Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksCarmarthenshire Coast

Carmarthenshire Coast

Brynamman and the Black Mountain Edge

Where the coalfield meets the limestone, with open moor above a mining town and the Black Mountain escarpment beyond.

Distance
4.3 mi / 7 km
Time
2 hr 35
Ascent
320 m
Difficulty
Demanding
Shape
Circular

Where it is

The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.

The route

Most of the 320 metres of climbing is done in the first half. Tracks climb from the town onto the common and towards the quarries, returning by a loop. Open ground with no shelter.

Worth knowing

  • The transition from coalfield to limestone happens right here and is visible in the landscape.
  • The mountain road above is a well-known driving route and busy on fine days.
  • Ponies graze the common.

What you’ll see

Open moorland and quarries, the Amman valley below, and the escarpment north.

Background

Brynamman grew on anthracite, and the limestone above was quarried for the ironworks and for agricultural lime.