Waterfalls and Woodland in the West

A slightly longer and tougher walk that follows rough woodland paths down a dramatic gorge and then visits the highest waterfall in the National Park. It finishes by heading north on quiet lanes and bridleways that lead to a lovely riverside setting in the Craig-y-nos Country Park.
1. Head down the hill from the bus stop and turn right into Station Road, which drops steeply to cross a bridge. Immediately after the bridge, and before a cottage on the left, turn left through a kissing gate and walk along a path to another kissing gate. Continue through a field and through another gate to go through a tunnel beneath the road.
2. Go through another gate and keep straight ahead to follow a path into the wood opposite. Bear left in the wood to follow footpath signs steeply up and then left to walk along the top of the wood. This leads to a stile that leads into a field, and if you continue along the edge of the field you’ll come to another stile and then the road.
3. The next bridge carries you onto the other bank of the canal, which is now followed around a huge loop and past a marina to go beneath the road close to village of Llanfrynach.
4. Turn left onto the road and keep left at a fork to follow the lane steeply down and over a bridge. Climb up the other side to a stile on the right and cross this to follow a rough riverside path. Follow this, which does rise and fall many times, for over 1.5 miles, to the Henrhyd Falls.
5. The path splits here with the right hand fork dropping down to a bridge that crosses beneath the falls and then continues to a viewing area; and the left hand fork, going uphill steeply to a car park. After viewing the falls, which at 90ft (27m) are the highest in the National Park, take the steep hill up to the car park and turn left onto the road.
6. Continue over the hill and down again and fork right at the next junction to go uphill once more. Drop to a junction near Pen-y-cae and keep straight ahead (don’t go left) to continue along a road which soon becomes a bridleway. This eventually merges into another road, where you need to keep straight ahead again, ignoring another turn on the left.
Did you know?
The Afon Tawe, crossed at the end of the walk, rises up on the Black Mountain, to the north west of the Country Park and flows all the way to the sea at Swansea Bay. It’s the confluence of the River Tawe with the sea, that gives Swansea its Welsh name, Abertawe.
7. Fork left opposite the Outdoor Centre and continue to the end of the lane, where you need to go through a gate to the left of a farmhouse. Follow this track easily along until you reach a junction by a gate, close to Craig-y-nos Country Park.
8. Bear left, through the gate, and drop down to a bridge over the River Tawe. Don’t cross but instead turn left to follow a riverside path into the country park. Continue over a bridge and turn right to an ornate lake. Keep this to your right and continue into the country park, where you can catch the bus back, or pick up your car.