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Name:Bryn Arw
Hill number:2274
Height:385m / 1263ft
RHB Section:32A: Llandovery to Monmouth
Nuttall/Wainwright area:Black Mountains
County/UA:Monmouthshire [Sir Fynwy]
Catchment:Usk, Catchment Boundaries, Wye
Class:Marilyn, Hump, Tump (300-399m), Clem
(Ma,Hu,Tu,3,Cm)
Grid ref:SO 30157 20703
Summit feature:two large half-buried stones
Drop:161m
Col:223.5m  SO 2918 2039  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 161
(1:25k) OL13S
Observations:ground 20m W at SO 30136 20707 is of similar height; ground 500m SSE at SO 30294 20221 is 1m lower
Comments:Replaces hill 2275 as Marilyn
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Logged Descriptions  (logged by 294 users)ByDate of Ascent
Parked in small layby to the W at SO 31140 19791. Followed the lane/ driveway to the footpath and up the steep path NW to the top. Lots of gorse, but had a good wander round. Also went along the ridge to the S some way. Good views of the Skirrid and Sugar Loaf.Droplet749427/03/2024
Rob5026/03/2024
Combined with revisit to Skirridwoodse16/03/2024
Ben Rinnes01/02/2024
After Sugar Loaf with Shaky from the small car park near Fro. Visibility at car park was about 25 yards & no better on summit. Back down road towards Bettws & up track past Rhyd-Ianau. Used permissive path mentioned by others. Over stile on L about 25m into the third field & up to corner, turned R along path slanting across slope. After a short distance, a smaller path then leads up through bracken initially to the broad ridge - no gorse bashing. Found summit buried in gorse with GPS help but the mist made several other locations look just as high. Back the same way.NotReallyABagger29/01/2024
Parked at (free) NT car park to NE of Sugar Loaf. Picked up the Cambrian Way to the top of Sugar Loaf, then SE down through the Parc Lodge oak woodland to Bettws and the Bryn Arw ridge and hp. Lovely autumn colours across the valley in the woods in the Coed y Cerrig NNR. Showery start but clearing up later. With Gillian.richard6904/11/2023
Up to ridge from Bettws then along to summit.JGC21/09/2023
From Sugar Loaf CP just N of Bettws. Road to upper Bettws leads to Permissive path not marked on OS 161, which cuts out dogleg when going round to NW end of ridge where a good path, again unmarked, leads to summit. Central top is almost same height, but SE top appears much lower, despite spot height marked on map.IanHHill16/09/2023
Martyn114/09/2023
Glenysj2114/09/2023
AlanD10/09/2023
Stickman03/09/2023
3 x peaks with Peggy 8.5mdavecnash02/07/2023
TedCymru09/11/2022
rickeeling25/09/2022
Parked at Fro car park then down road and left up farm track, up round to ridge and follow ridge south and loop back to startTribal2er14/07/2022
Revisit from 2005 … solo run from The Crown and back to Abergavenny via Sugar Loaf …milejunkie05/05/2022
On a 2 Marilyn, 16 mile Bank Holiday circuit from Abergavenny station. From the old summit, a pleasant stroll along the ridge. Dropped off to the NW down to Old Coalpit, then decided to do an unplanned reascent of the Sugarloaf.thesweetcheat18/04/2022
Path up from near Upper Betws Farm which features new direct up route. Along ridge to other tops that look higher and then descent via Middle Betws, leaping over an adder while running down. Hot, shirtless evening ascent!davechaffey16/04/2022
eddieh15/04/2022
richwales01/04/2022
From Forest Coal Pit car park. A 2.6mile circuit. Along the road slightly East, then take first track, follow the track up to the top farm at 295203, just past there a permissive path leads straight up through the field. Left over a stile then along the top of a field to a gate leading to the open land. Up tracks to meet the path going up onto the ridge. Along the ridge. Found the summit in the gorse, not to bad at this time of year. Then along the ridge to meet a track descending directly down to Middle Betws farm. Note the public right of way has been diverted here around the top of the farm, but well marked. Down to the road then back to the car park. 1hr 15 for the circuit. A pleasant round.JulieB21/03/2022
