Preseli Hills
Cwm Gwaun
Deep wooded meltwater valley cut by glacial floodwater, running between the Preselis and the sea, where the old calendar is still celebrated.
- Distance
- 4.0 mi / 6.5 km
- Time
- 2 hr 20
- Ascent
- 220 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
Paths and lanes follow the valley through oak woodland with climbs to the rim for the view. Quiet throughout, with few other walkers.
Worth knowing
- The valley keeps Hen Galan, the old New Year, on 13 January, a survival of the pre-1752 calendar.
- Bessie’s, the Dyffryn Arms at Pontfaen, is one of the last parlour pubs in Wales and serves beer by the jug.
- The valley is steep-sided and gets dark early; not one for a late winter afternoon.
What you’ll see
Hanging oak woodland, the Gwaun river, and the Preselis rising at the head of the valley.
Background
The valley is a glacial meltwater channel, cut by water escaping beneath the ice sheet, and is one of the finest examples in Britain.