Buy the OS Route Map and instructions for this route

Essentially a grand up-and-over in typical Brecon Beacons style. Don’t be put off by the tarmac grind out of Crickhowell. Stick at this opening seven kilometres or so of steady ascent and you’ll soon be entering forest access to the looming Black Mountains. Climbing is far from over, though. Dropping briefly, the struggle continues up the grassy slopes of Mynydd Llysiau. After a final double back over the 617-metre summit, it’s a grassy plummet towards the bottom by way of a cheeky right hander at over 30mph. A final steep drop arrives just outside Twynffrwd where it’s a few kilometres in the lanes to Pengenfforrdd and multi-rutted gorse-lined hacking. Scooting around the back of Mynydd Llangorse above the infamous Llangorse Lake, a fairly short climb lines you up for the final precipitous drop off Cefn Moel to Bwlch, the Usk Valley, and a canal-hugging road stint carrying you east back to Crickhowell.