Around Pystyll Rhaeadr

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clfs112

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Trail stats

Distance: 4.69 mi
Elevation gain: 1,158 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 1,158 ft
Max elevation: 1,746 ft
TrailRank: 9
Min elevation: 962 ft
Trail type: Loop

Coordinates: 147
Uploaded: July 26, 2023
Recorded: July 2023

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near Llangynog, Wales (United Kingdom)

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Itinerary description

A half day walk in the Berwyn foothills taking in both the top and bottom of Pystyll Rhaeadr. At 80 metres and said to be the highest single drop waterfall in the UK, Pystyll Rhaeadr is considered to be one of the seven "Wonders of Wales".

Waypoints

1

From the car parking head back down the road. Looking up to your left you can spot a track descending to meet the road. After approximately 5 minutes you come to a public footpath signpost on the left. Go up the roadside bank, cross a stile and head NW up the well-defined track. On this section you have excellent views of the waterfall and then of Cadair Berwyn at the head of the valley. Continue along the track until it forks, where you take the left hand fork and go downhill to a bridge over a stream, the Nant y Llyn. After crossing the bridge, head up the bank opposite to intersect a broad track (GR SJ 075 299)

2

Now take the broad track opposite that heads steeply uphill diagonally left. This is a steep climb and will take approximately 20 minutes to reach the top. From a high point you can see right down the valley and the Breidden Hills on the English border should be visible on the sky line. As the path flattens out, take the path on the left leading to the top of Pystyll Rhaedr (Waterfall). There is an information board alongside a stile. Go over the stile and down a slope to reach the top of the falls. This is a good place to stop, have a coffee and admire the view (GR SJ 072 295). Warning – Take care – There is a precipitous drop from the top, keep children and dogs under close control.

3

Now return to the main path (over the stile) and turn left, taking the lower of two paths up the valley of the Afon Disgynfa. The Disgynfa formed the boundary between the historic counties of Montgomeryshire to the south-west and Denbighshire to the north-east. Continue until you see a wooden bridge crossing the stream. There are a number of vague paths leading in the general direction of the bridge, however it is best to keep to the slightly higher ground and go past the bridge, to come in to it from above (thus avoiding an area of extremely boggy ground). Cross the bridge to reach a ruined sheepfold. Here you cross a small stream and find the start of a faint path heading diagonally left uphill and aiming just to the right of a solitary clump of pine trees. When you come up to the pine trees you encounter a stile (GR SJ 067 296). There is little to be seen now, but you have joined a route that was once important enough to be classed as a by-way. There must have been some activity that caused people to journey up to this remote valley.

4

Cross the stile and follow a path through bracken keeping roughly parallel to the fence on your left. (This is a path on Access Land. It appears that the track might originally have been on the other side of the fence.) You climb above the bracken onto the open hillside. Eventually a fence line on the right draws in to leave a gap of approximately 10 metres. Continue though the gap and keeping near to the right hand fence take the obvious path ahead. After a couple of minutes the path joins a broad stone surfaced track. Soon after crossing a stream, the Nant y Gaseg, a path leading off to the left might offer a short cut, but this is only for those with a very good head for heights. Better to continue on the track up the hillside ahead. The track eventually descends into the valley though a series of hairpin bends. You reach a bridleway signpost pointing right but it is simpler to stay on the track.

5

After being on the track for 2 km you are almost down and when you have rounded a final hair pin bend you see abandoned mine buildings just ahead (GR SJ 078 286). (These belonged to a lead mine that operated in the 18th and 19th centuries and had closed by 1912. Look out to the left for the line of an inclined plane that was used when mining was at its height). The next section of route is along the way marked footpath on the left heading back from the mine buildings. (It is possible to take a short cut down from the track just after the hair pin bend.) Continue along the path through bracken with the fence on your right. You pass a stile on the right which is the start of the alternative route. Carry on to reach a stile straight ahead. Cross the stile and then a small stream and continue ahead through the woods following a path which is somewhat overgrown, but that keeps going in the same direction. As you approach the waterfall, cut down hill to a path you can see just a few metres below. Cross the bridge below the waterfall (no doubt stopping to admire this magnificent natural wonder). Now take the path up to the buildings on the far bank (a café with car park and public toilets). Go through the gateway to the right of the toilet block and return along the road to your start point. When this route was being checked the final section of path through the woods was obstructed by a fallen tree and getting rather overgrown. As an alternative you can take a lower path starting at the stile in the fence on your right. Go down a bracken covered slope to a second stile. Cross the stile and the stream just beyond. The path continues down slope, then levels out, following the edge of the woods. You reach the bridge below the waterfall and rejoin the main route.

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