The Black Mountains

HIEGHT: 677m/2221ft

LOCATION: 3miles south of Hay-on-Wye

DIFFICULTY: Easy, ~650ft ascent

WALK: About 1.5m, round trip

Hay Bluff is a large wedge of a mountain overlooking the pretty town of Hay-on-wye, on the Wales/England border. The border actually runs across the back of the mountain, and the Offa’s Dyke Path follows its route. It is the northernmost tip of the Black mountains, so the views to the north are spectacular on a clear day. To the west you have an excellent view of Twmpa, and in the distance, the Brecon Beacons. The mountain is very popular with hangliding enthusiasts.

The Walk

This is an easy walk as there is a large parking area on the road from Hay-on-wye. To find it from Hay-on-wye, follow road signs to Capel y Ffin, and you can’t exactly miss it. This road actually goes between Hay Bluff and Twmpa, via the Gospel pass, and all the way on to Abergavenny. From the parking spot (next to the stone circle on the map) there is a path on the other side of the road that goes straight up the mountain for about half its height, and then veers right once the gradient become steeper, thus allowing for a more gradual ascent. You can get from the bottom to the top and back again in about an hour.

Map

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Pictures of Hay Bluff

• The path up the mountain
• Hay Bluff
• The view to the north