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A Self-Guided Walk
from the Brecon Beacons Park Society
The Towy Valley Walk
17 kilometres (10.6 miles)
involving 350 metres of ascent (1148 feet)
Compiled by:
Geoffrey Williams
Weather can change
very rapidly in this area of the National Park. Protective clothing should be
taken and walking boots are a necessity, as is an OL 12 Ordnance Survey map.
Start
from the Forestry Picnic Site approx 2 miles south of
Llangadog on the A4069 Llangadog to Brynamman road [Grid
Reference: SN 7174-2555]. There is parking here for about ten
vehicles.
Walk uphill from the rear of the site along a woodland path with masses
of bluebells in the spring. Keep to the right, uphill, path and emerging
on a forestry track turn uphill, heading south-west. At the first track junction keep right,
at the next keep left.
The ascent is gentle with views of the Mynydd
Ddu and the Carmarthen Vans to you left.
After 1.6km at cross
tracks (where the forestry track goes right) keep straight along a
narrower older track for half a mile to the first green track on your
right which leads uphill through conifers to the ruined farm of Pen
Arthur [7153-2374]
Walk to the left of the ruin
(do not explore the ruins as they are unsafe) to a small stream and a
track on your right uphill between conifers .This track takes you to the
crest of the ridge of Banc Carreg- Foel- Gam (the Rock of the Bare hill)
above the Towy valley with great views over to mid Wales and your first
stile [7077-2365] at the highest point of the walk at 350
metres.
Go left along the way-marked ridge path below Pen y Bicws.
Here you will have views
west to the castles of Dinefwr (the ancient stronghold of
the Lords of Deheubarth ), above
the town of Llandeilo and further along the Towy to Dryslwn Castle.
After 1.6km bear left , heading south, to the gap in the
ridge at Bwlch y Gors (the
Pass of the Marsh) at
336 metres [6942-2260]. The Bwlch is where you reach
a stile, a track on the
left downhill and a forestry track to the right.
The track which heads south is the ancient route from the Castle of Carreg Cennen which can be seen to your
left and the Castle at Llandovery .There is some excellent dry stone
walling at the Bwlch in Reg Sandstone boulders which is in contrast to the
river boulder walling seen later on in the walk
At the Bwlch turn right on
to the forestry track heading south-west through a gate and follow this around the hill for 700 metres until you meet another track coming in from the
south-west [6879-2265]. Turn sharp right
here and descend downhill for 200 metres to a
gate with a stile on the right and a ruined farm beyond [6886-2281].
This is the halfway point of the walk and a good place for a break.
Pass through the gate and over the stile to your left .The avenue
of trees downhill would have marked the track to the ruined farm but as
it is now a stream take to the field to your right and walk downhill
along the trees, heading north-west, over three stiles to a marshy field.
Follow the way-markers
across the field, downhill, to a third stile and eventually to the road [6817-2347]
to the left
of a cottage alongside the Nant Cwm-Ddu stream
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