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A Self-Guided Walk from the Brecon Beacons Park Society

Start the walk from the Copper Beech pub which is situated at the eastern end of the village of Abercrave, just off the A4067, in the Upper Swansea Valley. [Grid reference SN 8241-1287]
Head east along the tarmac road which passes the Abercrave Inn and then the Doctor's Surgery. Turn left at the entrance to Abercrave House and go through a wooden gate and along a track which runs beside a fast flowing stream. This is 'Nant Craf' (stream of wild garlic), after which Abercraf was named. On your right is Abercrave Farm, surely one of the prettiest farms in South Wales. Pass through two farm gates heading north-east to begin the ascent of the mountain. 
Stay on the main track, which is a bridleway and some 500 metres further up the hill go through a metal gate [8294-1337] which is at the junction of several paths and tracks.
Bear left after the gate and ascend a short rise to a way-marked stile. Cross the stile and follow a stone wall on your left for 250 metres to another stile. Cross and turn right across some duck-boarding, heading north, to come to two way-marker posts at footpath junctions.
Continue heading  north-west up an obvious track (although this can be obscured by high bracken in late summer).  Where this becomes wider it was the tramway to an old Silca Sand Quarry.
At a fork in the grassy tramway, bear right. You will see a stile and finger-post to your left. Bear right again onto a steep tramway which was an Inclined Plane used to bring limestone from the Cribarth mountain to Abercrave. Bear left at a short way-marker (do not ascend the incline) heading north-west.
On your left you can see remains of more Silica Sand Quarries. 
Pass behind a large rock and on a clear day look at the superb views down the Swansea Valley.  The path now contours around the hillside to arrive at Pant-y-Ffyrch [8241-1388] which is the ruin of an old drovers inn. Cross a stile and head in the direction of signpost saying ‘Open Hill’, continuing northwards towards a mound of rocks. 
After 60 metres, and just before the rocks, you will come to another grassy tramway. Turn right and follow this for 450 metres up another steeply inclined plane, heading north-east, up the south-west flank of the Cribarth mountain.
At the top of the incline continue walking north-east, following sheep tracks to the summit of Cribarth (423 metres, 1387 ft.), where there is a cairn and white trig-point [8283-1420] Pause to look at the spectacular panoramic views before descending from the summit in a north-easterly direction to meet a high stone wall.
Continue alongside the wall in the same direction for about 200 metres until it bears right. Follow the wall for another 30 metres before striking out again in a north-easterly direction (bearing 64º) for 200 metres, where you will eventually come to a raised grassy tram-road which is somewhat hidden from view amongst piles of Limestone.
It is important that you locate this particular tram-road, as there are many others in this area. So check your Compass to make sure you are going in the right direction.

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