Teifi Valley
Cilgerran Gorge and the Teifi Marshes
A castle on a crag above a wooded gorge, with a wetland reserve downstream where otters and water buffalo share the same marsh.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- Ascent
- 120 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- 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
From the village, paths drop into the gorge below the castle and follow the Teifi downstream to the Welsh Wildlife Centre and the marshes, returning by lane or the same riverside path.
Worth knowing
- Coracles are still used on this stretch of the Teifi and there is a coracle regatta most summers.
- The wildlife centre has hides over the marsh and a good café.
- Water buffalo graze the reserve for conservation. They are placid but large; keep dogs on leads.
What you’ll see
The castle towers above the gorge, the Teifi, otters if you are lucky, and the marsh birds.
Background
Cilgerran castle was painted by Turner and by Richard Wilson, and became a fixture of the picturesque tour when travel to Italy was cut off by war.