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2024 is the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, so that means only one thing: a long walk in a national park! Black Mountains walks are some of my favourites (not to be confused with the Black Mountain), not least because it’s one of the closest areas of hill and moorland to my home. My Llanthony Priory circular walk began and ended at the Priory, with the halfway point being Gospel Pass to the north. It’s a circular route I had never completed in full before, and though apprehensive, I was looking forward to it! Read on to discover how I prepared for hiking solo in the mountains, how it went and what I learnt from my trip.
Is this the best walk in the Brecon Beacons? You be the judge!
Onwards!
Llanthony Priory History
Llanthony Priory is a 900 year old ruin, nestled in the Vale of Ewyas, on an old route to Hay-on-Wye. With its dramatic arches and evocative ruined walls, history echoes forth from the vaults of time here. An imposing structure up-close, the Priory is soon swallowed by the magnitude of the surrounding landscape. It really does serve as a reminder of humanity’s smallness in the grand scheme of things.
The story of how Llanthony Priory came to be is as follows….
In the 1100s, an armed knight called William de Lacy came looking for peace and quiet, to turn his back on war and forget the fighting he had been involved in. After years spent away at war, here was a man world-weary and ready for change. At Llanthony, he came across a ruined chapel of St David, where he was inspired to cast aside his armour and devote himself to prayer.
What better place to contemplate religion and serve your God, than in the middle of nowhere? It was a site ‘truly suited to the monastic life… in a wilderness far removed from the bustle of mankind’, in the words of Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales) a 12th-century traveller and chronicler.
William built a church, dedicating it to St John the Baptist, which quickly became the first priory in Wales in 1118. The Priory became one of the greatest medieval buildings in the country, with Edward II of Wales even staying there before his murder.
The glory of this house dedicated to God was not to last though, as it gradually fell into disuse, before eventually falling victim to Henry VIII’s ravaging of the monasteries.
And wouldn’t you know? A church dedicated to St David still stands, a charming little country church built on the site of the old medieval infirmary.
These days, this 900-year-old ghost of the past hosts a hotel and small bar. It’s a meeting place for various hikers, a busy place that Gerlad of Wales certainly wouldn’t recognise today. You’d think he would be rather horrified by what it’s become, especially on the busy day I did my walk.
I can’t say I share his horrified viewpoint, because it’s still an area of extraordinary peace and beauty. You just have to walk a little ways to find it now.
AWW Tip: According to those in the know, Llanthony Priory is one of the best areas for dark skies and stargazing in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
A Woman Walks Solo Hiking Summary
Route: Llanthony Priory to Gospel Pass and back again circular route, including Twmpa / Lord Hereford’s Knob, Hay Bluff and part of the Offa’s Dyke National Trail.
Length: 27.5km / 17 miles
Time: 7 hours, 40 minutes (including some content creation, when I forgot to pause my apps!)
Tracking apps used: Komoot & Runkeeper
Weather: Very sunny, windy. Don’t forget to check the weather before you go.
Llanthony Priory carpark:: Free carpark. Head for NP7 7NN, or pop Llanthony Priory into your maps.
What3Words for Llanthony Priory carpark: leopard.bounty.finishers
Facilities: Free loos by the car park (bonus!) and a pub with 10/10 cider – sweet and perfect after a long, hot day. What more could you ask for! There is also a hotel in the Priory grounds and a seasonal campsite. The Priory ruins themselves are free, but there are rules to follow, such as no dogs (except guide dogs). Please respect the rules, as they are there for a reason!
Route score: 8/10 route – a well-trodden route to follow and views for days. Slightly boring on my way back though.
Solo hiking difficulty score: 3/10 – I might be biased because I know the route and area, but it’s a popular route and help is never usually far away should you need it. Map knowledge is useful to ensure you stick to the paths, as is the awareness that at points there is no mobile signal. Make sure you let your loved ones know you’ll be
Pain score: 3/10 from midway point, rising to 9/10 on the final descent. That was my own fault… my knees weren’t ready, and neither were the pads of my feet! Build up to a route like this.
Would I do it again? 10/10 yes – with more water, blister plasters and potentially walking sticks!
How can view the route by clicking on the image below.
Preparing for the Llanthony Priory Route
Proper preparation can really make or break a hike, particularly one of this length, time and magnitude. It’s good to get into a habit of researching and over-preparing, no matter whether you are a novice or an experienced hiker or mountaineer.
