To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site.  Learn more

Allow cookies
Brecon Cathedral

Book Tickets Online

About

From Brecon Cathedral and a residential part of town, the walk takes you to a superb vantagepoint, Pen y Crug, surmounted by the ramparts and ditches of an Iron Age hill-fort. You then drop down into the Usk valley where there is still evidence of Roman occupation: the impressive remains of a fort at the junction of important routes. The return is by lanes and bridlepaths back to the River Usk near the town centre.

With the town centre on your left, and walk to the far entrance to the car park. From here, down the road, you can see a crossroads controlled by traffic lights. Go down the hill and turn right into the Struet, noted for the facades of its many listed Georgian town houses. Continue along the Struet to the junction with the road to Upper Chapel: on the right, opposite the Bull's Head, is King Street - more appropriately called King's Steps. They were probably named after a visit to Brecon by King Charles 1 on 5th August 1645 to raise troops for his army in the civil war. Fifty metres beyond the steps, cross the road to walk over the footbridge and up a path between walls to a turning on the left which leads to the Cathedral and churchyard.

Walk along the tree-lined avenue through the churchyard, pass under the Cathedral lichgate and turn right up the road to the top of Pendre. When you reach the timber-clad terraces on the left, cross the road into the estate and immediately turn right along the road which skirts its northern edge to reach a parking area just beyond a mini roundabout. Turn right and cross the field to Maen-du Well.

From the well, cross the stile and walk across pleasant open fields along the faint line of a footpath leading up the hillside. Cross three more stiles before reaching the open common land. Ascend the path through the bracken to the summit of Pen Y Crug (331 metres/1088 feet). the former triangulation pillar is now stone-clad and has a 360* viewfinder on the top.

If you wish to finish the walk here, return by the same route to Brecon. To continue, walk just beyond the viewfinder on the summit, and look for an old mast on the right. Walk towards the mast and carry on down the hill, keeping it on your left. Just beyond the mast you will reach a bridleway crossing in front. Turn left and follow the bridleway down to a gate. Go through the gate down a short lane to the metalled road. Turn left and continue, past the golf course, for some 800 metres to the village of Cradoc.

At the road junction bear right and then turn left down the road signposted to Aberyscir, which turns right through ninety degrees after about 300 metres. After a further 1km, turn left off Pont yr Yscir and cross the field to Y Gaer Farm.

Go past the house and into the farmyard. Access to the fort is beyond the farm buildings to the left, so you will need to go through the second gate on the left and turn right and go through two further gates.

Retrace your steps through the farmyard, past the house and turn right on to a bridleway between two hedgerows. This is the course of the Roman road to Brecon. Follow the bridleway, keeping the wooded slopes of Fenni-fach on the right.

After about a mile the path crosses an unmetalled vehicle track, where there is a cottage on the right. Carry on straight-ahead through woodland, keeping to the sunken lane until you reach a stream. Cross this via the footbridge, then follow the left bank downstream a few tens of metres to a grassy track on the left. Follow the track, passing a farm on your right, and continue along a down-hill section and to a small stream and a gate. Go through the gate and follow the sunken lane through the gates.

The path joins a metalled road after passing some buildings on your right. Turn left and walk into Brecon, passing the Promenade where refreshments are available in the summer. From the Boathouse follow the riverside footpath back into town.

Book Tickets

Facilities

Accessibility

  • Disabled toilets
  • Wheelchairs available

Booking & Payment Details

  • Cash Point

Catering

  • Picnic site

Groups

  • Education/study area

Parking

  • Parking with charge

Property Facilities

  • Gift shop
  • Postbox
  • Public toilets
  • Telephone (public)

Target Markets

  • Accepts groups
  • Coach parties accepted

Map & Directions

Road Directions

Brecon is reached by the A40 road from the east or west or the A470 from the south or north.

Brecon bus station has services from Cardiff, Llandrindod Wells, Newtown, Swansea, Abergavenny, Hay-on-Wye and Hereford.

Accessible by Public Transport: Abergavenny station is 20 miles away.

Brecon | Pen Y Crug Walk

Type:Walking Route

Aberhonddu | Brecon, Powys, LD3 7AD

Add Brecon |  Pen Y Crug Walk to your Itinerary

Close window

Call direct on:

Tel01874 624437

Opening Times

* All day every day

Related

Brecon Town CentreAberhonddu | Brecon, BreconBrecon is a historic market town where you'll enjoy losing yourself...not only in the narrow streets and passageways lined with Georgian and Jacobean shopfronts, but in the sense of timelessness about the place.

Brecon Town Walk | Priory Groves, BreconPriory Groves is a mixed woodland, bordering the Honddu river, with oak, beech, hazel and alder trees.Near the river, look out for dippers at any time of year, and grey wagtails in summer. In spring and early summer there is a good display of wild flowers.

River Usk looking towards remains of Brecon Castle and Brecon Castle HotelBrecon | Town Trail, BreconTown Trail walking route around Brecon

Brecon RiversideBrecon | Poetry Trail, BreconBrecon's poetry trail invites everyone to explore the streets, rivers and landmarks of the ancient Welsh town of Brecon and its connection to the myths and legends of the magical, mystical land of Wales.

What's Nearby

  1. This 21 acre hillside site embodies the essence of all that is best about the woodland…

    0.15 miles away
  2. Founded as a Benedictine priory, it then became the parish church of Brecon in 1537, a…

    0.2 miles away
  3. Y Gaer is an exciting and inspirational development in the centre of Brecon, bringing…

    0.21 miles away
  4. The Museum tells the story of four of the British army’s most famous regiments. This…

    0.35 miles away
  1. The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal is often voted Britain's prettiest canal. It runs for 32…

    0.38 miles away
  2. The Geopark is set within the Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales. It comprises…

    0.51 miles away
  3. Fort built about AD 75 near the River Usk. Remains consist of the perimeter wall, corner…

    2.73 miles away
  4. Bannau Brycheiniog | Brecon Beacons National Park lies on the border between Mid Wales…

    4.57 miles away
  5. The Bannau Brycheiniog Visitor Centre provides information and interpretation for…

    4.57 miles away
  6. Llangorse has the largest natural lake in south Wales, it boasts an ancient Crannog and…

    5.12 miles away
  7. Pen y Fan and Corn Du are the two highest peaks of the central Brecon Beacons. They…

    6.57 miles away
  8. Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and Fan Frynych National Nature Reserve is a 156 acre (631,000 m²)…

    6.74 miles away
  9. Bronllys Castle near Talgarth is a sturdy stone tower with a turbulent history. It was…

    7.37 miles away
  10. Restored courtyard house with origins in the fourteenth century. Rebuilt by Sir Roger…

    9.79 miles away
  11. The Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons National Park are spread across Powys,…

    12.56 miles away
  12. This former limestone quarry is one of Wales' most outstanding botanical sites, famous…

    12.82 miles away
Previous Next

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss

Don't Miss