Weatherman walking on Pen-y-fan in the Brecon Beacons

Derek Brockway climbed Pen-y-fan along the horseshoe route

In the first in a new series of Weatherman Walking, Derek Brockway walks two of the most popular and spectacular routes in Wales.

The first cherry-picks some of the best views in and around Barmouth on the Panorama Walk.

The second travels over the famous ridge of Pen-y-fan in Powys, the highest mountain in southern Britain.

The first episode in the new series of Weatherman Walking is at 7.30pm on BBC One Wales on Wednesday 27 January.

Gold mining

Derek meets Snowdonia National Park warden Gethin Corps who takes him from the centre of Barmouth, before they take in the former Victorian attraction of the Panorama Walk.

After admiring the stunning views of the Mawddach Estuary he then visits the old megalithic remains of Arthur's Stones and follows the old main road to Barmouth, favoured by the drovers but now abandoned to hill walkers.

He continues through Welsh gold mining country before crossing the river again at Penmaenpool and finishing the walk at the former railway station closed during the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts.

For his second walk Derek heads south to one of the most popular walking destinations in Wales, Pen-y-fan.

Spurning the popular route to the top, from the Storey Arms car park by the side of the A470, Derek has a stab at the horseshoe route, kicking off at the bottom of the Roman Road running alongside the Upper Neuadd reservoir.

Before climbing the three peaks of the Pen-y-fan range, Derek takes a detour to scale Ffan-y-Big, testing his nerves on the infamous stone outcrop known as the diving board, before heading back down and scaling Cribben.

Low cloud and mist hamper his views but by the time he reaches Pen-y-fan, the clouds lift to reveal a spectacular vista.

At Corn Ddu the last of the three peaks, he learns about the story of Tommy Jones, a small child who died on the mountains more than 100 years ago.

A memorial obelisk commemorates Tommy Jones, who died in August 1900.

The son of a Rhondda coal miner, Tommy lost his way near Cwm Llwch farmhouse while visiting his grandparents, starting a twenty-nine day search which aroused nationwide concern. His body was found at the spot marked by the obelisk.

Derek then heads across Craig Gwaun Taff which gives visitors a stunning view of this iconic mountain range.