All walks › Ystradgynlais & the South
Ystradgynlais & the SouthHenrhyd Falls
The tallest waterfall in south Wales, reached by a steep flight of steps into a wooded gorge. Short in distance; the climb back out is the whole walk.
- Distance
- 0.9 mi / 1.5 km
- Time
- 40 min
- Ascent
- 90 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- There and back
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
Descend the steps from the car park into the gorge, follow the path to the base of the falls, and climb back the way you came. You can walk behind the water when levels allow.
Worth knowing
- Ninety metres of descent and the same back up, in half a mile. Know that before you start.
- The rock behind the falls is slick and the spray soaks you. Worth it, but expect to get wet.
- Stood in for the entrance to the Batcave in a Batman film, which the local signage has never quite got over.
What you’ll see
A ninety-foot single drop, mossy gorge woodland, and the plunge pool below.
Background
The falls drop over a hard sandstone band into softer rock beneath, the same geology that produces the waterfall country a few miles east.