Region: South Wales — Black Mountains, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, Wales
Places To Stay: Base yourself in Hay-on-Wye for bookshops, pubs and easy access to Gospel Pass, or stay in Talgarth if you want a quieter base on the southern side of the range. Looking for more Welsh walks? Head to my ‘Wales Hiking Guides‘ page to see all regions and routes.
Staying overnight? Check my guide to the Best Places To Stay in the Brecon Beacons
Below are a few ideas for day tours around the Brecon Beacons / Black Mountains area. GetYourGuide makes it easy to book + see more here.
For a bigger selection of Brecon Beacons accommodation, Booking.com has plenty of cottages, lodges and hotels to browse.
The Hay Bluff near Hay on Wye is a stand out hill in the northern part of the Black Mountains, on the eastern edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Being only 5 miles from Hay on Wye, world famous for its books and bookshops the Hay Bluff circular which takes in Twmpa (Lord Herefords Knob) is a popular walk, and having the start point in the car park next to the Hay Bluff makes it accessible to most people.
From the car park there is an initial steep climb up the escarpment, and then to the trig point over to the left, but once at the top, the next short, less steep climb is up to the Twmpa trig some miles away. The views are stunning in clear weather, and for all these reasons the car park fills up quite quickly, so get there early.
A lot of people also visit this spot as it was made famous in ‘The American Werewolf in London’ film, where the boys were dropped off by the Yorkshire farmer at the start, who told them to “Beware the moon lads, and stick to the roads. Stay off the moors”.
Getting There: Directions, GPX and Map
- Start/Finish: Drive along the B4350, and the road to the car park which is right next to the Hay Bluff, can either be got to from Hay on Wye or via Llanigon, a lane off the B4350. Along the road to the Hay Bluff, a car park will appear as a large layby, and can be found here – https://maps.app.goo.gl/2S8uv1aYGKfaVP1F9
- Transport: No public transport to the Hay Bluff. Buses run to Hay-on-Wye; from there you’ll need a lift/taxi up to the pass or to start lower and make a longer day of it.
- GPX: Download the GPX file here.
- Route Finder: Follow this route on my Outdooractive profile.
Travel Data: I use eSIMs to stay connected — quick setup and no roaming faff when I’m heading further afield. Sim Local has been solid in Europe with good prices and coverage.
Hike Profile
- Distance: ~10 km (6 miles) circular
- Duration: 3–4 hours
- Highest Point: ~690 m
- Difficulty: Moderate, due to a short steep climb, muddy terrain and the weather can be difficult.
- Terrain: Well-worn pathways most of the way around, good walking shoes are a must.
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Hike Description
The car park we started at is called ‘Hay Bluff Car Park‘, and is not far from Hay on Wye, and is directly next to the hill you are going up. The road to the car park off the B4350 is a good road, but in places there is only room for 1 car, but there is plenty of room, just maybe pulling over is safest at certain points. The views heading to the car park are really nice, and you can’t miss the Hay Bluff as you drive to it, and then the car park will appear on your right, the Hay Bluff on your left.
You will notice once you start walking towards the Hay Bluff, a straight path has been worn going right to the top. If you are up for it, go ahead and take this route, otherwise start your walk and then pick up a lighter path going to the left, which will then allow you to take a path to the top heading on an angle right, that isn’t so steep.
At the top, you can continue straight on along the ridge, but we wanted to make our way to the trig point, so to do that you turn left and you should see in the not to far distance. It was foggy for us, but the path is good, and once at the trig, you basically walk back on yourself and walk along the ridge.
Staying overnight? Check my guide to the Best Places To Stay in the Brecon Beacons
Leaving the trig point, and I hope you have better views than we did, you double back on yourself and walk along the top of the hill with the ridge line on your right. The views are stunning and you can’t help but look out across Wales from here.
You may see some wild horses, lots of birds and probably not many people, which is the way I prefer it. Carry on walking along the ridge, and at the end you will need to walk down to a road, to then cross over to walk up to Lord Herefords Knob, but we aren’t there yet.
Once you come to the end of the Hay Bluff, and you make your way down to the road, all you need to do is cross that road and find the path leading to the top right and walk towards Lord Herefords Knob peak.
These are the only 2 climbs in the whole walk, this is the second and again at the heighest point you will get some fabulous views. We decided to have a break here, before making our way back to the car park.
This is the last peak and you now start heading back to the car, but, and this is where I was thankful, I had the route on my watch, to head down you walk away a little further from the car, so basically heading left off the peak and down a stone path. After so long you will see a sharp right turn and it’s here that you will start to head back on yourself to make your way down and in the direction of the car park.
The walk back is about 2.5 miles, and is relatively flat, and you will always be able to see the Hay-Bluff in the distance. You will at some point join the road that will take you back to the car park and on the way you will walk past a lovely little waterfall that runs under the road and on a bend, I suppose that would be a good sign you are on the right path.
The road will then start to rise a little and flatten out as you see the car park in not too far away, and that will basically be it.
As you walk back to the car park, you will see a junction in the road. Why I have brought it up, is to see if you can work out if you don’t know already what very famous 1981 film did this junction star in. A slight clue will be the colour of my jacket!!!
Answers on a postcard, also stay on the road and keep off the moors!
Places to Stay in Hay-on-Wye & Talgarth
For a wider choice of accommodation near Gospel Pass, Booking.com has a huge variety to browse through.
Recommended Stays
This lovely, old stone building is at the foothills of the Black Mountains amid beautiful countryside and views of the Brecon Beacons. It has a restful feel, comfortable rooms and a free Wi-Fi zone.
The Castle Hotel in Talgarth is housed in a historic building, offering a unique and charming atmosphere.
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Staying overnight? Check my guide to the Best Places To Stay in the Brecon Beacons
Practicalities
- Season: All year, but the tops are very exposed – expect strong winds and winter conditions when it’s cold.
- Footwear: Proper walking boots or grippy trail shoes – it can be wet, muddy and steep in places.
- Water & food: Nothing on the route itself; stock up in Hay-on-Wye or Talgarth. Use a Water-to-Go bottole.
- Parking: Free roadside parking near Gospel Pass – can be busy on sunny weekends.
- Dogs: Yes, but keep on a lead around livestock and on the farmland sections near Capel-y-ffin.
- Good for: Big views, border history, long ridge days, and anyone who likes a mix of wild open tops and tucked-away valleys.
Black Mountains Circular FAQs
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Walk this route yourself in 3D!
The video is a 3D walkthrough of this route; it’ll give you a great idea of what to expect before you set foot on the mountain.
I’ve created 3D videos of my walks and shared them with the Outdooractive and Welsh Man Walking communities.
Hay Bluff & Lord Herefords Knob (Twmpa) Circular Walk, near Hay on Wye – 3D Video.
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