Brecon Beacons by Motorcycle: the Black Mountain Pass (A4069) and Gospel Pass

The Brecon Beacons, now also known by their Welsh name, Bannau Brycheiniog, are the high country of south Wales, and they hold two of the best riding roads in Britain. The A4069 over the Black Mountain is a sweeping, open pass with hairpins and huge views that has been used in more car adverts and television shows than anyone can count. The Gospel Pass, on the other side of the national park, is a tiny single-track road and the highest in Wales. This guide gives you two loops from Brecon, about 200km (124 mi) in all, that can be ridden in a day or spread over two.

Loop 1: the Black Mountain (about 110km / 68 mi)

Brecon to Llandovery (about 35km / 22 mi). Leave Brecon west on the A40 through Sennybridge and Trecastle to Llandovery. It is a fast main road through the Usk valley, with good views of the Beacons to the south.

The Black Mountain pass: Llandovery to Brynamman (about 25km / 16 mi). From Llandovery, follow the A4069 south through Llangadog and onto the Black Mountain (Mynydd Du). The road climbs in a series of long bends and tight hairpins onto the open hill, with views back over the Tywi valley and far into west Wales, then crosses the top at about 490m (1,600ft) and drops in sweeping curves towards Brynamman. The road is wide enough to enjoy and the surface is mostly good, but the hairpins are tight, the corners are open to the wind, and sheep and ponies graze right up to the tarmac.

Brynamman to Sennybridge on the A4067 (about 37km / 23 mi). From Brynamman head east to Ystradgynlais and turn north on the A4067 up the Tawe valley, past Craig-y-nos castle and the Dan-yr-Ogof caves, and over the hill past the Cray reservoir to the A40 near Sennybridge. A fast, flowing road with a good surface.

Sennybridge to Brecon (about 13km / 8 mi). The A40 brings you back to Brecon.

The A4069: what to expect

The Black Mountain pass is very popular with riders and drivers, and it has seen many serious crashes. Parts of it have lower speed limits, and the police enforce them, especially on summer weekends. Ride it for the scenery and the rhythm of the bends, not for speed. The bends near the top are blind and tight, the road is unfenced, and the sheep and ponies have right of way in practice if not in law. Cloud can sit on the top while the valleys are clear.

Loop 2: the Gospel Pass (about 90km / 56 mi)

Brecon to Hay-on-Wye (about 25km / 16 mi). Head north-east along the A438 and B4350 through the Wye valley to Hay-on-Wye, the town of bookshops on the border with England.

The Gospel Pass to Llanthony (about 15km / 9 mi). From Hay, a narrow road climbs south onto the Black Mountains (a different range from the Black Mountain on Loop 1) to the Gospel Pass, at 549m (1,801ft) the highest road in Wales. The top is open moor with wild ponies, sheep and huge views north over the Wye valley. The road then drops into the Vale of Ewyas, one of the loveliest valleys in Wales, past the ruins of Llanthony Priory, where there is a pub in the old priory buildings.

Llanthony to Abergavenny (about 17km / 11 mi). Continue down the valley to Llanvihangel Crucorney and take the A465 south to Abergavenny.

Abergavenny to Brecon (about 33km / 21 mi). The A40 runs back up the Usk valley to Brecon through Crickhowell. A pleasant, easy road to end the day.

The Gospel Pass: what to expect

The Gospel Pass is single-track with passing places for its whole length, with steep sections on the Hay side, blind bends between high hedges in the Vale of Ewyas, and animals on the road on the open top. It is popular with walkers and their cars at weekends, so ride it slowly and use the passing places. It is a road for enjoying the landscape, not for riding hard.

Extension: the Rhigos and the Bwlch

South of the national park, the A4061 climbs out of Hirwaun over the Rhigos mountain to Treherbert in the Rhondda, with a series of hairpins and views over the valleys, then continues south over the Bwlch to Nantymoel. Both are short, sharp mountain roads with great views and a good surface, and they make a fine add-on to Loop 1.

Riding tips for south Wales

Wales has a default 20mph limit in most built-up areas, and it is enforced. Speed cameras and police patrols are common on the popular biking roads, including the A4069. Fuel is easy to find in the towns but not on the hills: fill up in Brecon, Llandovery or Hay before the passes. In the wet, the hairpins on the Black Mountain and the steep lanes around the Gospel Pass collect mud and gravel, so take extra care.

A suggested day

Ride Loop 1 in the morning, starting early from Brecon to reach the Black Mountain pass before the weekend traffic. Stop in Llandovery or Llangadog for coffee before the pass, and at the viewpoint car parks on the way over. Return to Brecon for lunch, then take Loop 2 in the afternoon: Hay for a break, the Gospel Pass in the late afternoon, and back to Brecon along the Usk. The whole day takes six to seven hours with stops.

Bikes and kit

The A4069 and the A4067 suit any bike. The Gospel Pass and the Vale of Ewyas are narrow and slow, so a lighter bike is easier there, but any careful rider can manage. Wind on the high ground and wet roads under the trees in the Vale of Ewyas are the main hazards. For the mountain roads of mid Wales, see the Elan Valley guide.

When to go

April to October. The Beacons are busy on summer weekends, especially around Pen y Fan and the A470, but the Black Mountain and the Gospel Pass are quieter during the week. In winter, the high roads can be icy, and the Gospel Pass is not a road to attempt in snow.

Where to stay

Brecon is the best base for both loops, with Llandovery, Crickhowell, Abergavenny and Hay-on-Wye as alternatives. See all Welsh biker-friendly stays. To ride the length of Wales, see our A470 and Evo Triangle guide, and for the empty mountain roads further north, the Elan Valley and the Devil's Staircase.