O Maes Parcio Y Fro.sionbrit07/03/2022
Visited here twice today. The second time straight from Sugar Loaf as I had nagging doubts about not having gone over the gorse summit area thoroughly enough.Alex C14/02/2022
Returned here a few hours after the first visit just to make double certain of where exactly the high point is located.Twice Shy14/02/2022
From Fro, out and back. Just had time after AA man fixed van with cable ties. Drove home after. Cloudy, some sunshine, tiny shower, tops clear. Rounsfell12/02/2022
Clach Liath09/02/2022
From Stanton Manor Farm as I thought Fro car park might be full on a Sunday. I do not recommend this route. There is no path to the summit and you have to wade through acres of bracken and briar which would be virtually impossible in summer. The tales of summit gorse have, however, been exaggerated. There are a few yards of knee-deep gorse with a little path through it.Wycombe Wanderer16/01/2022
bladeblaster15/01/2022
SOTAmike.hartley09/01/2022
baerrito28/11/2021
Nick Canute14/10/2021
From Fro c/p. Summit area very heavily covered in gorse - not good with shorts on! Certainly got to the HP.DanMaisieBex29/08/2021
geralddavison30/07/2021
Used Fro car park for short walk incl. Sugar Loaf. Arrived at 9am on Sunday and was first car there, but car park was full when arriving back at 12:30. A bit cloudy, but still some lovely views.JazDisney06/06/2021
Parked in Fro and after Sugar loafStevooo05/06/2021
ketzster28/04/2021
Ascended from the small nature reserve car park on Cwm Road via Forest Coal Pit piggery.Rob Rees03/04/2021
from fro cp via upper bettws farm permisive path 2954 2026 acyive badger sett 2961 2034 with cage traps ready !! paths through trash walk all ridge high spots return same wayunderhill26/11/2020
Slept overnight in the camper van at the quiet NT car park on the road between Forest Coal Pit and Bettws. From here we enjoyed a lovely stroll along well maintained grass paths through the bracken, heather,and gorse to Sugar Loaf and Bryn Awr. Very hot. The last day of summer?summitter22/09/2020
From Coed-y-Cerig nature reserve car park, then along ridge to middle and souther (old marilyn) summit and return. Really pleasant and easy walk.Neil Midgley17/09/2020
From Upper Bettws via access road then path through fields over several styles. Bracken awaits, initially thick over path, then nice cleared section up ridge. Summit gorse a pain. Great viewsN.Morters26/08/2020
AHP08/08/2020
From Twyn y Gaer, round lanes and up from W. Took path R from gate, up to large tree in wall then L goes near summit.amarillo-oro-como22/03/2020
Parked at Coed-y-cerrig nature reserve, followed the boardwalk and then track through the woodlands up onto the high ground. Continued along grassy pathway to ridge line which I then followed all the way. Summit rocks buried by gorse but miniature cairn has been created as close as possible to them. Good time of year to summit as there is no need to battle through bracken. Enjoyable day out!Gerry the Ranger20/03/2020
siabod16/03/2020
Andy West07/03/2020
Ultima Thule08/02/2020
I ran up from the minor road near the bird reserve. I ran over the boardwalk and the took a muddy path up onto the open hill. I followed a good path through the bracken to close to the summit. It was then a case of getting cut and scratched as I waded through the gorse to the high point. Not enjoyable. I then headed over the middle summit to the old summit along a decent path. Views were great in the cold sunny weather with still some snow on the Black Mountains. Time taken 50 minutes for just over 4 miles.isabelle10/11/2019
