The Welsh summit that serves as a training ground for Special Forces

Countries & Cities · Published 9 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Standing at 886 metres, Pen y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales. Beyond its status as a premier hiking destination, its rugged terrain is used by the military to test the endurance of UK Special Forces personnel during intense selection processes.

Located within the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, Pen y Fan is the highest point in the historic county of Brecknockshire. The summit is composed of hard-wearing sandstones from the Pen y Fan Formation, part of the Old Red Sandstone laid down during the Devonian period. The mountain's name is derived from the Welsh words 'pen' (top or summit) and 'fan' (a mutated form of 'ban', meaning summit or crest).

The mountain's popularity brings significant challenges. Hundreds of thousands of walkers traverse its paths each year, causing erosion that the National Trust works continuously to combat through ongoing repair and maintenance. The landscape itself was shaped by the last ice age, which excavated features like Cwm Llwch and Cwm Sere through glacial activity.

The peak holds deep historical and cultural weight. A reconstructed Bronze Age cairn sits at the summit, featuring a stone cist that likely once held human remains and grave goods like flint tools or flower tributes. The mountain is also a site of solemn remembrance; a granite obelisk marks the spot where five-year-old Tommy Jones was found in 1900 after a 29-day search. The mystery of how the child climbed to such heights remains unsolved, and his story was later the subject of a 1980 film.

For those seeking a challenge, the mountain is a major objective on the Beacons Way. It is also utilized by the military for Special Air Service selection, though the terrain has proven dangerous; in July 2013, three soldiers died while participating in a 'Point-to-Point' test march during selection.

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