Walking Britain Powys Walks,Walking Routes & Hiking Trails
The Powys walks listed below cater for walkers of all abilities from easy low-level walks to more demanding long day walks in the hills and mountains. All walks are free to download and print and all routes have GPS files. The walks cover some sections of the Offa's Dtyke long distance path.
Brecon Beacons West - Black Mountain Walks
The Black Mountain should not be confused with the Black Mountains, which lies in the east of the Brecon Beacons National Park, nor with a 703 metres (2,306 ft) summit in the Black Mountains that is confusingly also called Black Mountain. Summits of interest to walkers include Fan Brycheiniog, Picws Du and the summits of Fforest Fawr amongst others. Lower level walks include the waterfalls on the Afon Mellte.
| Walk | Description | Grade | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3205★ | Carnau Gwynion from Ystradfellte | easy | 4.00 |
| 3616★☩ | Fan Fawr from Storey Arms | moderate | 6.00 |
| 2641★ | Fan Fawr & Fan Frynych, Fforest Fawr | moderate | 6.50 |
| 2646★ | Fan Nedd & Fan Bwlch Chwyth, Fforest Fawr | moderate | 7.00 |
| 3563★☩ | Fan Brycheiniog and Picws Du | moderate | 7.10 |
| 2643★ | Fan Frynych & Fan Llia, Fforest Fawr | moderate | 8.00 |
| 2645★ | Fan Gyhirych & Fan Bwlch Chwyth, Fforest Fawr | moderate | 8.00 |
| 1283★ | Fan y Big from Torpantau | moderate | 8.50 |
| 3206★ | Waterfalls Walk from near Ystradfellte | moderate | 9.20 |
| 2647★ | Fan Gyhirych, Fan Nedd & Fan Bwlch Chwyth | moderate | 10.00 |
Brecon Beacons Central - The Beacons Walks
The central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park is the most popular area for walking with dramatic north facing sandstone escarpments and lofty ridges. The area lies south of Brecon and north of Merthyr Tydfil. The Brecon Beacons include six main peaks - Corn Du, Pen y Fan (the highest peak), Cribyn and Fan y Big form a long ridge which offers a superb horseshoe walk around the head of the Taf Fechan. The other two summits, Bwlch y Ddwyallt, and Waun Rydd lie further east and see fewer walkers as access is harder and the scenery not so spectacular. The mountains are the great attraction, but lower level walks are also popular especially in the Usk Valley and near Brecon.
| Walk | Description | Grade | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3210★ | Pen-y-Crug hill fort from Brecon | easy | 3.00 |
| 2400★ | Pen y Fan from Cwmgwdi near Brecon | moderate | 5.00 |
| 3546★ | Pen y Bryn from Pencelli | moderate | 5.00 |
| 1552★ | Waun Rydd from Blaen y glyn | easy/mod | 5.50 |
| 3209★ | Llanfrynach and Pencelli circular | easy/mod | 5.60 |
| 3564★ | Groesfford and M & B Canal from Brecon | easy/mod | 6.20 |
| 1903★☩ | Pen y Fan & Corn Du from Cwmgwdi | moderate | 7.50 |
| 1123★☩ | The Brecon Beacons from the Taf Fechan Forest | moderate | 8.50 |
| 3236★ | Pen-y-crug, Sarnau and Battle from Brecon | moderate | 10.00 |
| 2934★☩ | The High Peaks of the Brecon Beacons | mod/hard | 10.70 |
| 2074★☩ | Highest Peaks of the Brecon Beacons | mod/hard | 11.00 |
| 3536★☩ | Pen y Bryn & Carn Pica from Pencelli | mod/hard | 11.30 |
Brecon Beacons East - Black Mountains Walks
The Black Mountains are the hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire that extend across the England - Wales border into Herefordshire. The lie in the eastern sector of the Brecon Beacons National Park and should not be confused with Black Mountain in the west. The Black Mountains can be found between the towns of Abergavenny, Hay-on-Wye and the village of Llangors. The highest mountain in this area is Waun Fach. Other summits of interest to walkers include Black Mountain, Hay Bluff, Rhos Dirion and Twmpa. Other hills worth visiting include Crug Mawr and Pen Allt-mawr. Other summits include the Sugar Loaf and the Skirrid, Lower level walking is also available in this area in the Vale of Ewyas and the in the area near Abergavenny.