Alan Faulconbridge12/10/2019
Short evening walk up from Bettws in the valley to the west via footpaths then through a sea of ferns.With Ryan and Dani.JOHNS28/09/2019
Clachaig14/09/2019
beckybags06/09/2019
A Peckish06/09/2019
Barry Smith26/08/2019
From Coed y Cerrig nature reserve car park, along the boardwalk, then up through the woodland footpaths onto the bracken covered slopes on the north side of the hill. Walked a little way south along the west side then southeast up to the northern summit area on well-maintained paths through the bracken. I didn’t fancy wading through the gorse to find the two stones, so made do with the path side, which is more or less as high.Mariana Trench21/07/2019
From Forest Coal Pit car park, via Upper Bettws Farm.NormanW21/07/2019
abbo000101/04/2019
TeasyChris23/02/2019
mcallmar22/02/2019
From the good parking at Y Fro (SO 292200), via the tarmac road to Rhyd-lanau and on towards Upper Bettws . Path going back N from SO 298200 was unclear and unsigned - found a way up through two fields to an unmapped ruin at SO 300201, then a thin path up to the summit. There was a signed gate ('route to hill') at about SO 296202 - I met a man from SOTA on the summit who had used this path - he said it was steep and slippery - I tried to locate it for the way down, but without success, encountering a well defended wall bounding the intake area, which forced me back to the unmapped ruin and back down through the same two fields.Isbjorn16/11/2018
Car park at Fro was rammed so we parked by the phone box at SO285211. Up Sugar Loaf, down through Bettws and traversed the ridge of Bryn Arw to ensure we visited all possible tops.Geoff Briggs28/10/2018
needanewdog28/10/2018
3/5 Marilyn day. Revisit to the Sugar Loaf to bag it in my Marilyn round. Went on to summit Bryn Arw, a new peak for me. Altogether a 11km walk taking 3 hours.silveracorn_alan27/10/2018
whiskybottle21/10/2018
doneoutlawcatcher10/10/2018
ngthack15/08/2018
From the north. Path detours to the west then ascends the west ridge. North face is defended by hawthorn, bracken and brambles.Topographer5713/08/2018
KeithByTheC17/06/2018
phil10117/06/2018
A lovely walk from the Duck car park. Easy boardwalks over interesting pools and bogs convey you to the bridleway up through trees, then onto a footpath cutting back towards the hill, then lovely grassy paths up the hill, just follow your nose. Superb views all the way.Gill28/01/2018
Nice walk along the ridge from the Old GR point. Descended northwards down a nice woodland path to the road. Solo.Dangerous Dave20/01/2018
Dusty26/12/2017
nickywood127/11/2017
TopshamLad01/11/2017
dhulmes28/10/2017
Swindon Bagger21/10/2017
A walk along the ridge from the NT car park on a very warm dayLou14/10/2017
From Nature Reserve car park to the north.Winterfloodian08/10/2017
From Bettws. Good views and a nice ridge.twg2717/09/2017
From camp site in Pandy to Stanton and came at it from north west where the bracken was a struggle to get through till I met better path coming from Forest Coal Pit to summit. Then went along ridge to southern tops just in case. Onto Sugar Loaf.dgresty12/09/2017
iainwalton23/08/2017
Looking for Dartford warblershill_walker16/08/2017
Was going to park at the NT car park at Fro, but there were 4 shifty looking lads there, so parked at Old Coalpit. Followed paths all the way to top. Found the two buried stones and then went to middle top and old top. I got slightly higher readings on middle top, than current top. Good views.PeterD21/05/2017
Via Forest Coal Pit and return via Middle Bettws. Also visited the 'old top' in case of future differential tectonic uplift.summitsup18/04/2017
From ford at Stanton Manor Farm but headed past hill and doubled back from west. PLenty gorse to hide the summit but found the rocks! Returned by a higher path.SS16/04/2017
