Merthyr Tydfil is the former iron and steel capital of the world — a town whose industrial history is extraordinary and whose position at the foot of the Brecon Beacons is spectacular. The Taff Trail long-distance path passes through, and Pen y Fan can be reached by walking directly into the national park from the northern edge of the town.

A large, proud South Wales town with excellent rail connections from Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil offers the closest urban access to Pen y Fan — those with no car can walk directly from the town into the national park on well-established paths.