All walks › Berwyn and Lake Vyrnwy
Berwyn and Lake VyrnwyBwlch y Groes and Pistyll Gwyn
The highest public road in Wales, and a hidden waterfall in the valley below it, in country that empties out completely.
- Distance
- 4.3 mi / 7 km
- Time
- 2 hr 45
- Ascent
- 400 m
- Difficulty
- Demanding
- 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
Out and back, uphill on the way out. Paths climb from the valley towards Pistyll Gwyn and onto the open hill below the pass. Back the same way.
Worth knowing
- Bwlch y Groes reaches 545 metres and was used for car testing because of the gradient.
- Pistyll Gwyn is a substantial fall and almost unvisited.
- No facilities anywhere near; the nearest is Dinas Mawddwy.
What you’ll see
Pistyll Gwyn waterfall, the pass climbing ahead, and empty hill country.
Background
The pass was a drovers’ route and a pilgrim way, and its name means the pass of the cross.