Region: Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) — South Wales, UK
Places To Stay: Great bases for this walk are Brecon or Merthyr Tydfil, both within easy driving distance of the Neuadd car park. For a wider choice across the National Park, browse places to stay in the Brecon Beacons.
Staying overnight? See my full guide to the Best Places To Stay in the Brecon Beacons.
Below are a few ideas for day tours and transfers around the Brecon Beacons, with GetYourGuide offering easy booking + see more here.
For a wider choice of stays in South Wales, Booking.com has loads of options.
This is the classic Horseshoe Ridge Walk, a full mountain circuit taking in Fan y Big, Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du. It’s one of the best ridge walks in southern Britain, with constant views, steep short climbs, and a real sense of achievement. In good weather the views are huge; in poor weather it can feel very serious very quickly — so come prepared.
Getting There: Directions, GPX and Map
- Start / Finish: Neuadd Car Park (postcode CF48 2UT).
- Driving: Best approached via the A470 (Merthyr) or A40 → Talybont-on-Usk → Abercynafon.
- GPX: Download GPX file.
- Route App: Follow the full route on my Outdooractive profile (free).
Navigation tip: I strongly recommend using GPX or the Outdooractive app. Visibility can drop quickly on the ridge, and paths are not always obvious in mist or snow.
Travel Data: I use eSIMs to stay connected — quick setup and no roaming faff. Sim Local has been solid in the UK and Europe with good prices and coverage. Read my review here.
Hike Profile
- Distance: ~10 miles / 16 km
- Duration: 4–5 hours
- Highest Point: Pen y Fan – 886 m
- Difficulty: Hard — multiple steep climbs
- Terrain: Well-worn mountain paths, steep ascents, exposed ridge
Route Overview (Anti-Clockwise from Neuadd Car Park)
| Section | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neuadd → Ridge shoulder | Gentle warm-up before the climbing begins |
| 2 | Fan y Big | Diving Board viewpoint, big western views |
| 3 | Cribyn | Short but steep climb, exposed descent |
| 4 | Pen y Fan | Main ascent, false ridge catches people out |
| 5 | Corn Du → Ridge return | High ridge walk back with steep drop-offs |
| 6 | Descent to Neuadd | Very steep and often wet underfoot |
Hike Description
The best place to start for the Horseshoe Ridge Walk is in my opinion the ‘Neuadd Car Park‘, it has the same postcode as the others, but if you’re using Google Maps to drive there, then use ‘Neuadd Car Park Brecon Beacons‘.
Once there, walk to the to the top of the car park and a little path appears on the right to take you onto the main pathway. From this main path you can take the walk to the left or to the right. Below I will explain the walk going to the right, as I think it’s a better walk, and you get the legs warmed up for the big climbs, instead of a very difficult walk up a steep hill to reach the ridge top, almost straight away.
To start the Horseshoe Ridge Walk follow this path up to the gate, down into the dip, over the little stream, up the other side and at this point all 4 peaks will come into view. Just keep going along the path until you reach the shoulder between the first two peaks in the distance, ‘Fan Y Big’ on your right and ‘Cribyn’ on your left approximately 1.5 miles.
You have reached the ‘gap’ and you can now start walking the peaks by turning right and heading up to ‘Fan Y Big’ which translates to ‘Point of the Peak’. At the top make sure you brave the ‘Diving Board’, and take in the views across the Brecon Beacons for the first time.
To return to the bottom, walk directly behind you towards the peak in the distance, and you will see a return path on your right heading back down to the gap. You can obviously just head back the way you came, but doing it this way, does add to the walk. Then once you return to the gap in front of you is Cribyn, and that’s your next climb to that peak.
Cribyn is smaller than the other 2 further on, but again once you reach the peak the views are incredible, with views up and down the valley. Also, not to be outdone Cribyn has its own ‘Diving Board’ and is very popular again for great pictures, and you will see the small cairn as you walk to the peak section. There are really well-maintained paths all around, but in bad weather be careful heading down from Cribyn to Pen-Fan as it’s steep, and can be very slippery.
Staying overnight? Check my guide to the Best Places To Stay in the Brecon Beacons
The next peak climb is up to Pen-Y-Fan, and this is the toughest, and will bust your lungs and your legs, and be aware of the false ridge, this catches people out. You then have a steep last 20 meters or so and over some rocks. You will need to step up to these rocks, so take your time, but the last couple of steps will then get you to the ridge of Pen Y Fan, and this is where you will see the majority of people who are walking to Pen-Y-Fan from the other side up.
There are plenty of places to sit down and take a break, before you que to have your pic taken and then continue onto Corn Du. You will easily see Corn Du in good weather, but if there is bad weather, it can pretty much disappear, so when doing this route, look to see where other people are walking to and coming from as there are set paths, but they again can be difficult to find if you’re not familiar and also if the fog is there or a snow storm.
Summer
Winter
Corn Du is the last peak on this part of the hike, you can skirt to the left of it or take the last couple of steps up to it, and then make your way back along the ridge. The ridge has some very steep edges, so be very careful how close you get. But you can give yourself a pat on the back as you walk along it, as you reflect on the 4 peaks you have just completed, all to your left.
