All walks › Rhondda and the Western Valleys
Rhondda and the Western ValleysBlaengarw and the Garw Ridges
The head of a valley where every pit has gone, with open mountain above and a village that has reinvented itself around its old workmen’s hall.
- Distance
- 4.3 mi / 7 km
- Time
- 2 hr 35
- Ascent
- 320 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
Tracks climb out of the village and onto the ridges either side and loop back. Open ground with steady climbing.
Worth knowing
- The Blaengarw Workmen’s Hall is now an arts venue and community hub, funded originally by pit deductions.
- The Garw valley is a dead end, which keeps it quiet.
- Ponies graze the ridges.
What you’ll see
Open mountain and ponies, the head of the valley, and reclaimed colliery ground.
Background
The Garw valley had six collieries and lost them all by 1985. The workmen’s hall, built by miners’ subscriptions, survived.