Early morning departure M32, M4 off to Wales to walk to the top of Sugar loaf mountain near Abergavenny.
The weather forecast said dry in the morning with rain coming in from the west later in the day, hence the early start. We arrived in Llandenny finding the Dragon’s Head Inn and spent the next 15 minutes finding a safe parking spot close to the village shop.
The walk started by walking back to the pub, over the bridge and heading left uphill past Pendarren gatehouse. In 150m right ‘Castell Corryn’. Ahead for 100m, over stile, left uphill to cross stile. Right (yellow arrow) to stile into road. Cross road follow green lane (fingerpost) for quarter mile, first along lane, then with fence on the left. By Cwm-cegyr, track comes in on the right follow it, rising for 200m, then bearing right along fence and on uphill for half a mile to corner of larch grove. Bear right into dip, steeply uphill for 500m to where main track to Sugar Loaf crosses path turn left to summit. At the top the wind was ferocious and you could hardly stand upright. We then walked along the ridge to the end and followed a broad path off the ridge. In three quarters of a mile carry on heading right at the fork. In another 300m, fork right again. At foot of slope, follow wall to right. At bottom right corner, through gate above Gob-pwllau (blue arrow), follow stoney lane through wood onto Pengilfach, then right along lane. In 50m ahead you will meet a road then right for 350m to Tycanol. Left here (fingerpost) cross two stiles then follow path downhill through an orchard and on taking right forks downhill to Grwyne Fawr river then left for three quarters of a mile back to the welcoming Dragon’s Head pub for a well deserved lunch.
The walk was mostly dog friendly with some road walking and livestock where a lead was required and was approximately 6 miles in distance. The summit was quite challenging, but most of the walk is moderate.
