Managing club: South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · Access: open
Site briefing
Planning information for Talybont
Take-off
The Talybont site is actually the mountain Waun Rydd which is a flat plataeau to the east of Pen y Fan.
A
SW – Cwar y Gigfran (‘Quarry of the crow’) & SE – Gwalciau’r Cwm top is clear and easily top-landable anywhere. Go out of the end of the car park, along the forestry track and take the path off to the left, (it is often muddy and may not look like the appropriate route) through to open country and a stile. Head along a footpath across the open ground and drop down a gully to the stream. Cross this and carry on across the open ground to the base of the hill. Head steeply up to the top of the hill – a hard climb.
B
B (Craig y Fan) is at the top of a long spine back ridge. The east facing ridge can be flown in E but the Talybont site (Waun Rydd) is most commonly flown in a SW.
C
SW SE Can be used to hop across to A (which is a better ridge ) go back west out of the car park entrance and turn immediately right on a clear trail to the top of the hill. This walk-up shouldn’t take much more than half an hour.
D
E – SE a very obvious large bowl with a well-worn path running around it.
Landing
Top landing is possible, the entire top of the mountain is flat. Watch out for peat hags and for rotor behind steep slopes. Land at edge or 50m back.
Bottom landing is at E or F. Be aware that the ground may be sloping away from you.
South East Wales sites often have very large, undefined take off and top landing areas, which may change position according to conditions. To avoid the potential for collision, pilots making a top landing should keep well away from gliders taking off, who may in some cases have limited visibility.
Access and parking
Take the turning to the south on the A40 signposted Talybont-on-Usk. It is about 5 miles from Brecon and 7 miles from Crickhowell. Drive to Talybont village. At the T junction, turn right past 2 pubs. Turn left up and over the canal swing bridge and follow the road around past the Tal-y-Bont Reservoir for approx 6 miles till it turns left over a bridge and steepens dramatically. Follow it to the top, where there’s a big car park on the right. Park here (P).
Parking 1
Latitude: N51.849156
Longitude: W003.370955
There is a large purpose built car park (P).
Walk:
East take off is 2.29km walk minimum with 280m height gain and a stream crossing.
West take off is 1.07km walk minimum with 240m height gain.
Ensure you a physically fit and competent in a changeable outdoor environment to undertake such a walk.
Local guidance
Hazards and cautions
Talybont is quite ‘alpine’ in character often with vigorous thermals and not much capacity to accommodate even moderate meteo winds. If there is a breeze in the car park when you arrive it’s very likely the hill will be blown out.
In addition, Talybont can have significant anabatic flow for a UK site which can compete with the meteo wind. This can give the effect of a sudden change of wind direction with pilots inadvertently finding themselves in the lee and getting ‘flushed’. If you encounter significant sink do not attempt to side land. Fly out from the ridge to look for lift or land and walk back up. When flying near the hill, or for top landings, it is strongly recommended that a GPS be used to determine the true wind direction.
Forecasts are planning aids, not safety clearance. Check current observations, official airspace and NOTAM information, local rules and your own experience before every flight.