So the last of our walks in the Brecons for this year and we had a plan to meet up with Andy at Surfnslide, and you can find his fine version of the walk here, where we had, as he writes, “the meeting of the two great blog houses”! He’d planned a lovely circuit, up first to Sugar Loaf, before a long descent in the direction of Llanbedr. Next was a fine climb up to Crug Mawr and descent to the stunning little church of St Issui. Plenty packed in to the 12 miles, which didn’t seem anything like that distance when we reached the car. I guess in great company the miles fly by, especially as we were nattering the whole way around. The walk included walkers taking in champagne/prosecco at the summit of Sugar Loaf at 10am, a barefooted walker in arctic winds, baby goats, limping sheep, a bizarre shrine, a pretty church and a faux pas on my behalf which Andy and Linda are unlikely to let me forget! Plus we had another lovely pint in the Skirrid Inn before the drive home, where the rain poured as we drove. This justified the early start time for the walk, allowing us to miss any of the wet stuff. We enjoyed our trip away again to South Wales and it definitely won’t be our last one here.
Start – Maesmawr parking
Route – Cambrian Way – Sugar Loaf – Pengilfach – Lower Cwm Bridge – Hen-bant-fawr – Crug Mawr – St Issui Church – Ffynnon Ishow – Pontyspig – Maesmawr
Distance – 12 miles Start time – 8.45am Time taken – 8hrs Highest Point – Sugar Loaf 596 metres
Weather – Some sunshine, some cloud and cold wind in places
Starting out, you quickly climb up to get views up and down the valley, I think that’s Bal Mawr at the backSame direction but higher up as the gradient eases on our way to Sugar LoafAnd there is Sugar Loaf. Plenty of bracken in these parts, wouldn’t like this area in July/AugustAndy and Linda not waiting whilst I took my photos!Ysgyryd Fawr, a fine little mountain which we climbed last year.A bit hazy on the long distance views to the east but what we could see was lovelyCrug Mawr is immediately in front to the right, with cloud shadows cast across it. Left is Pen Cerrig Calch, back right is Waun FachJust in view through the haze is Pen y Fan and Corn Du, both right at the back. We would descend down the ridge in front of usSummit of Sugar Loaf, with a plaque to the local mountain rescue on itAnd looking the other way towards Pen y FanTwo wise blogmeisters discussing matters. Andy has a knack of finding a fine spot for a brew and this one was nicely out of the wind. Linda is taking the photo here and behind her were two girls supping prosecco at the summit. It was 10am.As we dropped down this side we were hit by a baltic wind from the north west. Just after taking this photo back up to the summit a girl walked past us with shorts on and bare feetPen Cerrig Calch up to the right as we near PengilfachThe daffs were out, or were they narcissus?We had crossed a bridge over the Grwyne Fawr and then a small lane into this field. Following us in was this flock of sheep, with two or three at the rear struggling a little. One can be seen crossing Lower Cwm Bridge, another one or two still hadn’t got that far.Table Mountain, which is a lower part of Pen Cerrig CalchQuite like a tree without its leaves, especially when they are as shapely as this oneNarcissus. Linda was giving me my shopping list for autumn bulbs as we walked through Hen Bant Fawr farmCute kids in the farm fieldsAndy came up trumps again with the lunch spot, nicely out of the keen wind. With Pen Cerrig Calch up to the left and the Grwyne Fechan running away from us through the centre of the photo, it was here I made my faux pas, claiming that Linda was a slow walker 🤦♂️After lunch we climbed the last section to Crug Mawr, again the Grwyne Fechan centreSugar Loaf looks a fair distance away from here and it was about 4 hours later that we were here, showing the distance it is to get across to Crug Mawr.Trig point on Crug Mawr looking towards Waun Fach and the Mynydd Du Forest running away and down to the rightYours truly and Andy at the summit, we didn’t hang around as the cold wind had returned up here and there are few places to hideOver the Mynydd Du Forest with Hay Bluff back rightDropping off Crug Mawr with Ysgyryd Fawr the shapely hill centre leftSt Issui Church, lined with daffodilsInside was a spectacular rood screen and the ten commandments on the wall to the right. Linda knew all about the old writing styles from her previous Palaeography studies and was pointing out the f where an s would normally be, alongside other parts.The figure of Time, depicted as a skeleton holding a spade, hourglass and scytheAfter walking down the hill to cross the Nant Mair, we saw this odd shrine, which apparently is a holy well called Ffynnon Ishow. It says the water always runs clear here. We can attest that is was a very muddy puddle at best, with some odd tat placed around it.Nearing the end of the walk and looking back to Bal Mawr again, with Twyn y Gaer up to the right. A brilliant 12 miles around a superb part of WalesAlways worth seeking out a pub for refreshments to finish the walk and the Skirrid Inn provides a convenient spot. It was busier than our visit last year, but we found a table before heading off on our journey home.
It was a great day, we met Andy last year as well. Always good to get his experience when walking in South Wales and go to places that I would never have seen
In the past I’ve driven past so many times heading to South Wales for work and visiting parents (who, for a while, lived in Caerphilly). Sugar Loaf always looked inviting.
What a great day for you both – meeting up with me of course!🤣
Cracking day though and odd mixture of warming sunny spells and that brutally cold wind. Not a day for shorts and bare feet. So much interest packed into the day including that bizarre little shrine I’ve never noticed before. Sadly for you as Mark and all my friends will attest, once you make a faux pas we NEVER forget it.
treksandtors 
Ahh this was a lovely idea. 😊 The prosecco at the summit was a novel idea 😂
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A lovely walk in great company, Steve. Happy Easter to you all xx
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Nice to meet other bloggers for a walk.
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It was a great day, we met Andy last year as well. Always good to get his experience when walking in South Wales and go to places that I would never have seen
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In the past I’ve driven past so many times heading to South Wales for work and visiting parents (who, for a while, lived in Caerphilly). Sugar Loaf always looked inviting.
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Its a little cracker of a hill, nicely separate so you can look in to the main mountain groups
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What a great day for you both – meeting up with me of course!🤣
Cracking day though and odd mixture of warming sunny spells and that brutally cold wind. Not a day for shorts and bare feet. So much interest packed into the day including that bizarre little shrine I’ve never noticed before. Sadly for you as Mark and all my friends will attest, once you make a faux pas we NEVER forget it.
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I was hoping Japan may have wiped your memory
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I forget really important stuff with frightening regularity but small scales trivia like this I remember in detail for years!
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🤣🤣
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