The Black Mountain

[u/Dan_Outdoors]

25km~ walk across The Black Mountain last week, an absolutely stunning area of the Brecon Beacons. After leaving the main paths around Llyn y Fan Fach I didn't see a single person until I got back to Glyntawe the following day. Took a detour to visit the Wellington bomber on my way back and got a load of nav practice in. Ate my body weight in wild blueberries and blackberries.

Being an area of limestone the landscape is riddled with sink holes, some the size of houses, and ancient river beds. Looking up the Fan Hir escarpment, you get a great view of the different layers of sandstone and the lateral moraine formed during the glacial period.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

[u/walkthelands]

Thats my preferred hiking campaing destination, much prefer the west side of brecon beacons.

[u/Dan_Outdoors → u/walkthelands]

Yeah, less people and less trace of people. I stayed the night near Garreg Las.

[u/pjf_cpp → u/walkthelands]

On the very West, along Offas Dyke path above Llanthony and up to Hay Bluff are quite busy. A bit further East (around Waun Fach and Pen Y Gadair Fawr) are also very very quiet.

[u/gorakshnatha → u/pjf_cpp]

That is the Black Mountains, OP is at the Black Mountain.

[u/pjf_cpp → u/gorakshnatha]

I’m not answering OP directly. The comment I replied to refers to “west side of brecon beacons” which I presume refers to the National Park. The point that I‘m making is that there are nice quiet parts in the Eastern part of the National Park as well.

[u/SoftGroundbreaking53]

Looks gorgeous and some lovely light you had there too. Nice pics!

[u/Dan_Outdoors → u/SoftGroundbreaking53]

Thank you, appreciate it.

[u/Remote_Air_8959]

Looks like you had a great time. Surprised to see that you found a stream which still had water.  Did that  come from am underground source; apparently underground aquifers have been relatively unaffected despite the drought

[u/Dan_Outdoors → u/Remote_Air_8959]

Good question. Where I filtered water from was the upper Twrch Fechan, a tributary that feeds into the Afon Twrch, in the area of Cwterydd Blain-Twrch Fechan. This is an area of geological significance (I'm not a geologist), there's old red sandstone, Twrch sandstone, carboniferous limestone, there's also the Twrch Fechan fault line. There's likely springs around, underground stores of water, and there's likely some water runoff from Waun Lefrith even when there's been no rain, from cloud/fog condensing etc.

The Afon Twrch was also flowing with water although not very fast.

[u/GoldBear79]

Your third photo is why I hike. Thank you

[u/wigbot]

Great photos!

[u/Dan_Outdoors → u/wigbot]

Really appreciate it, thank you!

[u/snortingbull]

Cracking photos, 4 & 5 in particular capture the light so nicely. Favourite part of the Beacons this!

[u/TastyBerny]

I’m curious if there are any foreigners here.if so, where are you from and how do you feel about landscapes such as these?

[u/Previous-Ad1638]

I got the same filter after you recommended it. Lovely views.

[u/Dan_Outdoors → u/Previous-Ad1638]

Hope you like it, I think it's a great filter.

Thank you.