Hi there,

I am looking for some help...

I am doing a version of the welsh coast to coast this weekend but cheating and staying at hostels or bunkhouses... Just wondering if this route is possible?

I am not even sure if you are allowed ride on Pen Y Fan and if not I will stay clear - I don't have an OS map to check right now...

Route as attached.

Thanks,

N

It's technically not permitted, but it does get done. Get an early start would be good advice if you find anyone recommended you do it

After Fan-y-big (which I hear is a short push up from the saddle of The Gap, taking the track that misses the summit), people have in the past followed the ridge round and gone over the summit of Twyn Du.

That whole escarpment is a superb piece of trail, so they say

Remind me. Why can't you ride it?

Cheers

Chris

Thanks Ian,

Will have a better look tomorrow when in work...

Worst comes to worst will just cross over in Brecon then around and up again...

Just praying for some OK-ish weather this weekend!

Niall

Ian wrote:That whole escarpment is a superb piece of trail, so they say

Not that anyone would ride it, of course.

Justchris wrote:Remind me. Why can't you ride it?

I didn't say you can't
I said it's technically not permitted; on account of the archaic access laws that define where you can and cannot legally ride a bicycle on private land in England and Wales.

Up there quite often walking, admitt never biked there but every time i hike across the top i pass some guys bombing down the side of it on full sus. I suppose the access laws get hazy when theres barely a trail and youre more vertical than horizontal

Just be prepared to push across the top on a windy day!

Quite a few of the paths have clever drainage to be aware of though, trail conditions weather very well but theres 8" deep gutters cutting across the path diagonally with 4" steps on some of the more popular paths, hope you can bunny hop!

Luckily the less used paths are much simpler

Ian wrote:

Justchris wrote:Remind me. Why can't you ride it?

I didn't say you can't
I said it's technically not permitted; on account of the archaic access laws that define where you can and cannot legally ride a bicycle on private land in England and Wales.

I assumed that as it was a national park, private land rules didn't apply. I really have no idea about the ins and outs of access rights, but I am aware how lucky we are in Scotland.

Chris

I assumed that as it was a national park, private land rules didn't apply.

Nope, RoW and access laws apply all over. Generally, land within the NP is still privately owned land.

The national park, or what im aware of more specifically, Pen y fan mountain range, is actually "privately owned" by the national trust, donated to them in the 60s i believe.

Youll be alright aslong as theres a full moon, sheep facing east and you clap coconut shells together predending to be a horse... or something like that, old bylaws are strange.