Swap a little altitude for a lot of peace and quiet by heading to this perfectly formed peak, tucked away on the eastern outskirts of the Brecon Beacons National Park<\/a>, where you get maximum reward for a short but satisfying climb. It\u2019s also a great day out for families.<\/p>\n Rising above Abergavenny, the pinched peak is accessed by soft slopes on all sides, making for a solid and consistent workout whichever angle you approach from. Here, we offer two of the best routes to the summit of Sugar Loaf, the first negotiating the south-west slopes of the hill, and the second climbing the south-east slopes.<\/p>\n Those who fancy a longer day you could ascend the peak directly from Abergavenny.<\/p>\n 5.2 miles\/8.4km | 1104 feet\/336m accent | 3 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p>\n 1. A sweet start<\/strong><\/p>\n Beginning at the scenically placed car park on the peak\u2019s southern slopes, follow the grassy path north-west.<\/p>\n 2. Contouring paths<\/strong><\/p>\n Continue over a crossroad of paths, ignoring any tracks that break off to the right. After a mile, drop down into woodland. Cross the stream before contouring round the peak to a path that leads directly up its western side.<\/p>\n 3. Welsh views<\/strong><\/p>\n Climbing eastwards, you\u2019ll soon reach the trig point at summit of Sugar Loaf. The moderately stiff ascent rewards with panoramic views of Wales\u2019 Black Mountains.<\/p>\n 4. A gentle descent<\/strong><\/p>\n Leave the summit via the south-westerly path, which will bend round to south-south-east, running parallel with your ascent route within a couple of miles.<\/p>\n Sugar Loaf walking route and map<\/a><\/p>\n Discover more great walks:<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> 4.5 miles\/7.2km | 1466 feet\/447m | 3 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p>\n 1 Woodland and solitude<\/b><\/p>\n Turn left out of the parking area, then immediately fork right up a dirt road. At the bend, branch left to pass through a gate and enter a forest of mature trees. If you\u2019re lucky, you\u2019ll have it all to yourself, and the only sound you\u2019ll hear is birdsong and the babbling of a brook below the track.<\/p>\n Keep heading north-northwest for just over half a mile. As the trees recede you\u2019ll see the Black Mountains rolling away into the distance, with a few small villages nestling in the quiet countryside.<\/p>\n 2 <\/b>Northern exposure<\/b><\/p>\n At a fork 200m beyond the wood\u2019s edge, branch right and\u00a0continue in the same direction. When the ground plateaus at the 405m contour line, you\u2019ll spy Sugar Loaf\u2019s distinctive triangular peak. As the path winds north, join a wide track and maintain the northerly course until you\u2019re level<\/p>\n with the summit, on its right. Suddenly the path becomes steeper and rockier as it curves northwest, round the back of the summit, then due west and southeast to the summit cairn.<\/p>\n 3 <\/b>On the bread line<\/b><\/p>\n Sugar Loaf\u2019s 596m (1,955ft) summit is long, flat and narrow, like the top of a loaf of bread. Pen Cerrig-calch dominates the view to the west and, if the day is clear, you may see all the way<\/p>\n south-east to the River Severn and east to the Forest of Dean, while to the west the central Brecon Beacons, including Pen y Fan and Cribyn, are visible.<\/p>\n To head down, take the track running south from the summit.<\/p>\n 4 <\/b>Spring break<\/b><\/p>\n paths meet. Take the track that bears left along the opposite side of the river, then almost immediately branch right uphill, away from the bank and past some mature trees.<\/p>\n 5 <\/b>Return to the trees<\/b><\/p>\n The path levels out and enters the wood. Keep going southeast until you meet another path perpendicular to the track you\u2019re on. Turn left, then left again at the next fork, and continue downhill to the fence. Turn left on to a dirt path that follows the fence and, just past the shed on the right, turn left on to a much wider path. When the path forks, take the right-hand branch to the edge of a picturesque, tree-lined river.<\/p>\n Carefully follow the river downstream and after 200m cross a narrow bridge. Continue along the far bank and through a gate to find the car-parking area on your right. Sugar Loaf mountain walking route and map<\/a><\/p>\n How to get there<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n Abergavenny is on the A40, about 15 miles north of Newport. To reach the start of the walk, if approaching from the south follow the A40 through the town centre, then turn right on to Chapel Road, which eventually becomes Pentre Road. Just past a long cream-coloured cottage, turn left on to a narrow lane and continue until you reach a small parking area on the left. Regular trains and hourly Stagecoach bus X3 run from Cardiff to Abergavenny Station, about two miles from the start of the walk.<\/p>\n Find out more<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n Abergavenny Tourist Information Centre <\/b><\/p>\n Tithe Barn, Monk Street, Abergavenny NP7 5ND 01873 853254<\/p>\n visitabergavenny.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n Refreshments<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n Two locals with hearty pub food and ales.<\/p>\n The Hen and Chickens <\/b><\/p>\n Flannel Street, Abergavenny NP7 5EG\u00a001873 853613<\/p>\n sabrain.com<\/a><\/p>\n Lamb and Flag <\/b><\/p>\n Brecon Road, Llanwenarth, Abergavenny NP7 7EW 01873 857611<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-93161979-5379135.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Sugar Loaf walk: south-west route<\/h2>\n
Sugar Loaf map: south-west route<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><\/a><\/p>\n![\""Brecon\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/22\/2017\/04\/Brecon-Beacons-National-Park-c7a8b94.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556"\" "\\"\"Brecon\\"\/"){kind=tracking}
<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>Sugar Loaf walk: south-east route<\/h2>\n
Sugar loaf mountain map: south-east route<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><\/a><\/p>\nUseful information about Sugar Loaf<\/h2>\n