MM15/04/2017
Tony Wilson25/03/2017
From Twyn y Gaer, headed south and then followed a path up the west ridge.Wheelsy18/02/2017
Parked at Fro, walked over Bryn Arw, lunch at The Crown in Pantygelli, walked back to car via summit of Sugar Loaf. Cold, cloudy December day with a little sunshine.clyoung03/12/2016
Berkscire87428/10/2016
Parked at space at ford near Stanton Manor Farm, then just headed up the track that continued from this farm. Pleasant stroll up except for the soaking from the soggy bracken. Good views from summit. Company: Soloiandesbottes17/10/2016
Circular route from Bettws churchliljonb08/09/2016
#604 - From the NT carpark. Give this one a miss until the nettles, ferns, gorse etc have died back! New permissive path is a joke!tim74710/07/2016
GmacT07/07/2016
elizyanne07/07/2016
From NT car park. Overcast, warm, calm and good views.iangalbraith06/07/2016
Parked in NT car park to SW, looped round to walk ridge from N to S on a hot day.Cas-gwent06/06/2016
aul-fogie21/04/2016
Bruckner709/04/2016
Nirobi9931/03/2016
M0JCQ18/03/2016
6/7 AsSteveSmith straightforward ascent. Visuted all 3 hugh spots super views over to Sugarloaf.stig_nest11/03/2016
From National Trust carpark to the west of the hill and ascended via Upper Bettws Farm. With Catherine.islamidget24/01/2016
David S17/01/2016
Same start point as Sugar Loaf at SO 29224 20042, small car park north of Bettws. Straight up from Rhyd-lanau via newly signposted path (SO 29535 20273)cutting out the dog leg. Direct approach from open access land as fern died back in January. Probably easier to stick to marked paths at other times of year. Circular return via 383m spot height then down via Middle Bettws. Unfortunately missed Bryn Arw (Old Grid Ref) by continuing a little further south along summit ridge from spot height.mntainman06/01/2016
From Forest Coal Pit car park we took the path around Middle Bettws and up the slope. Pleasant walk on top which took about 80 minutes with GB.bolton26/11/2015
Small NT car park 1km SE of Forest Coal Pit at SO29226 20042 – SE down road to Middle Bettws entrance – Followed the signposted diversion of the PRW which leads up to Access Land – Up to large cairn on ridge & then north along ridge to embedded summit stones located in an area of gorse. (PM)gerrybowes26/11/2015
Tom Mundell21/11/2015
Iona21/11/2015
Solo circuit from Abergavenny over Sugar Loaf, Bryn Arw and Ysgyryd Fach. Stick to the marked paths - far too much bracken otherwise. Ascended from Rhyd-lanau, descended via Cwm Brynarw (watch the map closely).Mark Jackson29/10/2015
doddy12/10/2015
From the same parking place we used for Sugar Loaf - proper car park at SO 292200. Watch for landowners preferred signposted permissive route turning off the track at SO 2955 2026, much better than going the long way round. It took 30 mins to reach the summit from the CP for an enjoyable SOTA session on VHF.G4OBK (Phil)17/08/2015
Parked at Duck sign and took boardwalk east to footpath then followed dbb's directions.Lionel Bidwell12/06/2015
Susan Bidwell12/06/2015
LizH12/06/2015
PeterAH12/06/2015
As per 2275. Nice hill.Ramblingpaul03/06/2015
From Fro CP (292199), good enough field-paths to Forest Coal Pit then onto Bryn Arw, a fine high ridge, via the W Ridge, down the S ridge, to the Crown at Pant-y-Gelli. First part of a wonderful walk, after the pub stop we went over Sugar Loaf. With Pete, my brother. Fine, clear day.pwheeler03/05/2015
PhilipChaston18/04/2015
hughbagger16/04/2015
trimarc201/04/2015
1/6 First of long day a quick hop up from the village of Pennyclawd along established tracksFergalh25/01/2015
From the north like signyred and dbb, then along to south top and back on flanking path on east side. Nice little hill.milimana24/01/2015
TREBORK14/12/2014
SteveG17/10/2014
JohnStoneham02/08/2014
katec01/08/2014
G0HIO29/07/2014
Crumblie202/06/2014
