Carn Goch, Carmarthenshire

Located in the far northwest corner of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Carn Goch is one of the largest and most impressive hill forts in all of Wales. It’s actually two forts in one; Y Gaer Fach (the small fort) and Y Gaer Fawr (the large fort), which are positioned on adjacent exposed hilltops high above the Twyi Valley. The ramparts of both are still plain to see, as is the huge burial cairn on the larger fort, which actually gives the hill its name. The land is owned and maintained by the National Park Authority, and is well signed from the nearby village of Bethlehem. This walk starts beneath the forts and crosses them both before looping around the hills to the south to produce a short, but actually quite demanding circuit. The paths are rough and often muddy and the few uphill sections are quite steep so do allow plenty of time.

From the left hand end of the parking area, take the clear path that leads behind the interpretation boards and follow it steadily uphill, passing an impressive standing stone that may look old, but is in fact a memorial to Plaid Cymru MP Gwynfor Evans, and was actually erected in July 2006. Continue to the very top where you cross a bank of stones – the smaller fort’s western ramparts. Keep straight ahead, still following a vague path and you’ll drop past another bank of stones, the eastern ramparts, onto the broad flat saddle that divides the two hilltops.

Stay with the path to cross this plateau, veering slightly rightwards, then climb up onto the earthworks that once protected the western end of Y Gaer Fawr. Turn sharp left when you reach the top, and follow a steep and stony ramp up through the tumbledown ramparts onto easier ground. Now, keep straight ahead towards the huge cairn. The views from this section are quite breathtaking and it’s easy to see how well-protected the fort would have been, in such an imposing position.

 

Keep the giant cairn to your left and drop into a hollow, with a grassy ridge to your right. Head towards the far end of this ridge where a gap in the stone ramparts, leads out onto a rough but gentle slope. Bear half right to follow a vague track down across the hill, eventually reaching the road opposite the drive to Tan-y-Lan farm. Turn right onto the road, and as you approach Garn Wen farm, keep left to cross a stile that leads onto a narrow path, with the house up and to the right. Follow this through a gate, where it broadens and then keep straight ahead, to continue through further gates to a small square field, where you turn left to a junction with another track, and then turn right onto it, to continue in the same direction.

At the next gate, turn right to follow the field edge to a stile and cross this and keep to the left hand, top edge of the field to pass through a gap in the wall on your left, to another stile. Cross this into woodland and keep ahead to gradually drop down to join a broad track at the bottom. Turn right to go through a gate, and then turn left to drop to a stile. Cross this and continue down the tree-lined track, which follows the line of a stream. Keep straight ahead, crossing a succession of stiles and try to keep to the easiest and driest ground and you’ll eventually cross a stile that leads into an open field.

Keep straight ahead to the bottom of this and then continue with the row of trees to your right, bearing half left at the bottom of this field to cross another stile. Now follow a marker post diagonally across the field towards a wall corner and then deflect slightly left again to drop to a gate. Turn right onto the road and follow it past Cwmdu cottage and around to the left. Drop to cross a bridge and then continue to a junction, where you turn right. Now follow this lane easily back to the cattle grid by the car park, where you turn right to finish.

Words & Images: Tom Hutton