All walks › Caerphilly and the Eastern Valleys
Caerphilly and the Eastern ValleysBlaen Bran and the Cwmbran Ridge
Reservoirs in a hanging valley above the new town, with open mountain behind and the Severn estuary in the distance.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr 10
- Ascent
- 260 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
Tracks climb from Upper Cwmbran to the reservoirs and onto the ridge, returning by the woodland paths.
Worth knowing
- The reservoirs are community-managed and the surrounding land is being restored to native woodland.
- The ridge links to Twmbarlwm for a longer day.
- Ponies graze the open ground above the treeline.
What you’ll see
The two reservoirs, open hillside, and a long view south to the Severn.
Background
The reservoirs were built in the 1830s to supply the ironworks and villages of the Afon Lwyd valley.