Mountain rank by height: 129 out of 188
Height: 2,165ft | 660m
Region: Central Wales
Grid ref: SO182639

Great Rhos is one of five mountains in Central Wales that are located roughly either side of Llandrindod Wells – two one side and three the other. Great Rhos is the highest of the cluster of the three to the right of Llandrindod Wells, the other two are Black Mixen and Bache Hill.

Routes up to Great Rhos are now more limited due to the nearby weapons testing facility that means there is now a large ‘danger area’ around the central valley which cuts off what would be the most obvious Southern approach to the summit.

I parked using the free carpark for the Water-breaks-its-neck Waterfall and headed up through a forest track which keeps you left of the restricted danger and haves you approaching the summit from the West. There are several tracks up here, including longer loops that lead you to approach the summit from the North. Other walks start in New Radnor and make the Great Rhos the final summit of the three to complete.

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The wide and gentle woodland track that skirts around the restricted area. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80 @ 28mm, f8.

The forest track brings you up to the open access moorland and you can follow rough tracks around the fenced off restricted area to find the trig point.

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The view West when you leave the forest. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80 @ 28mm, f8.
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The view East when you leave the forest. The plateau here is all restricted. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80 @ 28mm, f8.

The rough track takes you along the fence marking the restricted area until you reach the summit plateau, at which point a rough track takes you left straight to the trig point.

Great Rhos
Great Rhos trig point. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80 @ 28mm, f8.

The Trig point offers nice views over to Black Mixen with the trig point and weather tower, as well as good views North.

Great Rhos
The view north from Great Rhos trig point. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80 @ 80mm, f11.
Great Rhos
Great Rhos trig point. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80 @ 28mm, f11.

Great Rhos would be a pretty quick up and down from the carpark, so you could retrace your steps back quite easily. However, you can follow a track North of the trig point and follow that around to Black Mixen, which is what I did.

Great Rhos to Black Mixen
Great Rhos view to Black Mixen. | Tamron Adaptall SP 28-80mm @ 80mm, f8.

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