Beginner’s Guide to Climbing Pen Y Fan Brecon Beacons in Wales at Sunrise
Read this beginner’s guide to walking and climbing Pen Y Fan for sunrise from me, someone who is definitely a hiking beginner with zero experience, as well as a South Welsh local, who did the Pen Y Fan climb in the dark to catch the sunrise!
Brecon Beacons Pen y Fan walk is a good climb to ease yourself into hiking so read on for my directions, research and tips to help you climb Pen y Fan.
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Contents
Contents (jump to)
Where is Pen Y Fan Wales?
Pen Y Fan is South Wales’s highest peak located in South Wales Valleys, Brecon Beacons just an hour drive from Cardiff and easily found off the motorway.
Pen Y Fan Facts
- Pen Y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales
- How high is Pen Y Fan? Pen Y Fan height is 886m
- Is Pen Y Fan a mountain? Yes, it’s highest mountain in Brecon Beacons National Park!
- The peaks are part of Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales, one of the best UK National Parks!
- Pen y Fan and Corn Du are twin summits
- Pen Y Fan is owned by National Trust
- The mountains and area are used in SAS selection
- You will find people hiking Pen Y Fan at all times of the day and all year round (but sunrise is the best ;))
Climbing Pen Y Fan Brecon Beacons in Wales at Sunrise
Pen Y Fan Car Park
Pen Y Fan parking is free at the entrance of the main (and most popular) Pen Y Fan route and looks like this:
Use this Pen Y Fan postcode for the Pont ar Daf car park: LD3 8NL
As you’ll be arriving in the dark, there will be plenty of parking for Pen Y Fan but the turning is so easy to miss so be on the lookout for the signs.
There’s also the option of walking Pen Y Fan from Storey Arms and the Storey Arms Pen Y Fan car park is just down the road from the main car park but I do not recommend doing this walk for sunrise as it’s extremely dark and one of the more complicated Pen Y Fan routes.
The beauty of getting here before sunrise is that you won’t be forced to park in Storey Arms Car Park (as many have to later in the day due to business) and can park closer to the start of this route!
As part of National Trust Pen Y Fan is highly recommended to visit for nature lovers.
Directions to Pen Y Fan
This post is designed for the Pen Y Fan easy route for sunrise and map and tips for how to get to Pen Y Fan are for this specific route and time.
Postcode – LD3 8NL
By car, and to get to parking at Pen Y Fan, from the M4 take the A470 to Powys for over 30 miles and the Pen Y Fan mountain will be on your right. The turning for the car park is signposted but can be hard to see in the dark so when the sat nav is getting close be highly alert for the turning.
If you miss the turning, like I did, the next turning is Storey Arms which you can use to turn around and go back to the right place.
Alternatively if coming from West Wales, take the A465 and the mountain will be on your left ;).
There is the T4 bus route you can take but this does not run early in the morning so you will be unable to make sunrise if your only option is via bus.
The nearest train stations are Rush Drive, Bute Place and Travellers Rest. If you’re renting a car, get the train to Cardiff Central for access to the rest of Wales. Book any train tickets for Wales via Trainline here.
Related Post: Every Saying Heard in South Wales!
Map of Pen Y Fan
The marker shows where Pen Y Fan is in South Wales and the picture shows the Pen Y Fan map in more detail.
Prefer to climb Pen-Y-Fan for sunset? Search availability to join this walking group for sunset:
Essentials For Pen Y Fan
- Always tell people where you are going and when
- If you take a phone, ensure it’s 100% charged before the hike
- Take water and healthy hiking snacks
- Consider these items (backpack, head torch, Brecon walking guide book)
How Long Does it Take to Climb Pen Y Fan at Sunrise?
The height of Pen Y Fan is 886m so it all depends on Pen Y Fan weather and your level of fitness for how long to climb Pen Y Fan.
As a beginner I would recommend giving yourself an hour and half to walk up Pen Y Fan, half an hour at the peak to enjoy your achievement and then an hour for the Pen Y Fan hike down.
- How many miles is Pen Y Fan? – 886m is 0.5 miles (but uphill this definitely feels further)
- How high is Pen Y Fan in feet? – 2906 feet high!
- How long to walk up Pen Y Fan? – Roughly 1.5 – 2 hours (takes a bit longer in the dark to reach Pen Y Fan summit for sunrise)
Mine and my cousin’s Pen Y Fan Climb Time = 1 hour 20 minutes
The Walk
In the dark, this is way harder to explain so you won’t be seeing these steps until you come back down but essentially this is the step to step guide to the walk:
1. Through the gate and over the bridge to reach the main path
2. This is the path you will stay on to climb up the mountain
3. Note: it always feels like this path will end and I promise it does but keep going!
4. At the top if this path you’ll see Corn Du to your immediate left and another small path to your left leading to Pen Y Fan peak. Take the path
4. At the end of this path will be the last incline and you may see goats to your right
5. At the top is the Pen Y Fan National Trust sign and you’ve done it!
When you get the top of Pen Y Fan it’s such a great feeling and a real accomplishment (especially when you get there before most people have woken up)! Enjoy the sunrise and then the views once daylight hits of Brecon Beacons.
Brecon Beacon Weather and What to Wear Walking up Pen Y Fan
It goes without saying to check the weather for the day you plan your routes up Pen Y Fan and I advise to go on a dry day.
As you’ll be hiking Pen-Y-Fan for sunrise it will be cold until you start the actual walk up Pen Y Fan, when you’ll no doubt start sweating and get warmer.
I wore leggings, thick socks, running trainers and a jumper around my waist. I wish I took another layer and gloves because I was very cold at the top. Although I researched the weather for Pen Y Fan, I didn’t anticipate that the weather on Pen Y Fan is different at the top.
Regardless of the weather in Pen Y Fan, once you get to the top, it is bitterly cold and windy so make sure you pack some layers, gloves and a hat to keep yourself warm.
Also, there are no lights at all around Pen Y Fan so bring a torch / head light. I didn’t realise this fact so had to use my phone torch and the battery completely died by the end of the Pen Y Fan climb.
Pen Y Fan Views
After you walk Pen Y Fan and reach the top, the views are breathtaking so be sure to bring your camera (and gloves to hold the camera because it’s VERY cold)!
There’s one point where you think you’ve reached the top of Pen Y Fan (where the views are also lush) but you are probably at the foot of Corn Du so keep going until you reach the Pen Y Fan peak with the National Trust sign.
The best climbing destinations are never too easy. You’ve got to put in a bit of effort for that goal!
If you’d prefer to climb Pen y Fan as part of a tour, group or guided then try this tour including transport:
Things to Do Near Pen Y Fan Trail
Other than walks up pen y fan, there are lots of things to do in Brecon Beacons which is a beautiful landscape of South Wales (as you can see from the top of the mountains).
When in the area you can chase Brecon Beacons Four Waterfalls near pen y fan, do the pontsticill reservoir walk, visit Llangorse Lake, discover Wales’s book town of Hay on Wye, explore caves, go kayaking and rock climbing and many more outdoor activities.
Places to Stay Near Pen Y Fan
Use the search box below for ideal hotels near Pen Y Fan where you can easily get to the top of the mountain for sunrise!
Booking.comThanks for reading my guide to walking Pen Y Fan and hope you make it for sunrise!
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- Visit the Longest Welsh Place Name!
- The Indie Town Called Narberth
- What To Do in Cardiff City
- Places to See in Pembrokeshire
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