Here are the steps I took to prepare for my solo excursion:
- Researched the weather – Having been on annual leave for a week, and it being a bank holiday weekend, I knew I could go on the Friday or Saturday, leaving Sunday and Monday as recovery days. That Saturday was the only dry day, and it looked to be a sunny one (which it definitely turned out to be!) Be aware that weather can be change in an instant in the mountains, no matter what the weather forecast says!
- Picked a route – I referred to how long it would take me to drive to the areas I was interested in and opted for the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. I then looked at my OS maps, before taking a look at Komoot out of interest. I found a nice long route, that I could modify if I wasn’t up for the full shebang. It had been a good few years since I attempted a walk of that length and elevation, so having an ‘escape plan’ is a sound habit I have picked up along the way. What I try to do (which is opposite to what I did here) is to pick a route with options to add on distance if I feel like it. Sometimes a woman has just got to walk!
- Packed my kit the night before – charged my devices (phone, GoPro and portable charging brick) and made a mental note of what I would wear and need to do in the morning. You can always make a physical list to help you if you’re new to hiking or a little groggy in the mornings.
- Got a good night’s sleep – and actually woke up before my alarm for once! If you know, you know!
- Prepared my food – A good old fashioned sandwich and plenty of snacks, including scotch eggs, fruit, nuts, cake and an apple. A long mountain hike is no place for your diet, and even though I tend to eat less on a long walk I always overpack. Remember: Calories are your friend here because you need the strength to persevere.
- Filled up my drinks bottles – 1 water bottle, 1 squash bottle and 1 raspberry Lucozade to replace those lost electrolytes. The more you sweat, the more crucial it is to replace lost salts and electrolytes, to keep your muscles from cramping and to stay hydrated.
- Packed my bag – mostly with all my food and drink! I also took a few bits I knew I would need, which I have listed below.
What I wore for my Llanthony Priory Hike
What you wear for a long hike can truly make or break it for you. The Black Mountains in Wales are not the tallest or most extreme of mountain locations, but should still be treated with extreme caution and proper preparation.
- Sports bra – my comfiest one, which doesn’t chafe or compress my chest too much because I knew I’d be wearing it for a long time.
- Cotton top – I have active wear tops, but I plumped for aesthetics rather than technical gear. I’ve been hiking long enough now to know you don’t need lots of expensive, fancy kit on a walk like this (weather-dependant).
- Windproof Fleece – A mid-layer is crucial in the mountains, as there will be wind. A fleece keeps the wind off and keeps me warm. This is a crucial bot of kit to invest in.
- Hiking trousers – rain resistant (note: that doesn’t mean fully waterproof), with UV protection and plenty of useful pockets for tissues (hayfever sufferer here!). I used the zip pocket on this hike to store small bits of rubbish I picked up on route. A habit I have inherited from my Dad, who was doing it before it became cool.
- Chafe-proof underwear – Nothing fancy, just underwear that I know won’t rub and cause me avoidable issues. Nothing worse than chafing, especially down there! Yes, I learnt that the hard way…
- Two pairs of socks – A thin pair and a pair of proper hiking socks. This is a habit you won’t catch me breaking, two pairs or nothing! In my experience, it helps to move the sweat away from your feet to evaporate, and simultaneously stave off the friction which causes blisters.
- Hiking Boots – Sturdy, waterproof, dependable. These are probably the most expensive boots I’ve owned (from what I recall over £100), and I LOVE them. I’ve worn these before, so they were well worn-in and they stood up well on this hike.
What I took on my solo mountain walk
Like clothing, you need to be prepared with the kit and bits and bobs mountain walks demand. In the mountains, you can never over-prepare.
- My 34L Osprey Tempest backpack – much love to this newest bit of kit! I got this as a gift from my parents for Christmas 2023. I’ve been wanting an Osprey bag since I worked for Cotswold Outdoors in 2016 (8 years ago!) but never had the reason to justify the expense on something I would use periodically at best.
- 3 bottles of liquids – water, blackcurrant squash and a raspberry lucozade (I discovered I loved this flavour on my Welsh 3 Peaks Challenge in 2019.)
- Tonnes of food – I brought most of it back, but better safe than sorry!
- Map – OS Explorer Number # . You will NOT catch me without my ride or die, an OS Explorer map. As a solo hiker I swear by using the good old fashioned methods alongside the apps.