| Walk | Description | Grade | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3717★☩ | Table Mountain from Crickhowell | easy/mod | 5.00 |
| 1238★ | Hay Bluff & Twmpa, Black Mountains | moderate | 6.00 |
| 2065★ | Waun Fach & Y Grib from Pengenfford (Castell Dinas) | moderate | 6.50 |
| 3134★ | The Llangatwg Escarpment from near Crickhowell | moderate | 6.50 |
| 1106★ | Waun Fach from Castell Dinas, near Talgarth | mod/hard | 7.50 |
| 3204★☩ | Hay Bluff & Twmpa from Capel-y-Ffin | moderate | 10.30 |
Powys North Walks
The northern part of Powys includes a variety of walking. The towns of Welshpool and Newtown are in this area. Other excellent walks can be found around Lake Vyrnwy and in the Berwyn mountains.
| Walk | Description | Grade | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2814 | Corndon Hill from near Priest Weston | easy | 1.50 |
| 3736★ | Ffrydd Farm & Penshwa Lane from Newtown (Y Drenewydd) | easy | 4.30 |
| 3735★ | Newtown (Y Drenewydd) - Waterways & Town | easy | 5.30 |
| 3707★ | Fachwen Pool from Newtown (Y Drenewydd) | easy/mod | 6.00 |
| 1086 | Post Gwyn and Craig-y-Mwn from Pistyll Rhaeadr | moderate | 6.50 |
| 3266★ | The Dingle & Y Golfa from Welshpool | easy/mod | 6.60 |
| 2939★ | Montgomery Canal & River Severn near Welshpool | easy/mod | 7.00 |
| 3706★ | Newtown (Y Drenewydd), Brimmin Wood & Kerry | moderate | 8.30 |
| 3102★ | Bwlch Sych and Tynygarreg from Lake Vyrnwy | moderate | 8.50 |
| 3708★☩ | Bwlch y ffridd & Fachwen Pool from Newtown | moderate | 9.00 |
| 3031★ | Cadair Berwyn from Cwm Maen Gwynedd | moderate | 9.25 |
| 3705★ | Newtown (Y Drenewydd) & Bettws Cedewain Circular | mod/hard | 10.10 |
| 3696★ | Newtown (Y Drenewydd) & Gregynog Circular | mod/hard | 10.30 |
| 3053★ | Berwyn Tops from Tan Y Pystyll | moderate | 14.00 |
Powys Central Walks
The central part of Powys has much to offer walkers. The area includes the hills near Rhayader, Knighton, Kington and Builth Wells.
| Walk | Description | Grade | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3253★ | Warren Hill, Gors Lydan & Moelfre Hill | easy/mod | 6.00 |
| 3565★☩ | The Hergest Ridge from Gladestry | easy/mod | 6.10 |
| 3355★ | Llandeilo Hill from Aberedw | easy/mod | 6.20 |
| 3674★ | Claerwen Valley & Dam from Dolymynach Reservoir | moderate | 7.40 |
| 3643★☩ | LLan-fawr & Lugg Valley from Whitton | moderate | 7.50 |
| 3023 | Great Rhos & the Radnor Forest from New Radnor | moderate | 9.00 |
Cambrian Mountains Walks
The Cambrian Mountains offers walks across some wild terrain in an area that might have been a National Park. This area also includes the Elan Valley with its string of reservoirs.
| Walk | Description | Grade | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2736★ | Teifi Pools from near Strata Florida | easy/mod | 6.20 |
| 2498★ | Gorllwyn circuit, Elan Valley | easy/mod | 6.75 |
| 3297★ | Crugyn Ci, Esgair Perfedd & Penygarreg - Elan Valley | moderate | 7.50 |
Walks that start in adjacent counties / areas.
Walks that start in adjacent counties or areas but cross the boundary and include sections of the route within Powys
| Walk | Description | Starts In |
|---|---|---|
| 1672★☩ | Llyn-y-Fan-Fawr, Mynydd Ddu from Llanddeusant | Carmarthenshire |
| 3203★ | Vale of Ewyas from Llanthony Abbey | Monmouthshire |
| 2935★ | Llanthony Priory from Capel-y-ffin | Monmouthshire |
| 3285 | The Hergest Ridge and Huntington from Kington | Herefordshire |
| 3300 | The Hergest Ridge from Kington | Herefordshire |
| 1660★ | Craswall Priory & Hay Bluff | Herefordshire |
★ GPS file ☩ Route profile
