Painscastle
Enormous castle earthworks in a small village, and a quiet farmland circuit around them with the Black Mountains filling the southern skyline.
- Distance
- 3.4 mi / 5.5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 55
- Ascent
- 180 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
Walk round the castle mound first, then take field paths out of the village in a loop through the surrounding farms, returning by lane. Gentle undulating going with plenty of gates.
Worth knowing
- The earthworks are far bigger than the village suggests and are freely accessible.
- The Roast Ox is a genuinely good pub but keeps country hours. Ring ahead if you are counting on it.
- Very muddy in winter; this is heavy clay ground.
What you’ll see
Motte and bailey earthworks, hedged pasture, and a full-width view of the Black Mountains.
Background
A major Norman stronghold controlling the route into central Wales, besieged repeatedly. In 1198 a Welsh army under Gwenwynwyn was destroyed here with heavy losses. Almost nothing above ground survives except the shape of the ground itself.