All walks › Rhondda and the Western Valleys
Rhondda and the Western ValleysBlaengwynfi and the Afan Ridges
The head of the Afan valley, with ridge walking towards the Rhondda and the old Rhondda tunnel sealed beneath your feet.
- Distance
- 5.0 mi / 8 km
- Time
- 2 hr 55
- Ascent
- 350 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
You climb out of the village and onto the ridge and follow it before returning. Open ground with steady climbing.
Worth knowing
- The Rhondda Tunnel runs under the mountain here and there is a campaign to reopen it for walkers and cyclists.
- At nearly two miles it was the longest tunnel in Wales when built.
- Ponies graze the ridges.
What you’ll see
Open ridge and ponies, the head of the valley, and the Rhondda over the mountain.
Background
The Rhondda Tunnel opened in 1890, linking the Afan and Rhondda valleys, and was sealed in 1968.