Five hardy walkers joined mid-week for a trip up to the pretty little village of Llanbedr, just northeast of Crickhowell overlooking the Grwyne Fawr River and beneath the shadows of Pen Cerrig-calch and Crug Hywel in the northwest, to partake in the classic Llanbedr Horseshoe walk in the Black Mountains.
The old Roman name for Llanbedr was Llanbedr Ystrad Yw which roughly translates as Llanbedr by the Yew Tree and the churchyard of the delightful 14th century St Peter’s Church certainly contains such a tree. It is believed a church stood there around 1060 but no trace of this remains and the present building was restored in 1842 during the Victorian era.
Beginning from the church in excellent visibility in dry weather and with light winds and heading out of the village to cross the ancient stone bridge over the Grwyne Fechan River, fields woodland tracks and moorland paths led them gradually uphill firstly to Blaen-yr-henbant at 498m and then up to Crug Mawr at 550m for a chance to regain their breath whilst admiring the magnificent views down across the Usk Valley below.
Steadily climbing northwards to the Gader Ridge which runs above Mynydd Du Forest and following the path to Pen Twyn Mawr at 658m, a pause for morning break before continuing along the ridge to Pen y Gadair Mawr then Waun Fach, which at a height of 810m is the highest peak in the Black Mountains. Renowned for its boggy summit the Brecon Beacons National Park have undertaken a considerable amount of work in this area to repair the path which over the years with so many boots pounding over it was unfortunately eroded.
Turning south westwards to create the top of the horseshoe and tramping on to Pen Trumau a steep climb led them to Mynydd Llysiau or Herb Mountain at 663m and dropping into the top part of the valley it was time for lunch.
A series of boundary stones line the descent to Pen Twyn Glas including two heavily weathered memorial stones relating to the legend of John Macnamara and his wife Mary.
Stories abound that after he won Llangoed Castle during a gambling game he took over the estate and allegedly installed a mistress at the Hermitage in the isolated and remote Upper Grwyne Valley, along with a road across the mountain which became known as Macnamara’s Road so he could visit her. Returning home one night in an intoxicated condition and whilst racing to win a bet as he was a gambling man, he was thrown from his carriage at high speed to his death, fact or fiction who knows but it makes a great tale.
After a steep climb to the trig point at 719m on the summit of Pen Allt-mawr, a welcome break to rest tired legs and to admire the surrounding views including towards the central Beacons away in the distance.
Continuing over rocky ground to Pen Cerrig-calch then downhill to Table Mountain and Crug Hywel afforded them views down to Llanbedr nestled into the valley below and after a steep descent back to their start they had completed a total of 17 miles including 3,800ft of ascent.
