Attractions and Places To See around Grosmont - Top 20

Easy accent if climbing from the side of the national trust carpark. For a more challenging climb, accend from the opposite side.

The Cambrian Way is an iconic long-distance footpath that runs 298 miles (480 km) from Cardiff in the south to Conwy in the north. That distance comes with a challenging 22,500m (73,700ft) of height gain. This tough trail passes through some of the most spectacular and beautiful scenery in Wales. It can also be very remote, and in the north you will hit rugged terrain that will include high ridges and challenging mountains. You can do it in more attainable one-day sections, or you can be a purist and do it in a gruelling, continuous three-week hiking odyssey.  Here on the southern flanks of the Sugarloaf, the terrain might be more sedate, but it is as equally as beautiful. The hike up from Abergavenny on this Cambrian Way section has good views of the Sugarloaf in front, across to the Blorenge in the south, and Skirrid Mawr to the east. Not for nothing was the Sugarloaf included in the Trail magazine’s Top 100 Britain's Greatest Mountains list.

Formally known as the Sugar Loaf Mountain and is one of the highest peaks in the heart of the Black Mountains. It stands at 1,955 feet high (596 metres). An iconic peak Its conical shape is reminiscent of a volcano, but the mountain is made of the same old red sandstone as the rest of the Black Mountains.

The roads leading to the Sugar Loaf mountain are all very narrow, 1 car width. You may meet oncoming traffic and need to reverse 100m or more to a passing point. Do not be put off! The car park is small but does have an overflow area 200m before you get to it. The walk leads you naturally into a steep decline into a valley, possibly 130m lower. It doesn’t sound much but the climb from that position is significantly harder. My advice would be to walk around this valley and follow the alternate path. Namely when you walk from the car park do not aim for the top but go further to the left. So much easier to do. The views are stunning and totally worth the effort. Enjoy komooters😀

This summit with beautiful views over the Black Mountains on the border between Wales and England, felt like the real start of the Beacon Way.

Skirrid (Ysgyryd) Fawr is an outlier of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), set within the Black Mountains on the eastern edge of the National Park. The obvious route from the car park makes a great run, heading to the south up the beautiful main ridge. You can drop off the steep side to loop around the mountain, or turn round and speed back down the ridge. The summit at the northern end of the ridge has a trig point standing at 1,595 feet (486 m). The intriguing remnants of both an Iron Age hill fort and mediæval chapel are quite obvious here. Skirrid is also the first (or last) peak on the Beacons Way and the Abergavenny Three Peaks loop.

Great road to descend on but be careful of those two tight bends near the bottom. It's so easy to enter too fast and run wide. Rim brake heaven lol.

Lovely little pond with an island in the middle.