Is the Pen Y Fan Horseshoe Ridge as hard as people say?

Join Max and I as we take on the 8 mile hike along the Pen Y Fan horseshoe ridge. We've done this mountain so many times, it seemed fitting as the debut for our channel.

Pen Y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales, so naturally, it's a popular route to climb. We've done it in the sun, snow, wind, rain, ice and fog and I can tell you, it can be brutal! Before you take any route up Pen Y Fan, please check the summit forecast, ESPECIALLY the wind!

I have created a quick guide on how to check the forecast here:
   • Do you know how to check the summit weathe...  

If you'd like to skip to certain areas of the walk please see the chapters below:

00:00 Introduction
04:30 The First Marker - The missing roof
05:56 The First Climb
09:48 Starting The Ridge
17:51 Corn Du Summit
19:45 Pen Y Fan Summit
26:54 Cribyn Summit
30:55 Cribyn Tries to Cripple Me
32:17 The Walk Home

The Horseshoe Ridge route on Pen Y Fan is a beautiful walk, especially if you get lucky (or plan lucky) with the weather. It requires a good amount of fitness in order to achieve the climbs, but I've seen younger people achieve it. Please just make sure that they can manage the mileage as it's over 8 miles of hiking.

It's a dog friendly route, however the path can go quite close to the edge so please do be careful in these areas and potentially pop them on a lead for safety. There are also free roaming sheep and horses, so if your dog likes to chase livestock, it may be best to keep them on a lead or under control.

Please also pick up after your dog. The route is very clean and we like to keep it that way! There are no bins so be prepared!

I highly recommend bringing a comfortable rucksack with you on this route. I had my usual bag with me containing: Water, Extra Layers (that ridge gets chilly!), Snacks (of course), a Small First Aid Kit (I needed the plasters and nearly an ankle support!), A Power Bank (better to be lost with the ability to call for help, than with nothing) and a Pen Knife (because you never know). Of course, you can take a lot less than this, but it's a good 4 hour hike so I'd rather have things and not need them, than suffer if something did happen. It's your call, just remember to be safe!

This is a fantastic route. Enjoy it and don't forget to stop and take in the views!

PARKING INFORMATION:
This information is purely for the Horseshoe Ridge and the Reservoir we visited afterwards. There are other routes up Pen Y Fan, but we are not looking at those in this video.

The Neuadd Carpark can get very busy during the Summer Months and on Weekends / Bank Holidays. It's best to get there between 8am and 10am but during the week, it's not so bad. If the carpark is full, there are others nearby but this will extend your walk a little.

Neuadd Car Park (The start of the Horseshoe Ridge):

What 3 Words (W3W)
///grinders.spark.timing
https://w3w.co/grinders.spark.timing

Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/69RgarjtweAFq...

Co-Ordinates:
51°50'35.0"N 3°23'55.2"W



Pontsticill Reservoir (For post-walk chills and a picnic!):

What 3 Words (W3W):
///dissolves.pays.ages
https://w3w.co/dissolves.pays.ages

Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/G9bvCdrXkLNsk...

Co-Ordinates:
51.807397, -3.373326

Music:
Drone in D by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: http://incompetech.com/