A group of seven walkers joined Robin and his spaniel Pepper for the journey up towards Brecon and passing the car parks at Storey Arms already buzzing with cars and people out enjoying the good weather, they were relieved to arrive at the peaceful village of Llanfrynach.
Llanfrynach lies on the Nant Menasgin which is a tributary of the River Usk and the pretty village church which is dedicated to St Brynach stands behind a sturdy circular wall but during the 14th and 15th centuries most of its historical evidence was destroyed when the church was rebuilt and the present building dates to 1885.
Crossing the Nant Menasgin by road-bridge and following a quiet country lane gradually uphill towards Tregaer, they deviated up a lane leading into fields for a steep climb to Clawdd Coch.
Fortunately above them there was broken cloud and gradually climbing below Bryn to the ridgeway of Gist Wen, on the open hillside thankfully there was a good breeze to cool them as they enjoyed the surrounding views.
Continuing steadily uphill along Rhiw Bwlch y Ddwyallt, the rough stony pathways on the escarpment above the steep-sided glacial Cwm Cwareli, meaning quarry valley and Cwm Oergwm, meaning cold valley brought them around the head of the Menasgin valley for the journey along the ridgeway path towards Fan y Big.
Stopping for their lunch break from where they had stunning views of the chiselled outlines of Corn Du, Pen y Fan, Cribyn and Fan y Big in the central Beacons, the pathway led them onwards to Fan y Big situated at a height of 719 metres.
There is a famous piece of rock known as the ‘Diving Board’ which juts out from the mountainside with its dizzying views of the beautiful Cwm Cynwyn and the crossroads on the drover’s road at Bwlch ar y Fan below them and after the usual photographs being taken they paused to drink in the views.
From this point it was all downhill as they followed the ridgeway of Cefn Cyff or coffin ridge with its outstanding views towards Llangorse Lake and Mynydd Troed, along with the ridgeways of the Black Mountains, whilst overlooking the glorious open countryside of Powys, Monmouthshire and Herefordshire.
Descending by means of a stony bridle path to a quiet lane and entering fields scorched brown by the continuing hot weather and lack of rainfall, a path through shady woodland above the Nant Menasgin brought them to open pastureland.
Crossing a leat that used to power a timber mill and heading along a road past the 17th century Tyfry Farm once a long house that afforded shelter to both humans and animals, they returned to their start point before enjoying a cooling drink in a local hostelry on the journey home.