- Portable charger & relevant wires – For recharging both my GoPro (which has terrible battery life for a long walk like this due to my habit of filming mostly everything) and my phone, which the apps drain like cider at the end of a long hike.
- Phone – To stay in touch with loved ones (boyfriend, parents) where signal allows, plus for my tracking apps. I use Runkeeper to track the route and keep tabs on calories burnt (for interests’ sake, but it’s probably not very accurate because I haven’t weighed myself in years!) Komoot is used to track my more ‘hardcore’ and ‘proper walking’ routes, so I can log it for my Hill and Moorland Leader training and share it with you lovely lot! I actually found this Llanthony Priory route on Komoot.
- Suncream – factor 20 for my arms and chest. I probably could have used a higher factor, but it was all I had in the house.
- Tissues – I always need tissues. While I love the freedom of being outdoors, so does my nose, which likes to run as free as me!
- Lip salve – A MUST for the mountains, in my book. Chapped lips can quickly become painful, especially with the sun and wind combination. Reapply as often as needed. My lips were as smooth as a baby’s bottom the day after, but if I had forgotten this small-but-mighty piece of kit they would have been raw and painful.
- Spare change of clothes – I kept these in the car because I know that clean, dry clothes are a treat before a long drive home.
I also took a hayfever tablet before I left home, just in case, but the lack of flowering plants on the mountain meant I wasn’t too worried about this.
What I didn’t take on my Llanthony Priory Walk
As a seasoned pro, I can use my knowledge and preparation to gauge what I can risk leaving behind. That being said, us ‘seasoned pros’ can still learn a thing or two!
- Raincoat – I took my raincoat in the car with me, just in case, but was confident enough in the weather, which I researched beforehand, to opt to leave it behind at the last minute.
- First aid kit, including blisters plasters – ok, my mistake, I should have taken a first aid kit. I bought one for occasions such as this, but didn’t think to take it along. Personally, I’m not a massive fan of blister plasters, but better safe than sorry! Note to self: focus on prevention rather than dealing with the outcome of blisters next time!
- Enough water – I took what I thought would be plenty of water, but could have done with an extra bottle, or preferably a water bladder. The combination of the sun and the wind meant I was rationing my scarce remaining water too much in the final 7-8km. Luckily I had an apple which helped me out a lot! The wind had made my throat rather sore and parched, so this soothed things and made it easier to push ever onwards.
- Walking sticks – It occurred to me on the downhill stretches, particularly the final descent, that I could have brought these with me. It might have made it easier on my knees, so I will consider strapping at least one to my pack next time.
The Black Mountain Circular Route
I know this area well and had the Black Mountains walk I wanted to do in mind. It was a loooong route and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it… but I am a Potter by name, and will potter about by nature!
Armed with my trusty OS map, plenty of snacks, and not quite enough water, I headed out of the car park at around 12pm. Parking was a bit of a nightmare at this popular spot on a bank holiday weekend, and I left home slightly later than I should have.
The route begins with a pretty immediate steep climb up to the ridge way path. Once you hit the top, the trail is easy enough to follow, even though the area itself is rather barren. Of course it’s not barren and is full of life if you care to pay attention, but after the lush rolling countryside, … you get the gist.
I followed the route directly north, passing lots of groups, mostly couples and older solo hikers, out enjoying the mountains in the glorious sunshine.
I ate pretty much on the go, standing up to scoff a sandwich, before I spotted a large group in the distance, headed my way. Not wanting to be caught up in their group, I hurried on.
Passing groups out practicing their mountaineering, I made a beeline for Twmpa, a favourite peak of mine. It’s much more accessible (from a hiking perspective) from Gospel Pass carpark if you just want the views without the distance. The view here is spectacular, with the ridgeline dropping off almost sheerly to a vast swathe of Welsh borderland. Miniature people scurry about below, and scale models of farms are scattered amongst the fields, as if thrown like a handful of dice. As you can tell, it brings out the poet in me.
This is an area you will want to linger in. Fortunately enough, you follow this view along, up, down and up again to Hay Bluff, you get your fill. By this point your feet will have started rubbing and you’re ready to turn back along Offa’s Dyke and begin the second half of the walk towards your car (or is that just me?)
At this point, my feet were rubbing and it was quickly becoming apparent that the heat and my lingering to look at the view meant I was lacking in fluids. If you’ve retreated up to the mountains before on sunny days, then you’ll know what thirsty work it is, with a constant wind blowing to parch your throat and the sun sapping your sweat away from you almost as quickly as that wind snatches it from your body. All in all, not the greatest of experiences when one is parched.
