Page Two

A Self-Guided Walk from the Brecon Beacons Park Society

The Towy Valley Walk (continued)

Turn right at the road and after 700 metres, turn right again at a T-junction. 200 metres on bear right again to a wicket gate [6811-2423] and cattle grid at the western end of the hill-fort complex of Garn Goch (the Red Hill ) you are now on a Common and Open Access Land .
From here to the end of the fortress area you are on the route of 'The Beacons Way' long distance footpath which runs from Abergavenny to Llangadog and was pioneered by the Brecon Beacons Park Society. On Garn Goch there were three Iron Age forts built around 4000 years ago and form one of the largest such complexes in the United Kingdom. 
Walk up the track to your left after the wicket gate and looking down the Towy valley the site of the first fort can be seen on the lower hill. You should be able to make out the outline of its ditches. From the summit of the smaller fort you will be able to see the remains of the walls of the larger fort to the east. 
These walls would originally have been twenty feet high. 
Keep to the main track down to the small depression between the forts and then, keeping outside the wall remains, walk in a southerly direction around the walls to one of the main entrances, situated where there is a large heap of stones. 
This would have been the remains of an inner defence wall or 'clavicium'. 
Turn left, heading north-east, along the track though the site of the entrance and follow the track through the fort passing a large burial cairn on you left. Just past the cairn bear right, heading south east, along a faint track to the remains of the ‘postern gate ‘ [6922-2428] 
The huge stones are those originally placed to line this  passageway and were so placed to prevent any attackers wielding their weapons effectively. The Victorians with ropes and crowbars replaced some of the fallen ones. Certainly this spot evokes the spirit of the Kelts of 4000 year ago
Rejoin the main grass track through the fort, walking north-east, and pass through the remains of the eastern gateway. Exit the fort complex and follow a well defined track down to a surfaced lane [6966-2433]. 
At the lane turn left and walk some 500 metres in a north-easterly direction, to a small wood. 
Note the new dry stone walling on the left of the road rebuilt with the original river boulders.
At the wood, and a bend in the road, look for a footpath sign. Leave the road, turning right, and take the footpath heading east to walk into the woods.
Follow the path past the entrance to a mushroom farm to a stile with many old ruined farm buildings nearby (the remains of a small hamlet) in the wood at Talylan. Cross the next stile and walk carefully down through the woods until you reach a stone wall on your left. Cross the wall at the ladder-stile and skirting the cottage head north to reach a lane which will take you  past the farm of Llysbrychan (the site of a Roman Villa) to a metalled road [7038-2559].
Bear right here and walk along the road for 1.3km to meet the main A4069 Llangadog to Brynamman  road. Turn right at the junction and walk carefully along the main road for 400 metres to bring you back to the starting point picnic site.
The Brecon Beacons Park Society hope that you have enjoyed your outing in a part of the Park not often visited by walkers, and that you will want to visit the western area of the National Park again.

(Please Note: the 'Route Map' page is quite a large file and may take some time to download)      >>Route Map>>