With Stuart and Mike. Climbed after The Gaermike.hoult20/05/2014
Philsidwell11/05/2014
wintergreen24/04/2014
Crawford Lindsay24/04/2014
Ascended after Sugar loaf via Rhyd Lanau. After a snooze on the top, walked around the south of Deri to car via Sunny vale. Only saw one other person, a farmer cutting his hedge down and looking rather sheepish about it.mindlessflogger16/04/2014
davefh06/04/2014
Parked like dbb at SO 2965 2126 from which a good path zig zags up to open hillside but better parking is available further west by Ducks sign and start of boardwalk. My GPS read 384m at north top, 387m at middle top (SO 30285 20201)which was once the highest point acc to Dawson) and 383m at south top so I'm not sure the N top is the highest! Good views; nice little hill.signyred18/03/2014
carole engel18/10/2013
sjhoffmann29/08/2013
From Queens Head pub to make a walk of it, along Cwm Coedycerrig road, signed path zig zag to open ground. Should have then taken path due south a bit further and NOT the marked bridleway before zig zag up hill. Snow foot deep so struggled.dicky31/03/2013
govanah25/01/2013
tallscottishguy25/01/2013
Start: nr Forest Coal Pit after descending from Sugar Loaf. Notes: Ascended via Rhyd Lanau and High Bettws and then direct to summit. Descended via pt 383 to Crossways.raffemeister17/12/2012
Tony Rogers19/11/2012
Dee Rogers19/11/2012
Anton31/08/2012
softsquare09/07/2012
asbown26/05/2012
Bagged this one in a 9 mile circular with Sugar Loaf that we had done previously in 2006.DanTrig06/05/2012
Wild campstatic26613/03/2012
Great views from the top.Tracey28/01/2012
bowlesy06/11/2011
With Tony and DevonStuart Hyde22/10/2011
Tony S12/10/2011
nicolajane27/09/2011
salen31/07/2011
OtisGlenford24/07/2011
otis.laws24/07/2011
Moorponder22/07/2011
Ruth11/06/2011
m1eyp31/05/2011
Up through bracken from the North West, then straight down East through the bracken from the southern peak. Got caught in two showers, but otherwise great day.huwthomas22/05/2011
From same CP as Sugar Loaf - followed track and path to summitnordicstar22/05/2011
Parked at SO 29653 21238. Good path SW to T jct at SO 29302 20873. Left up track and over stile to open country; right up field edge to apex at 29533 20759, then good path to top.dbb08/05/2011
tomandivy06/05/2011
jenx01/05/2011
Small car park on minor road to N at SO 29316 21162. Took boardwalk through wood to track. Followed track east then back west. Turned right (S) at public footpath then left up west ridge on good path. Summit is two half buried stones in gorse/heather.David Gradwell22/04/2011
salen09/12/2010
interloper16/10/2010
TK16/09/2010
Smog15/09/2010
Fnackapan15/09/2010
Pleasant walk up from Bettws, via track on map onto gentle ridge with three summits. The N top is the highest.Aye Jimmy01/09/2010
pererin17/03/2010
russf6915/03/2010
PGCE22/12/2009
a pain to get off with no access through the fileds on the west side of the mountain. had to retrace my strides back to the old coal pit?jonathanwilliam17/12/2009
jonglew17/12/2009
Edwin Gradwell27/10/2009
BrianMatthews21/10/2009
thenomad27/09/2009
Brainer12/09/2009
maknipe11/07/2009
boxblade02/06/2009
johnabutler209/04/2009
Steve Q21/11/2008
From W. Well defended by bracken and ferns. Are tracks but often sheep ones. Easier to find tracks on way down.destaylor20/10/2008
AndyS17/10/2008
Alan Whatley16/10/2008
Followed Gerald Peck's route for this reasonable hill from NW.Dugswell219/09/2008
the footpath up along the cwm coedycerrig was quite over grown with vegetation, a nice hill with a good path along its spinehodder22/08/2008
Accessed from north after downpour. What a battle. No path, head high ferns. Was like going through a carwash without a car. Found path on way down - always the way eh.Father Ted18/08/2008
up from west - very poor access as noted by previous visitors - lacking in footpaths in places and humongous brackengigglejon15/08/2008
