Hiking the Black Mountains

Hiking in the Black Mountains of South Wales offers a captivating outdoor experience, blending scenic beauty and exhilarating trails. As you traverse the rugged landscapes, you’ll encounter breathtaking panoramic views, dense woodlands, and meandering streams. The Black Mountains boast an extensive network of well-marked hiking trails, catering to various skill levels, from novice adventurers to seasoned trekkers. Whether you’re seeking a leisurely stroll or a challenging ascent, the diverse terrain accommodates all preferences.

Immerse yourself in the natural wonders of this Welsh region, with highlights including lush valleys, ancient stone formations, and the iconic Sugar Loaf Mountain. Wildlife enthusiasts will appreciate the chance to spot rare flora and fauna along the way. Don’t forget to check the weather conditions before embarking on your journey and equip yourself with suitable gear for an unforgettable hiking experience in the Black Mountains, South Wales.

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  Sugar Loaf, Abergavenny – Up St Mary’s Vale Wood, Down Deri Allt Valley
  This is the very first mountain I hiked up, and for a long time it was the only one I did every Sunday morning, and gradually I built up the confidence and the kit to go explore other places, but this mountain is a classic, and it has fantastic views, and the good thing is, it has easier & harder routes up and you can add it into other routes just as easily.
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  Blaen-Y-Glyn Waterfalls Circular Walk, Wellington Bomber Memorial & Fan-Y-Big Diving Board
  The Brecon Beacons Blan-y-Glyn Waterfalls has many circular walks you can follow, and this is right up there with one of the best, and is also I’d say in the difficult range, especially if you are doing this in winter. This loop takes in a large number of waterfalls at the start and at the end, a World War 2 Canadian Wellington Bomber memorial, the diving board at Fan-Y-Big then glacial ridge walks most of the way around, it’s a challenging walk, but so rewarding and beautiful.
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  Blorenge Circular Walk, from Llanfoist nr. Abergavenny – The Punchbowl & Keepers Pond
  The Blorenge is one of three mountains that surround the town of Abergavenny, the other two which you can see from the top are the Sugar Loaf and the Skirrid. These are a part of the Black Mountains at the foot of the Brecon Beacons and at the bottom of the Blorenge is the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, which you will walk under as you start this walk.
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  Crickhowell, Llangattock Escarpment circular up to Craig Y Cilau & visit Eglwys Faen or Church Cave
  Crickhowell and Llangattock have a large number of hiking and walking routes in and around the villages and mountains, and this once again starts in the Crickhowell Secondary school car park, which is always available to park in as I mostly head out on Sundays, so when visiting Crickhowell, be sure to try that School car park first.
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  Talgarth Walking Festival – The Three Pens of Crickhowell Circular
  The 2023 Talgarth Walking Festival, the 9th event, took place between Friday April 28th and Monday May 1st. This year they had 26 walks which covers all tastes and abilities, and we choose one on the Sunday which was called ‘The Three Pens of Crickhowell’. The three Pens being ‘Pen Gloch-y-pibwr’ (675m), ‘Pen Allt-mawr’ (720m) & ‘Pen Cerrig-calch’ (711m).
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  The South Wales Three Peaks Trial Challenge 2023 – In Partnership with Outdooractive
  The South Wales Three Peaks Trial is an organised challenge walk arranged each year in March by the Cardiff Outdoor Group. Since 2010 Longtown Mountain Rescue Team provide support with marshalls on all the mountain top checkpoints.
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  Dragons Back & Waun Fach Circular – Pengenffordd, Black Mountains
  The Dragons Back as you can imagine is named because you have a collection of up and down mounds that resemble the back of a sleeping dragon, as you walk up to the ‘Waun Fach’ (Small Moor) peak. This peak is the highest mountain in the ‘Black Mountains’ and the second highest peak in Southern Britain at 811m, after Pen Y Fan, which isn’t too far away.
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  Sugar Loaf Circular, Abergavenny – Classic, Easier, Shorter Route
  This is the very first mountain I hiked up, and for a long time it was the only one I did every Sunday morning, and gradually I built up the confidence and the kit to go explore other places, but this mountain is a classic, and it has fantastic views, and the good thing is, it has easier & harder routes up and you can add it into other routes just as easily.
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  Crickhowell to Sugar Loaf, Abergavenny Circular
  It’s amazing how many of our walks have started in Crickhowell, and they are all different, and this is another special one as on the way you pass by some of the most beautiful Welsh cottages I have ever seen, and the lush green fields and woods as you head to the Sugar Loaf in Abergavenny, makes this really special.
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  Table Mountain Crickhowell, Pen Cerrig Calch (Peak), Glanusk Estate, Llangattock – Circular
  This walk I think has the best variety of tracks of all the walks, it’s not the highest peak, it’s not the longest, it’s not as famous as the Dragons Back walk just up the… Read more: Table Mountain Crickhowell, Pen Cerrig Calch (Peak), Glanusk Estate, Llangattock – Circular
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  Abergavenny 3 Peaks 43km Challenge for charity – Campaign Against Living Miserably
  The ‘Abergavenny 3 Peaks’ are a group of stunning mountains, which includes the Blorenge, the Sugar Loaf and the Skirrid, all in close proximity to the town centre, which makes it a brilliant 3 peak… Read more: Abergavenny 3 Peaks 43km Challenge for charity – Campaign Against Living Miserably
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  Cloud Inversion experience from the Sugar Loaf Mountain in the Brecon Beacons
  Setting off on my usual Sunday morning walk up the Sugar Loaf in Abergavenny, was I in for a nice surprise, a ‘Cloud Inversion’ which I had no way of being appreciated from the bottom… Read more: Cloud Inversion experience from the Sugar Loaf Mountain in the Brecon Beacons