All walks › Rhondda and the Western Valleys
Rhondda and the Western ValleysSt Gwynno Forest
Forest and open hillside above a village that built its own path network, with a remote church in the trees and views over the Cynon valley.
- Distance
- 4.3 mi / 7 km
- Time
- 2 hr 35
- Ascent
- 300 m
- Difficulty
- Demanding
- 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
Waymarked community routes climb from the village into the forest and onto the ridge. Steady climbing on good tracks.
Worth knowing
- The village regeneration partnership created and maintains these routes; the waymarking is good.
- St Gwynno’s church at Llanwynno is isolated in the forest and worth finding.
- Guto Nyth Bran, the legendary runner, is buried at Llanwynno.
What you’ll see
Conifer forest and open hill, the isolated church, and the Cynon and Taff valleys.
Background
Guto Nyth Bran could reportedly outrun a horse and died after a race in 1737; the Nos Galan races commemorate him each New Year.