Taf Trail to Coed Taf Fawr

The Taff Trail spur that runs along the western side of the Afon Taf Fawr is a little tougher than the main route but the stretch that links the village of Cefn-coed-y-cymmer with the Garwnant Forest Park makes an absolutely delightful walk, even if it is quite hilly.
1. Keep the shop to your left and walk down Pearce’s Court to a crossroads with Maes-y-Carreg. Keep straight ahead to continue down past houses and when Job’s Lane joins from the right, keep ahead to drop steeply down beneath the viaduct. Turn right at the bottom and go back beneath the viaduct before dropping to a bridge.
2. Cross this and climb steeply up the hill, which bears around to the right (Links and Loops Waymark). Continue past the cemetery and through a gate, where the road becomes a path. Keep straight ahead until you eventually drop to a tunnel beneath the A470. Bear left to climb away and then right, over a stile, and then bear left to head uphill, with the fence to your left, to a junction by a gate at the top.
Look out for…
The viaduct that the walk drops beneath near the start is the impressive, curved Cefn Coed Viaduct, which was built in 1866 to carry the Brecon and Merthyr Railway over the Afon Taf Fawr. It is one of two viaducts on the line, with the other, at Pont Sarn, crossing the Afon Taf Fechan, and walked over in Walk 2. It is 770 feet long and 115 feet high and was recently restored.
3. Bear around to the right (Taff Trail sign) and follow the main track along to a kissing gate that gives access to the Penmoelallt Community woodland. Keep ahead into the woods and keep straight ahead past a picnic site on the right, marked with some elaborate posts. Stay on the main trail now until it merges with a broad, gravel forest track. Bear right onto this and follow it to a junction.
Make a day of it
By starting and finishing the walk at Garwnant, you can make the most of the excellent facilities there including a children’s playground, with high ropes course, waymarked walking and cycling routes and a recently refurbished visitor centre and restaurant.
4. Turn right and walk downhill and around to the left. Continue to a gate and keep straight ahead to go uphill towards the farm, ignoring a broad track to the left. Keep ahead at the farm buildings and join a tarmac drive that then drops to the road at Llwyn-on Reservoir.
5. Keep ahead on the road and follow it for nearly 2 kilometres (25mins) to a narrow footpath on the left, next to a bridge. Follow this upwards, with the stream to your left, to the main drive of the forest park. Turn left to the café etc. (If you are heading back onto the A470, then ignore this path and continue around to the right).