The top of the Black Mountain Pass, at 493 metres, is a wild spot on the A4069 between Brynamman and Llangadog, on the western edge of the Brecon Beacons, which in Welsh are now called Bannau Brycheiniog. The road crosses a high, open moorland of grass, bracken and limestone outcrops, with old quarries beside the road and wide views over the hills to the north and the valleys to the south. Sheep graze freely on both sides, and the only sounds are the wind and the occasional skylark.
The western range of the park is called the Black Mountain, Y Mynydd Du in Welsh, a long ridge of red sandstone with steep escarpments facing north. Hidden below those escarpments, a few kilometres from the pass near the hamlet of Llanddeusant, lies the lake of Llyn y Fan Fach, the setting for one of the best-loved Welsh legends: a young farmer fell in love with a fairy woman who rose from the lake, and she agreed to marry him on condition that he never struck her three times. When he did, she returned to the lake, taking her cattle with her, but her sons became the Physicians of Myddfai, famous healers of medieval Wales.
The road is among the finest motorcycle roads in Wales, with a series of tight hairpins on the southern side, known as the Brynamman side, long sweeping bends on the northern descent and spectacular views. It was used by television motoring shows and is popular with riders and drivers on summer weekends. The road narrows in spots, with no barriers, and sheep often stand on the road or lie on the warm tarmac. The sky can switch moods in minutes, with fog and rain on the summit, and in winter the road can be icy or closed by snow.
To the north the road descends through farmland to Llangadog in the Tywi valley, and to the west, on a limestone crag, stands Carreg Cennen Castle, one of the most dramatic castle ruins in Wales. The area is rich in history and legend, and the landscape is beautiful.
There are no services on the pass, apart from parking areas. Brynamman, about twelve kilometres south, has shops and fuel, and Llangadog to the north has a few services. Llandeilo, a little further, is a pretty market town with cafes.