Ystradgynlais & the South

Four Waterfalls, Ystradfellte

The classic waterfall round, including Sgwd yr Eira where the path passes behind the falling water. Slippery, rooty and genuinely tiring, and people underestimate it constantly.

Distance: 5.3 mi / 8.5 km
Time: 3 hr 30
Ascent: 300 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

A waymarked circuit from Cwm Porth taking in Sgwd Clun-gwyn, Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn, Sgwd y Pannwr and Sgwd yr Eira, with steep descents and climbs between each. Follow the coloured markers.

Worth knowing

This is not a stroll. Five miles with three hundred metres of climbing on rough ground, and the steps are relentless.
Proper boots with grip. Trainers cause most of the incidents here.
Go on a weekday. Weekend parking fills before ten and the paths get crowded.

What you’ll see

Four named waterfalls, gorge woodland, and the river disappearing into limestone caves at Porth yr Ogof.

Background

This is the limestone and sandstone edge where rivers cut down through hard and soft bands, which is why the falls cluster here and nowhere nearby.