Fan y Big the edge of its precipitous western face. The view of this face from Cribyn is regarded as very striking. Fan y Bîg has since lost its mountain status. The peak is prominent on the north facing escarpment of the central part of the Brecon Beacons and several footpaths cross the summit. All the surrounding land is open access and so walkers can go where they wish. In poor weather however, the paths are the safest route for access. The peak is often crossed by hikers aiming for Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du, and also forms part of the
Pen-y-Gwryd Plas y Brenin. The Old Miners' Track from the Snowdon copper mines are now part of the modern A4086 road between Pen-y-Gwryd and Pen-y-Pass. It continues northwards beyond Pen-y-Gwryd skirting Glyder Fach to Bwlch Tryfan and Dyffryn Ogwen. From Pen-y-Pass is the "PYG track", one of the many routes leading to the summit of Snowdon, its name is believed be derived from the initials ("P-y-G"). However, older maps show it as the "Pig track", a name derived from "Bwlch y Moch" (the Pigs' Gap). During Roman Britain, the Roman Army built a marching camp at the head of Dyffryn Mymbyr