look out for yellow posts on the right. At top of the next hill turn sharp left at a cattle grid onto a great stretch of single track down through the woods. Follow yellow psts to Tirabad and, at the north end of the village, turn right onto tarmac lane leading uphill. After 2.5k turn right onto a path at a sharp left bend. Once back on forestry track look out for downhill double track to Cynala Farm, then tarmac down to Cefn Gorwydd.

Go left at the T-junction and after 3k turn right at a picnic site into Crychan Forest. After 1.5k turn half right onto a restricted byway which is a mix of mud and rock shelves. This leads to another minor road after 3k. Turn left and then right after 1k into south Crychan Forest. Keep left at all junctions and descend to a sharp bend over a stream.

Go uphill on the other side and look out for a sharp left turn after 300m. After passing a clearing in the woods descend for 2k to the road at Craigyrwyddon. Take first left and cross the valley on a gravel track. Turn right at tarmac lane then after 100m keep straight where lane bends right. Follow this track for 2k back to the car park.

S4 Mynydd Epynt North

Grade-Moderate- some long gentle climbs

Distance- 35.9 KM

Highlights -wonderful views over West -Wales

start point - Park at the lay-by on the B4519 near the Visitor Centre (SN993436

Take the track from the Visitor Centre to reach the top of a small hill where there is a signpost for the Epynt Way. Follow the yellow topped posts around the northern section of the Epynt Way until you come back out on the B4519.

Turn right on the B5419 and shortly after the road starts to descend take the bridleway at a sharp right hand bend. This leads to a steep grassy descent on Troedyrhiw and then follows a narrow lane into Llangammarch Wells. Turn left and after 1.5km take the third lane on the left. After 2.5km at a crossroads turn left uphill

At Cynala Farm continue uphill on the byway to reach the top of the escarpment where you rejoin the Epynt Way. Turn left and follow waymarked forestry tracks and tarmac back to the B4519. Turn right and follow the road for 4km back to the Visitor Centre.

S5 Mynydd Epynt East

Grade- Moderate

Distance- 35.9 KM

Highlights- Some lovely trails over the hills with great views of the Beacons

start point Park by the church in Lower Chapel (SO 028358)

Head S on B4520 and L after 300m onto tarmac lane. Pass Pen-y-lan farm, L at road junction then L after 500m to follow bridleway into Brycheiniog Forest. Cross the forest going L at an obvious fork to reach open fields.

Follow bridleway along forest edge then continue in same direction on moorland path to Twyn-y-post. Turn L at crossroads to reach gate and follow enclosed single track all the way down to Upper Chapel.

Go across B4520 and down lane to cross river Honddu. Take gate on right, ford river and follow ill-defined bridleway uphill. Aim under electricity pylon line to reach a driveway out on to B4519. Go L for 1.5k and just after cattle grid turn L onto Epynt Way. Now follow yellow top wayposts over Cefn Trum yr Hwch and down to Tyrbach Bridge.

Follow tarmac lane to Merthyr Cynog then turn R onto lane over Jubilee Bridge. Near top of hill take bridleway from Ffynon-oer across fields to trig point at 423m. Continue south on gravel track for 500m then L onto bridleway. This is unmarked and ill-defined but eventually leads downhill to double track past Llechach farm. Go L onto B4250 for 400m back to start.

S6 Felinfach to Lower Chapel

Grade- Moderate. Some tricky bridleways.

Distance- 30 KM Elevation 650 M

Highlights- Some lovely great views of the Beacons and Black Mountains

start point Felinfach 5k NE of Brecon, park in village lay-by (SO 090331).

In centre of village turn L by Plough and Harrow and follow lane for 2.5k. Turn R to Warle, L at T-junction and R after 300m on farm track past Gelli-geilioges. This becomes overgrown after passing the farm but persevere to reach tarmac at Rachfynydd Farm. Turn R at T-junction onto a track, then L at the road past a couple of duck ponds then R again to reach Garthbrengy village. About 1k further on take a sharp L on a track toward Cwrt-yr-Abad.*

Just before reaching the farm, the bridleway is completely blocked and overgrown so you need to detour to the field below and exit over a gate at bottom R. In the farmyard turn L and drop down to a ford over Afon Honddu.

A steep pull on the other side brings you out onto the B4520 where turn R to Lower Chapel.

Turn R opposite the church and climb to Coygen Farm beyond which the track enters the forest.

This is currently blocked with fallen trees and we had to detour uphill across three fields and over a fence at the top R corner. The path in Ysgwydd Hwch Forest is indistinct. Head due W for 300m to meet a forestry track then turn R to reach a minor road at 1k.* Go straight across onto common land on Llandyfalle Hill. After 1k head half R away from the forest to cross a minor road then after 1k cross two more minor roads and continue W to reach the summit of the common at 347m. All along here there are stunning views of the Brecon Beacons to the S and Black Mountains to the E.

Beyond the summit bear L toward Pen-y-cae and onto the byway past Cilfodig Farm. Turn R at the T-junction and R again at Ponde. After 1k look out for a track on R marked ‘unsuitable for motor vehicles’ and take this uphill past Maes-y-Coed farm to rejoin tarmac. Go SA then bear L after 100m steeply downhill past a church. At the bottom turn R and follow the road downhill back to Felinfach.

Easier route-

* The tricky section around Lower Chapel can be avoided by following the lanes from Garthbrengy to the top of the hill at Ysgwydd Hwch where the route accesses the common.

S7 UPPER CHAPEL TO WYE VALLEY

Grade- Moderate. Some big climbs off road.

Distance- : 33k, Ascent 980m

Highlights- Some great green trackways. Wonderful views of the Black Mountains

start point Lay-by on B4520 at Upper Chapel (SO 008408)

Turn L out of lay-by and L in 400m onto B4519 to Garth. At top of hill, just after cattle grid, turn R by yellow marker post onto Epynt Way. Follow posts for 3k past the trig at 437m and down gravel track back to B4520. Turn L downhill and R onto bridleway 200m after road starts to reascend. Bear L after passing small lake of Pwll Du to meet minor road. Crops road and go SA on clear track to the beautiful lake at Pwll y Llyn.

Follow lake around to dam then L onto grass track contouring high above the valley then down to gate. Follow this byway for 1k down to B5420 and turn R. Turn R again in 300m then first L toward Maes-y-cwm. Just beyond the farm, at a T-junction, turn R downhill to cross the river at a FB. Follow Wye Valley Walk (WVW) on a very stony track uphill, then SA on tarmac lane. In 300m turn R up a farm road and where this turns R to Pantypyllau go SA on track to reach open hillside.

Turn L and follow WVW for 2k to a T-junction at a fence. Leave WVW here by heading R uphill on clear track. After 1k bear L where track forks and L on reaching road at Waun Hirwaun. Head downhill for 3k bearing R at fork and SA down stony byway at crossroads to reach Gwenddwr.

Go R then SA past chapel up road marked as a dead-end. At cattle grid go SA on gravel track over moor toward Cefn Clawdd. Where track becomes indistinct head half R uphill keeping well to R of forestry. Aim NW for Twyn-y-post 1k N of forest corner where path becomes clearer. Head W aiming for field boundary. Locate small gate and head downhill for 1k on singletrack all the way back to Upper Chapel.

Easier route- at Pwll Y Llyn follow the track past the dam, along the contours, but instead of then turning down the farm track, continue straight along the mountain until you get to the Wye Valley Walk. This saves several hundred feet of descent and ascent.