All walks › Caerphilly and the Eastern Valleys
Caerphilly and the Eastern ValleysCwmcarn Forest
Waymarked forest walks on the valley side below Twmbarlwm, with viewpoints over the Ebbw valley and the Severn beyond.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr 5
- Ascent
- 230 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
Several trails leave the visitor centre and climb through the forest to viewpoints, with the option of continuing to Twmbarlwm summit.
Worth knowing
- The forest drive was closed for years for larch disease felling and has reopened in stages; check what is open.
- Shared with mountain bikers on some tracks.
- The Raven Walk is the best of the waymarked options for views.
What you’ll see
Forest and felled slopes regenerating, the Ebbw valley, and Twmbarlwm above.
Background
The forest was planted on former colliery land. Cwmcarn colliery closed in 1968 and the visitor centre opened in the 1970s.