Epynt Way

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Epynt Way: A Complete Hiking Guide

Published 30 April 2025 Updated 6 June 2026

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Ranked #422 of 974

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HikeList Score

Epynt Way scored 81/100 on HikeList's trail-quality metrics.

Very Good

See score breakdownHide breakdown

Ideal length 66
Balanced challenge 100
Scenery & wildness 66
Varied terrain 100
Accommodation 83
Food & support 74
Path quality 98
Season flexibility 89

Computed from length, challenge, scenery & wildness, terrain variety, accommodation, food & support, path quality and season flexibility.

The Epynt Way is a 64 km permissive, waymarked circular bridleway around the Sennybridge Training Area on the Mynydd Epynt plateau in Powys, mid-Wales. It usually takes 2–3 days and is a moderate upland walk: exposed moorland, boggy sections, stream fords, steep valleys and no facilities on the route. It suits self-sufficient walkers with confident navigation, especially in mist. The route is also open to horse riders and mountain bikers, and sits outside the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Route Overview

There is no single fixed start or finish. LDWA gives a notional start/end at Pentre Dolan Honddu, near Upper Chapel and Builth Wells, while the Epynt Way Visitor Centre on the B4519 between Upper Chapel and Garth is a common access point. The loop follows the outer boundary of SENTA around Mynydd Epynt, between the Usk Valley, Irfon Valley and Wye Valley. Expect plateau-edge tracks, forestry, river valleys and short road sections, with notable points including Garth Viewpoint, Capel y Babell and the Drovers Arms. For a higher-profile Bannau Brycheiniog traverse, compare the Beacons Way; for coastal walking, see the Anglesey Coastal Path; and for a shorter Welsh day out, the Aber Falls Walk.

Mynydd Epynt and the lost community

Mynydd Epynt was a Welsh-speaking upland farming community until 1940, when the War Office requisitioned the area for an artillery training range. To create SENTA, 54 homes were vacated and 219 people were forced to leave, after a final St David’s Day gathering at Capel y Babell. Cilieni primary school, chapels, the church and the Drovers Arms closed. The Epynt Way was created by the Ministry of Defence in 2004 to restore public access around the range perimeter while live firing continues inside.

Notable highlights

Mynydd Epynt plateau & escarpment: The route circles a broad 400–450 m upland plateau with a steep northern escarpment. In clear weather, the edges give long views towards the Brecon Beacons, Black Mountains, Cambrian Mountains and Carmarthen Fans.
Sennybridge Training Area boundary: The whole circuit follows the perimeter of an active military training area. It is designed to keep walkers outside the impact area, but firing and military events can close access.
Garth Viewpoint: The highest accessible ground on the route at about 458 m. It has picnic benches, an interpretation board and wide views across mid-Wales.
Capel y Babell and the lost community: This chapel was the spiritual centre of the cleared Welsh-speaking community. The 1940 St David’s Day service is remembered as the community’s farewell before eviction.
Drovers Arms: A now-derelict drovers’ inn linked with historic hill farming and droving routes across the mountain. It remains one of the most evocative human landmarks in the SENTA landscape.
Red kites & waxcap grassland: Red kites are commonly seen over the moor, while unimproved acid grassland produces brightly coloured waxcap fungi in autumn.

Challenges to expect

This is a remote upland circuit with no facilities or accommodation on the route, so carry food, water and bad-weather kit. Navigation can be difficult in mist or fog despite waymarking, and the path is not shown on standard OS mapping. Expect bog after rain, exposed winds, stream fords, steep valley sections and closures for live firing, military operations, motor events or forestry work.

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Ranked #422 of 974

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