Pen y Garn, the 2nd highest of the Cwmdeudwr hills, stands high above the divide between the Wye Valley and Cwm Rheidol, with its southern slopes dropping into the deeply cloven Cwm Ystwyth. It has suffered over the years – its western flanks are covered with a huge plantation, and the northern tip of its summit plateau is home to what was once Wales’ largest wind farm. But despite this, it’s a great place to walk with varied terrain, a real mix of different paths, and a truly remote ambience.
Distance: 10km (6 miles)
Time: 4 hours
Start & finish: Forestry Car Park at The Arch, east of Devil’s Bridge (SN765755)
Paths: Mainly clear tracks through woodland and over open hillsides. The very top section is slightly more vague.
Maps: OS Explorer Series (1:25 000) 213
TIC: Aberystwyth TIC – tel. (01970) 612125
Nearest Town: Devil’s Bridge
Your route
Head out of the top end of the car park, away from the road, on the left hand of the two trails and walk easily up to a crossroads of tracks where you keep straight ahead. This leads into the forest briefly before emerging into an open stretch on the flanks of Bryn-llwyd. Continue straight ahead to a crossroads of tracks at Coed y Ceuleth and keep straight ahead here to continue along the flanks of Truman, with views down over Cwm Ystywth and up towards Pen y Garn. Continue past a track to the left to a junction.
Keep straight ahead again, still following the obvious main track, and at the next junction, keep left to continue uphill. This now offers great views left, over Craig y Ceffyl to the steep, craggy flanks of the Nant Rhuddnant. The gradient relents slightly here but keep straight ahead around the northern flanks of Pen y Garn, ignoring a track to the right. Continue to a junction with a huge track, where the sheer size of the turbines really hits you.
Turn sharp right onto this track and continue climbing, thankfully away from the turbines, with magnificent views all around. Go through a gate and cross a stile on the right, to follow the fence up until you meet another, rougher track. Cross this and another stile to gain access to the summit of Pen y Garn, which boasts a good shelter, constructed from rocks from an ancient burial cairn, as well as a concrete triangulation pillar. On a good day it’s possible to see the Brecon Beacons from here.
To descend, rejoin the higher track and follow it down until it eventually merges with the main track. Now follow this easily down, around a series of hairpin bends, and then parallel with the forest until it eventually forks as it enters the forest. Turn right, into the forest and follow the main track around to the right and then left and then straight ahead at a crossroads with a footpath. Continue easily down to another junction with another footpath and turn right onto this onto a narrow path that leads across a footbridge and up to join a broad forest track.
Turn left onto this, and then turn sharp right onto the drive of Gelmast Farm. Follow the diversion around the farmyard, with the farm on your right, then bear left onto a track that then climbs easily back up across a pasture and into the forest. Keep ahead into the trees and you’ll soon come to the crossroads you passed earlier in the walk. Turn left here to return to the car park and the Arch.
Words & Pictures: Tom Hutton
First published in Welsh Country Magazine Nov-Dec 2017
