Crickhowell, Tretower to Pen Cerrig Calch, Pen Allt-Mawr & Pen Gloch-y-pibwr, Black Mountains

Hi everyone, my first time walking from the Crickhowell / Tretower area, Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons National Park, thoroughly enjoyed this walk. Had a mixture of sun, cloudy, windy rain, hailstones & sleet. All filmed on an Insta360 Ace Pro, purchased a second hand unused one recently, also added a DJI Mic 2 as I was struggling with wind noise on my last videos in the Peak District so hopefully it's now improving. Review Sorry the video is a bit longer than normal Smoggie Tap - see Martin's channel ‪@smoggiewalks578‬ At one point in the video , I say that I think the area is known as the Bryniogs because I saw Bryniog on the app that I was using , but it played on my mind as I'd never heard of it, a Google translate informed me that it's a Welsh word that means "hill or hilly", so I basically said that this area is known as the "hilly hills" area 😂😂, deleted that footage. This will mark one year of posting on YouTube, my first video was on the 6th April 2025, this will be my 65th video One year on YouTube statistics on the day that this video is released Subscribers - 321 Views - 24.6k 0:00/7:24 Tretower to Pen Cerrig-Calch 711 metres 7:25/11:35 Pen Cerrig-Calch to Pen Allt-Mawr 720 metres, inc lunch and time lapse 11:35/14:22 Pen Allt-Mawr descent back to Tretower Crickhowell A small market town in Powys, Wales, located within the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park. Sits on the banks of the River Usk. Famous for its 17th-century stone bridge with 13 arches. Overlooked by the ruins of Crickhowell Castle, dating back to the 13th century. Known for independent shops and its annual Green Man Festival, held nearby at Glanusk Estate. Frequently voted one of the best places to live in Wales. Tretower Court and Castle A beautifully preserved medieval manor house and castle near Crickhowell. Originally a Norman motte-and-bailey castle built in the 12th century. Later converted into a fortified manor house in the 14th–15th centuries. Managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service. Offers an excellent look at how a medieval noble family lived. Pen Cerrig-calch Height: 701 metres (2,300 ft). One of the highest peaks in the Black Mountains range. Popular with walkers for its steep grassy ridges and panoramic views. On a clear day, you can see across to the Brecon Beacons and even into England. Pen Allt-mawr Height: 719 metres (2,359 ft) – the highest point in the Black Mountains (outside of Waun Fach). Known for its dramatic north-facing escarpment. A quieter, less crowded summit compared to other peaks in the area. Offers sweeping views over the Usk Valley. Pen Gloch-y-pibwr Height: 715 metres (2,346 ft). Located along the same ridge as Pen Allt-mawr. Its Welsh name roughly translates to “Top of the Piper’s Rock.” Popular as part of a circular ridge walk from Crickhowell. Offers expansive views over mid-Wales and the English borderlands. The Black Mountains (Brecon Beacons) The Black Mountains form the easternmost range of the Brecon Beacons, stretching along the border between Wales and England. Despite the name, the mountains aren’t actually black. The name likely comes from the dark appearance of the hills in poor weather or dense vegetation. Key facts about the Black Mountains • The highest peak is Waun Fach, standing at 811 metres (2,661 ft). • The range includes dramatic ridges like Hay Bluff and Lord Hereford’s Knob (Twmpa), both offering incredible panoramic views. • The mountains overlook the historic market town of Hay-on-Wye, famous for its bookshops and the Hay Festival. • The area is known for wild ponies, sheep farming, and rare upland wildlife such as red kites and skylarks. • Ancient Iron Age hillforts and medieval routes cross the mountains, showing that people have travelled through the area for thousands of years. The Black Mountains are often quieter and less crowded than the central Brecon Beacons peaks, making them a favourite for walkers looking for remote landscapes, long ridge hikes, and sweeping views across the Welsh countryside. Why the Brecon Beacons are Special From towering peaks and hidden waterfalls to ancient history and some of the darkest skies in Europe, the Brecon Beacons offer one of the most diverse landscapes in the UK. Whether you're hiking up Pen y Fan, exploring the ridges of the Black Mountains, or watching the stars above the Welsh hills, the park is a place where nature, history, and adventure come together. . .