Grwyne Fawr Reservoir- 32miles, 52km

The Black Mountains classic, this is a genuine black route reaching heights of 700m with very open hill country. The route takes you out of Talgarth straight up to the top of Y Dâs, a climb of about 550m, of which about 250m is a push and carry. Once at the top you have a great descent all the way past Grwyne Fawr Reservoir and down to Mynydd Du Forest. You then make your way through the forest and along country lanes. Beware of the very steep descent past the church at Ffynon Ishow. There is an opportunity for refreshments at Llanbedr village, when the pub is open, before the climb back up to the “cairn” at the ridge top at Pen Trumau. The descent is a flyer down a smooth grassy track. Watch out for horses and walkers and give way to them. The return to Talgarth takes you along lanes and tracks with one last ferocious climb to the base of Castell Dinas.

The route can be ridden in the reverse direction, but the descent of Y Dâs is very tricky and requires great expertise.

O/S Ref: GR154 338
Explorer OL12 & Explorer OL13