Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksCambrian Mountains

Cambrian Mountains

Hafren Forest and the Severn

Waymarked trails along the infant Severn through conifer forest, with a boardwalk over the bog and the option of walking to the actual source.

Distance
3.7 mi / 6 km
Time
2 hr 5
Ascent
150 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

Trails follow the river upstream from the car park past Blaen Hafren falls. The source itself is a longer walk out onto the open moor beyond the trees.

Worth knowing

  • The source of the Severn is a peat bog on Pumlumon marked by a post, and is a serious walk beyond the forest.
  • The waymarked trails near the car park are family-friendly and sheltered.
  • Boardwalk sections can be slippery in the wet.

What you’ll see

The young Severn, Blaen Hafren falls, conifer forest and blanket bog.

Background

The Severn rises on Pumlumon at around 610 metres and runs 220 miles to the Bristol Channel, the longest river in Britain.