A circular walk featuring Hay Bluff and Lord Hereford's Knob

It was my turn to decide on a birthday walk for one of my walking friends today. As it was a surprise, I didn’t want to do something too obvious, so decided to pick up the ladies in Crickhowell and drive the stunning route up through Llanbedr Valley, past Llanthony and then on through Gospel Pass to the bottom of Hay Bluff. Even the fog this morning didn’t last too long and the views were spectacular towards Hay-on-Wye and beyond.

We set off straight up Hay Bluff, a good steep ascent up to the trig point where you can enjoy fabulous views of the Wye Valley and the hills and mountains of mid-Wales. From there we headed South West and gently descended to Gospel Pass, crossing the road and climbing steeply at first. The gradient then eases and it was easy to reach the summit of Twmpa, otherwise known as Lord Hereford’s Knob.

Having taken in the views from the cairn at the top, we descended and eventually met the quiet and picturesque lane, which lead us back to our car. From there, one could easily continue driving and stop in Hay-on-Wye for a coffee or lunch and then carry on via Llangorse and back to Gliffaes.

All in all, this circular walk is about 6 miles long with two steep ascents and takes approximately 3 hours.

The drive from Gliffaes via Llanthony takes about 50 minutes. Coming back from Hay-on-Wye via Llangorse takes about 30 minutes. If you would like to do the walk when you are at Gliffaes we will be happy to mark up your map for you and give you more detailed instructions.

Book your Brecon Beacons escape

Gliffaes Country House Hotel is nestled in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. We’ve created a useful guide of local attractions and activities here, containing information on walks, things to do, local shopping and places to visit, which you can use to help map out your visit to the Brecon Beacons.

If you’re looking for a place to enjoy a fresh, locally-sourced lunch, dinner or afternoon tea, or somewhere comfortable to stay the night, our friendly country house hotel is the perfect base for your Brecon Beacons break.