Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksCaerphilly and the Eastern Valleys

Caerphilly and the Eastern Valleys

Parc Cwm Darran

Country park built on the site of Ogilvie colliery, with a lake, surfaced paths and woodland where the spoil tips used to be.

Distance
3.1 mi / 5 km
Time
1 hr 40
Ascent
70 m
Difficulty
Easy
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

Level surfaced paths circle the lake and run the length of the valley floor, with rougher trails climbing the sides.

Worth knowing

  • Entirely level and surfaced on the valley floor, one of the more accessible walks in the valleys.
  • The park sits on a colliery that employed over a thousand men and closed in 1975.
  • The Darran Valley trail continues north on the old railway line.

What you’ll see

The lake, regenerating woodland, and the steep valley sides above.

Background

Ogilvie colliery worked from 1924 to 1975. The park opened in 1980 on the reclaimed site and the tips are now under trees.