The paths in places are very uneven, and you will need to watch your step, but this is a 3 mile walk back to the point where you will head down from the ridge, and down to the Lower Neuadd Reservoir.
The return ridge walk is brilliant but exposed, with steep drops on both sides. Eventually you’ll spot the straight tree line below — that’s your descent. It’s steep, often wet, and tiring, so take it steady back to the reservoir and the car.
Places to Stay in South Wales – My Picks
Whether you want a simple crash pad after a day on the trails or a comfy base for a weekend of walking, these lists help narrow it down.
Places to Stay near Pontsticill
For a wider choice across South Wales, Booking.com has a huge variety to browse.
Nant Ddu is surrounded by picturesque mountains, beautiful hills, and grassy moorland. There are a number of country walks, and guests can fish in the nearby reservoirs.
This adults-only guest house offers 5-star townhouse accommodation in Brecon, within the Brecon Beacons National Park.
AllTrails: Trail Guides & Maps for Hiking, Camping, and Running | AllTrails ‘Plus’ 30% OFF – Read my ‘Full Review‘ for more details.
Staying overnight? Check my guide to the Best Places To Stay in the Brecon Beacons
Practicalities
- Season: Year-round, but winter conditions can be serious
- Footwear: Proper mountain boots recommended
- Weather: Can change fast — wind chill is severe on the ridge
- Water & food: Carry plenty — no facilities on route
- Dogs: Only suitable for very fit dogs, on lead near edges
Horseshoe Ridge Walk FAQ
How far is the Horseshoe Ridge Walk?
How long does it take?
How hard is it?
What’s the highest point?
Where do I park for the Horseshoe Ridge Walk?
Which direction is best — clockwise or anti-clockwise?
Is it suitable for beginners?
Are there any tricky/exposed sections?
Do I need a GPX / navigation app?
Can I take a dog on this walk?
Walk this route yourself in 3D
This 3D walkthrough gives you a real feel for the ridge and climbs before you go.
Disclosure: I may earn a small commission if you book via links on this page — at no extra cost to you.
Thank you. As a novice walker I read a lot of vague descriptions that don’t stress the energy needed to walk these peaks. From this I can break down the route for single peaks too. Seeing so many people do this walk gives you a false sense of ‘easiness’ and perhaps falling into a trap of not being prepared. I’ve really enjoyed reading this blog.
Thank you Yvette, really appreciate the feedback. I have only posted 2 so far, and to get some positive news already is great, I’ve got loads to go up, and will try and get through them over the next few weeks. Cheers x
Where is possible to camp whilst doing this trail?
Thanks
Hi,
I’m no expert when it comes to camping, but what I tend to see is people camping on the summit of Pen Y Fan, it means you are in a place that does possibly have other people camping, but it also means you can get down from the mountain to the main car park quickly if you need to.
You will be quite exposed up there, but as long as you know what you are doing I think you will be fine.
If you were to follow this trail, Pen Y Fan is the 3rd peak and the biggest, hope this helps and thanks for visiting the website.
Lee
The info on here is great, with clear directions and fab images. We’re hoping to do the Horseshoe Ridge next Monday . . . with your help!
Hi Jacqueline, thats brilliant and think you for the feedback. I hope it goes well for you, and as always pack for all weathers, it can change in an instant and get very bad even in the summer. If you post your pics on Facebook etc tag me in, I’d love to see them. Take care
I did this yesterday with my 18month old in a backpack and followed this reverse route so as to avoid the initial climb with the heavy load. The weather was glorious and the views were outstanding – what a walk! I pretty much followed this route but did the Fan Y Big mini loop in the opposite direction to take advantage of the slower ascent again and it worked really well. Met loads of super friendly people en route and my son loved it! His snoring as I puffed and panted up the climb onto Pen Y Fan was a little galling and he’s asleep in the summit pic 🤦♂️ but he loved the bits he was awake through 😂 Super cool.
Oh fantastic, what a story, and amazing you did that with the baby. It’s an amazing walk, and the fact you had good weather was quite rare but when you do get it the views as you seen are incredible. Thank you for the feedback, and I wonder if you wouldnt mind leaving me some feedback on Google Reviews, it’s really early days with it, but I htink it helps people see that it’s a genuine website that is there to help. https://g.page/r/CQ_g4rdxR2riEBM/review Thanks, Lee
Noticed a path down from cribyn that was very close to the edge.seen this from pen y fan.is that the path to walk down.
Hi, it is yes, it looks like it’s close to the edge from that far away, but you will be fine, there zero chance of you falling off the edge. It isn’t an edge as such really, but don’t worry you’ll be safe. Have a great time, and let me know how it goes. Lee
Many thanks.will let you know how I get on.much appreciated.
Thank you, this was a brilliant walk and your instructions were very easy to follow, I had a great time!
No problem Matt, it’s a very popular walk and it’s one I do over and over through the years. Glad you had a great day, and tbh the weather makes such a difference, to even get views is a special occasion ☺️