Ascended from Bettws. Headed on to re-ascend Sugar Loaf. Perfect weather and views.JohnW02/08/2008
Owen B11/07/2008
Pleasent stroll, views to Sugar Laof and Table mountain.rhalstead01/06/2008
mae20/04/2008
Round of Sugar Loaf and Bryn Arw from Forest Coal Pit.Eddie09/04/2008
andrew brown26/01/2008
fortyniner12/12/2007
do not attempt this from the east side the bracken was eight feet high and inpenitrable.park in the carpark on the west side and you only have 300m of bracken.this was my 2nd attemptDARRENG12/11/2007
richtea504017/10/2007
Martin R16/06/2007
Lindsay M06/06/2007
Janet M06/06/2007
With Da192103/06/2007
chriswatson20/04/2007
clivevilla06/04/2007
GeoffC15/03/2007
with Anthonyvegibagger26/01/2007
bertbarnett12312/11/2006
alda11/11/2006
Alison R11/11/2006
SOTA activationIan G7KXV07/11/2006
danpquinn14/10/2006
Adrian12/08/2006
Kiltie07/08/2006
Unmarked scrub covered flat top; plumped for a half-buried stone for summitwebmaster29/07/2006
With urw - bracken fest but made it!DavidGMould29/07/2006
chrisbien25/05/2006
salen11/05/2006
stevent080909/04/2006
RobertP02/04/2006
Campbell Singer19/12/2005
ras5207/12/2005
johnbarnard2523/10/2005
Fletch23/10/2005
Buteobuteo22/10/2005
dochart11129/08/2005
ajwxyzt27/08/2005
DanKanaris20/08/2005
milejunkie01/08/2005
Keri01/08/2005
Did along with Sugarloaf. Parked @ SO292200 and went down trak past farm. Tried to cut up through chest high bracken but lost path. Visited the 2 higher tops. Saw no one- I wonder why! Not my favourite hill.robphys18/06/2005
David Bell24/05/2005
PM26/04/2005
Laurel12/04/2005
Rowan12/04/2005
Tony J28/03/2005
jimbloomer22/09/2004
From the west up a track and a path around the north of the hill. The heathery summit was reached. Straight down back to the carChinnockC16/08/2004
salen05/08/2004
Jon F22/07/2004
David Rawden02/04/2004
Man of Kernow101/03/2004
Tricky06/12/2003
petey04/10/2003
With: solo; Parked in car park at SO292200. Followed the track round then a heavily overgrown path with head high bracken and bramble. It was a hot day today and this was awful! I visited the old S top. It was slightly better. Climb in winter!Ian Baines06/09/2003
kanderson02/08/2003
peterstanding12/07/2003
Jim.Fothergill02/07/2003
Sprog22/04/2003
petesimpson05/01/2003
BaggerGutt01/12/2002
ianwatson16/11/2002
ARC19/10/2002
Colin Crawford23/09/2002
Minto11/07/2002
Jim T08/07/2002
Galltywenallt06/07/2002
chalky195323/03/2002
Used the nature reserve car park on the minor road to the north. Then via an overgrown path to the open hill and then the top. Cloud started to lift on the way down.garyhoney16/03/2002
RichardM08/12/2001
Denise 08/12/2001
morgs4mountains04/01/2001
iaindbrown23/10/2000
andrew.allum01/01/2000
Halfdecent00/00/2000
Sherlock28/08/1999
On farm track 750' up to common land. Covered in dead bracken and gorse.arranc26/03/1999
Calico04/03/1999
Revisit to do the moved by 1km correct top at end of Bryn Awr having climbed the south top when that was thh marilyn on 16/12/1994.Slept in car at Crickhowell then after brekfast in Cliff Richard themed cafe !), did a 5 and half hour circular walk from Langorse linking five marilyns -often through slippery mud - heavy going.Then car to add easy ascent of Tor y Foel, then revisit to do the moved by 1km correct top end of Bryn Awr.Chris Pearson21/02/1999
v steep bracken & bramble, prob better from W. (1) from 299213, fp then W ridge (2) from SW, fp from church, via S top RHW24/01/1999
Smudge01/01/1999
DewiH30/12/1998
ChrisU12/04/1998
Chris Peart13/09/1997
David Purchase07/07/1997
GaryJones01/04/1997
IainT29/01/1997
SteveC12/08/1996
PJT14/04/1996
fasgadh12/10/1995
GordonAdshead00/08/1995
Solo.MickyRoss16/04/1995
Rob Rees15/11/1993
GWR Chris31/01/1993
PeteF17/12/1974
Wild campjacobrichmond01/01/1970
captainslow01/01/1970
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