Waterfall Country Walk

12+ mile circular hike from Pontneddfechan along a connected set of the Waterfall Country Walking Trails in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Waterfall Country Walk: Information Board at Pontneddfechan
Waterfall Country Walk: Information Board at Pontneddfechan

We took the Elidir Trail from Pontneddfechan village to Pont Melin-Fach picnic site, walking alongside the lovely Afon Pyrddin to Sgwd Gwladus (Lady Falls) and then up the Nedd Fechan to Pont Melin-Fach via Sgwd-y-Bedol (Horseshoe Falls) and Sgwd Ddwli Isaf and Sgwd Ddwli Uchaf (Lower and Upper Gushing Falls). Purple on the tourist map and signposts.

Waterfall Country Walk: Sgwd-y-Bedol (Horseshoe Falls)
Waterfall Country Walk: Sgwd-y-Bedol (Horseshoe Falls)

From Pont Melin-Fach we followed one of the Waterfall Link Paths to the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority car park and picnic site at Cwm Porth. This isn’t as well walked as the main trails and the route was tricker to find and to follow. Grey on the tourist map and green on the signposts. Soggy feet after crossing the fields.

Waterfall Country Walk: Waterfall Link Trail, following the Nedd Fechan upstream
Waterfall Country Walk: Waterfall Link Trail, following the Nedd Fechan upstream

Another (much – much – more obvious) Waterfall Link Path led from Cwm Porth to join the The Four Falls Trail that run above and then along the Afon Mellte taking in Sgwd Clun-Gwyn (White Meadow Falls), Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn (Lower White Meadow Falls) and Sgwd y Pannwr (Fuller’s Falls) – and some super balanced stone piles. From Sgwd y Pannwr we climbed back up through the forest and dropped down to the Afon Hepste for the “you can walk behind it” delights of Sgwd-yr-Eira (Snow Waterfall). Red on the tourist map and signposts / Green for the Waterfall Link Path sections. Very, very busy.

Waterfall Country Walk: Sgwd yr Eira Trail - Sgwd yr Eira (Snow Waterfalls)
Waterfall Country Walk: Sgwd yr Eira (Snow Waterfalls)

The Sgwd yr Eira Trail then brought us back to Dinas Rock (yellow on the tourist map and signposts) and a short stretch along the road back into Pontneddfechan – for a perfect pint at The Angel Inn.