Trail Running > Routes > Brecon Beacons Routes > Carn Pica & Waun Rydd
A 12 km trail run to one of the Brecon Beacons’ most understated and impressive peaks, featuring fantastic 360-degree views.
Why run this trail?
This route is a real beauty — a mix of excellent fell running and sublime views on one of the quieter frontiers of the Brecon Beacons. The summits of Carn Pica and Waun Rydd may not make the headlines but they’re significant in their own right. Rising to almost 800 metres, these peaks provide a stiff challenge for runners chasing solitude and big skies.
A short tour of the Waun Rydd plateau offers constantly shifting views across the Black Mountains, Pen y Fan and the central Beacons, as well as the rolling forests of the Taf Fechan valley. The scattered remains of a crashed WWII Wellington Bomber add a poignant touch to the middle section of the run.
To close the show, there’s an exciting descent from the peak of Allt Lwyd that drops you back to the picturesque Talybont Reservoir — a perfect spot to relax and enjoy some well-earned refreshments after your run.
Talybont Reservoir to Twyn Du
Starting out from the small car park on the western shore of Talybont Reservoir, the route heads north on the lane for 100 m before crossing a bridge over the river of Nant Tarthwynni. Just beyond, a bridleway leads left through a gate, before quickly veering right to follow the line of the road over a succession of fields.
The path skirts a large farmhouse and passes some barns before reaching another gate and turning left onto a stony trail. The climbing starts immediately up a steep slope amongst the trees. This is the first real leg-tester of the day, with some very steep sections that set the tone for what is to come.
Eventually the gradient eases and the trail emerges onto the bracken-clad lower slopes of Twyn Du. The rapid gain in altitude offers great views back down to the reservoir and the bald dome of Tor y Foel looming over it.
Twyn Du to Carn Pica
Twyn Du (533 m) is a broad, flattened ridge with a clearly defined track running dead centre between a carpet of heather and mountain shrubs. After the shock of the initial climb, it was a joy to run an easy couple of kilometres, the imposing bulk of Carn Pica inching closer under the dazzling September sunshine.
Hitting the base of Carn Pica (756 m) brings any notion of an easy ride to an abrupt end. There’s no two ways about it – this really is a wall. A twisting staircase of flagstones climbs relentlessly, the final 300m up to the summit averaging out at a savage 35% gradient.
The rewards at the top are obvious: stunning views across to the entire Black Mountains to the east and the immediate vicinity of Talybont below. The elaborate beehive cairn – honouring the spot of a Bronze Age burial mound – is the perfect place to pause and contemplate just how high you have climbed in such a short distance.
Carn Pica to Waun Rydd
Although some 13 metres higher than Carn Pica, the summit of Waun Rydd (769 m) is far less dramatic. A nondescript scattering of stones marks the top amid a boggy plateau, reached via an easy kilometre of running northwest from the Carn Pica cairn.
What it lacks in spectacle, it makes up with an amazing panorama. The views of Corn Du, Pen y Fan and Cribyn are nothing short of incredible. I paused to take photos, amazed by the clarity of each detail rendered in the mountains, seemingly within touching distance.
Waun Rydd to WWII Crash Site
From Waun Rydd it’s a short hop to the junction of paths at Bwlch y Ddwyallt, where a narrow track contours just below the summit with views of the Graig Fan Las ridge across the valley.
The winding trail soon reaches a memorial cairn and the remains of a crashed WWII Wellington Bomber — its wreckage still strikingly well-preserved in two distinct piles on the mountainside. It’s a sobering yet fascinating landmark in an otherwise wild and peaceful setting.
WWII Crash Site to Allt Lwyd
From the crash site, a short scramble up the lip of a gully leads to the ridge of Cwar y Gigfran. Following the rocky ridgeline, the path climbs towards a well-placed cairn offering expansive views of the Taf Fechan Valley and the forests around Torpantau.
Heading east, the onward route to Allt Lwyd (653 m) is unmissable – its grassy spine provides an easy navigational aid. After a short, steep section of descent it’s a gently undulating run to the final summit of the day.
Allt Lwyd to Talybot Reservoir
After the higher ground that precedes it, Allt Lwyd might seem like an anticlimax, yet it’s still an impressive perch with sweeping views across the Usk Valley and down to the reservoir below.
If you enjoy fast descents, the finale won’t disappoint — a steep 2.5 km drop that sheds altitude at an average 19% gradient. The upper slopes are flagstoned and winding, which may be good news or bad depending on the ground conditions.
I smiled knowingly at the odd hiker puffing their way up as I flitted past, content in the knowledge that I’d taken more than my fair share of climbing licks for the day, thank you very much!
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Disclaimer
All routes and GPX files are provided as a guide only. Conditions, rights of way, and landmarks may change. Always carry an up‑to‑date map and use your own judgement. See the Trail Run Disclaimer page for details.