All walks › Tywi Valley and Carmarthen
Tywi Valley and CarmarthenTalley Abbey and the Lakes
The ruins of the only Premonstratensian abbey in Wales, beside two small lakes, in a quiet valley almost nobody visits.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- 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
From the abbey, paths run along the lakes and climb into the fields above, returning by lanes.
Worth knowing
- The surviving tower arch is substantial and free to visit at any time.
- The two lakes gave the place its name: Talyllychau, the head of the lakes.
- Grebes and herons on the water most of the year.
What you’ll see
The abbey tower and nave walls, the two lakes, and hedged farmland.
Background
Founded around 1185 by the Lord Rhys, Talley was the only house of its order in Wales and was never rich.