Loop It, Love It: Best Circular Hikes in the Bannau Brycheiniog
The Brecon Beacons (officially Bannau Brycheiniog) offer some of the most satisfying circular walks in the UK — combining ridgelines, waterfalls, wide views, and wild ponies into neat loop routes.
Whether you’re after a half-day hike to stretch your legs or a full-blown ridge-bagging mission, these walks let you start and finish in the same spot, with new scenery the whole way round. Bonus: most finish near a car park or café.
Here’s your go-to guide for the best circular walks in the Brecon Beacons, for beginners to seasoned peak baggers.
1. Pen y Fan & Corn Du Circular (via Cwm Llwch)
- Distance: ~9km | 3–4 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Highlights:
- Summit of Pen y Fan (886m), the highest in southern Britain
- Quieter approach via Tommy Jones’ Obelisk and Cwm Llwch lake
- Start/End: Pont ar Daf or Cwm Gwdi
- Why It’s Great: Classic loop with huge views and a slightly less busy feel
- Top Tip: Go early to beat the crowds — this is a honeypot walk
2. The Sugar Loaf Loop (from Abergavenny)
- Distance: ~7km | 2.5–3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy–Moderate
- Highlights:
- Rolling farmland to moorland summit
- Big views across the Usk Valley to the Black Mountains
- Start/End: Llanwenarth car park
- Why It’s Great: Perfect for beginners, families, or sunset hikes
- Top Tip: Excellent year-round — even in winter with a dusting of snow
3. The Beacons Horseshoe (Pen y Fan Ridge Loop)
- Distance: ~16km | 6–7 hours
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Highlights:
- Ridge walk linking Corn Du, Pen y Fan, Cribyn, and Fan y Big
- High-level, full-day loop with epic views
- Start/End: Taf Fechan forest car park
- Why It’s Great: The ultimate Brecon Beacons day hike
- Top Tip: Bring plenty of water — there’s no refill spots once you’re on the ridge
4. Waterfall Country Loop (Four Falls Walk)
- Distance: ~8km | 3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy–Moderate (slippery in places)
- Highlights:
- Four named waterfalls, including Sgwd yr Eira (you can walk behind it!)
- Woodland trails and river crossings
- Start/End: Cwm Porth car park
- Why It’s Great: Ideal for rest days or rainy hikes — the falls are louder after wet weather
- Top Tip: Wear waterproof boots and bring a towel if you fancy a dip
5. Fan Frynych Circular (from Storey Arms)
- Distance: ~10km | 3.5–4 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Highlights:
- Less-travelled northern ridges
- Views over the Brecon lowlands and Fforest Fawr
- Start/End: Storey Arms
- Why It’s Great: A peaceful alternative to Pen y Fan with panoramic rewards
- Top Tip: Great for wildflowers in late spring
6. Llyn y Fan Fach & Llyn y Fan Fawr Loop (Carmarthen Fans)
- Distance: ~10.5km | 4–5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate–Challenging
- Highlights:
- Two wild mountain lakes
- Ridge walk with dramatic glacial scenery
- Start/End: Llyn y Fan Fach car park
- Why It’s Great: Remote feel and some of the best views in the Beacons
- Top Tip: This one feels wild — bring a map and prepare for changeable weather
7. Table Mountain & Crug Hywel Loop (Black Mountains)
- Distance: ~8km | 2.5–3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy–Moderate
- Highlights:
- Iron Age hill fort, panoramic plateau, and pastoral trails
- Views over Crickhowell and the Usk Valley
- Start/End: Crickhowell
- Why It’s Great: Short, scenic, and full of character
- Top Tip: Combine with a visit to the excellent pubs and cafes in town
What to Bring for Circular Walks in the Beacons
- OS Explorer OL12 (Central Beacons) or OL13 (Eastern Beacons)
- Waterproofs + layers — weather changes quickly at altitude
- Grippy boots – especially for waterfall walks or grassy ridges
- Plenty of snacks + water
- Peaky Baggers app to log your peaks and loop routes
Why Circular Routes Work So Well in the Brecon Beacons
- Terrain varies: ridges, valleys, woodlands, and lakes in a single walk
- No transport logistics — loop it and land back at your car
- Perfect for ticking multiple summits in one go
- Great variety for families, beginners, or full-on ridge seekers
Final Thoughts
The Brecon Beacons are built for circular adventures. Whether you’re chasing high ridges, lowland waterfalls, or just a satisfying sense of “completion,” these loops deliver views, variety, and that full-day-out feeling.
So lace up, plan your loop, and maybe pack a post-walk pastry — you’ve earned it.
Photo by Mark Fairhurst on Unsplash
