Black Mountains Trip March 2025

Our trip to the lesser-known Black Mountains in south Wales began with a convivial supper at the Bear Hotel in Crickhowel, a long-time favourite pub of mine. Prior to that, all 14 of us had arrived at the Perth Y Pia bunkhouse, set high up, almost at the summit of Table Mountain that overlooks the Usk valley. I’d been panicking a bit about whether the Sainsbury’s delivery van would a) find us and b) get up the very steep drive, but of course it did, the young driver being used to delivering here! Phew. Once the food had arrived, I could relax and enjoy myself. The bunkhouse had cosy rooms, a reasonably equipped kitchen and views to die for. The main lounge area with woodburner was spacious and had plenty of comfy sofas to accommodate us all.

Our first full day walk was from the door of the bunkhouse, straight up to Table Mountain and on up to the Pen Cerrig-calch ridge, on the Cambiran Way leading to Pen Allt-mawr. It was dry and clear but very windy and a few of us had one or two hairy moments descending steeply from Pen Allt-mawr, before walking against the wind along to our turning point down into the Grwyne Fechan valley, where we were suddenly completely sheltered from the near gale and able to sit and eat lunch in a sunny spot. We took the higher of two paths through woods to reach the final mile or so by road back to base. It was a beautiful 13.5 mile walk. The shorter option was a walk along the canal to Llangyndir using towpaths and the Usk Valley walk route, and three of us chose that route and savoured the calm of walking beside water. We all met back at base and enjoyed cake o’clock with tea followed by a delicious merry meal and a good night’s sleep.

Day two found us taking the cars along to the tiny hamlet of Stanton, where we could park near the pub. After a car shuffle, one group split off and climbed up onto the Beacons Way via Llanthony Wood and Garn Wen before taking a tiny path down by a pretty ravine with waterfalls to LLanthony Priory, while some others of us followed lower paths along the side walls of the Vale of Ewyas to the Priory where we all met for lunch. It’s a spectacular ruin and a comfy picnic spot with toilets and a café/bar! Some of us had had enough at that point and were able to return to the bunkhouse and relax, whilst the rest of us followed the Beacons Way back up onto the windy Hatterall Ridge, joining Offa’s Dyke path to return to the cars at Stanton. This walk was about 12 miles in total.

Our final day threatened thunder and even stronger winds, so we all decided to go for a lower level final walk of 8 miles, driving down to Crickhowel once we’d tidied the bunkhouse and packed our stuff. We walked up through the meadows to the Brecon and Monmouth canal and turned in the other direction, towards Gilwern, turning back after 4 miles to retrace our steps. We were in wonderful sunshine with no wind, so this was an enjoyable finish to our long weekend, giving us plenty of time to drive back home before the traffic built up.

Sue Waton

Trip Leader.