Luckily, I had an emergency apple, in my bag. I have a habit of carrying an apple about, with aspirations to consume said apple, but it usually becomes too bruised and busted and ends up in the bin. A well-travelled, if futile piece of fruit. In this case, it really came in handy as a substitute drink. The humble apple has never tasted better.
Back to the route though, and let me tell you, that final stretch of the walk was brutal. This stretch of Offa’s Dyke goes on and on, along a ridge that barely changes, with no discernible landscape features and relatively devoid of points of interest.
The same could be said, I suppose, for the first half of the walk, but you know how it is when you’re feeling fresh and fit.
Apart from the feeling of being slightly parched, possibly burnt, and certain the bottoms of my feet were now one big agonising blister, I soldiered nobly on. Mostly due to the fact I didn’t really have a choice (aside from mountain rescue) and I have the stubbornness of a mule when it comes to completing stamina-based challenges. I have come to realise I like the pain when there’s something to achieve, and for me it’s in this context and this context only: for the views.
Am Sagittarius, must move constantly and consistently.
The feeling of relief when the pub finally hove into view was short-lived when I realised that my knees, at this point, weren’t exactly keen on the downhill situation. It was, in fact, excruciating.
This was the first long walk since the physio had signed me off her books after a double knee injury at the beginning of the year, and the first really long walk I’d done in years. By this point, my body was wracked with pain.
I can now empathise with the elderly, for I have (temporarily) been one of them!
I won’t quickly forget the pain on that downhill section. My knees were inflamed and the pads of my feet felt like walking on hot coals. My effort to descend with as little knee-bending as possible flip-flopped between tiny straight-legged steps and sideways crab movements. That final stretch took forever, and was agony, but cider was calling!
If you fancy looking on the sunny side in this situation, my body will be more able to handle a longer distance next time before the pain starts… small mercies, I guess. And no pain, no gain as they say!
Llanthony Priory Hotel Cellar Bar
The Llanthony Priory pub, known as the Llanthony Priory Hotel, is situated within the confines of the Priory ruins, ready for outdoorsy-types and paranormal enthusiasts alike (I made that last one up). While I’ve never stayed in the hotel, since its an easy drive from my house, the bar situated underground is a must-visit after a day in the Black Mountains. They serve food (though check the kitchen opening times), small souvenirs, walking books of the area, and joy of joys, alcohol!
I opted for a half pint of the first cider I saw on tap (apologies for not making a note of the name) and hobbled back up the steep steps to enjoy my well-earned drink in the ruins themselves. The sweetest cider and a view I hold dear was absolutely divine. I grew up walking in this area, and it will always hold a soft spot for me. It’s so unique, and rightfully popular with hikers and mountain bikers.
And that cider! Much to my regret, I knew better than to commit to a full pint after a day walking in the sun and before a long drive home. More to my regret was my decision to stop in a service station for food as opposed to ordering something to devour there and then. There is no mobile signal at Llanthony Priory, and I knew my boyfriend was already slightly concerned about me (in general, not just my love for long hikes in non-serviced areas). It wasn’t until 11pm in the closest service station to my house that I was able to find food-based salvation in the form of Burger King. I could have planned that better!
(It occurs to me now, as I’m writing this, that I didn’t check if the bar at Llanthony has wifi… silly me.)
All in all, it was a wonderful day
Conclusion
What have I learnt from this, as a seasoned hiker?
- More water… always, always more water. Maybe I’ll invest in a water bladder to go with my shiny new Osprey backpack 🤔
- My body won’t always play ball if I haven’t trained for it. Yes, I knew that would likely happen, and yes I still took the risk. It’s my favourite type of pain, after all!
- Buy the food at the pub. Always buy the food!
These days Llanthony Priory is not always a place for quiet contemplation, with hordes of hikers descending year-round, but if you arrive early or venture out later, you can find peace, solitude and solace amongst the rolling peaks and open vistas. With the vast sky opening out above you, propped up by the surrounding mountains, whether you’re after clear sunny skies or starry ones, Llanthony Priory won’t disappoint.
Did you know? The ruins of Llanthony attracted J.M.W. Turner, who painted the area in 1794. If you’ve visited, then I’m sure you can agree that he *may* have used poetic license here slightly!
You can view his painting on the Tate website here.
Have you done this route, or want to tackle it? Let me know in the comments! 💚