The Rundown:
This is absolutely the most dramatic and awe-inspiring circular walk we have been on to date. We had done a bit of planning and watched a few YouTube videos before going ourselves and still The Four Waterfalls Walk certainly did not disappoint in person! At points it can be a bit demanding (think lots of stony, sometimes steep and/or wet steps) but is easy to follow and the views are so worth the effort!
A Word to the Wise: This is a very popular route! We went early-ish in the morning and out of season (mid-March). We had the first falls we visited all to ourselves, but were met with increasing numbers of people as we carried on. I can only imagine that weekends and peak holiday periods are going to mean that this route is extra people-y. Now if you don’t mind the crowds, then go for it! But if you want to take your time, connect with nature, and listen to nothing but the water and the birds, then consider getting here VERY early morning and avoid the school holidays!
Length: approx 5 miles, 2 ½-ish hours depending on your pace.
Terrain: very well-maintained flat main path with steep descents/ascents to and from each of the waterfalls. These also are well-maintained with steps and stone slabs as well as some hand rails.
All Trails guide link: Cwm Porth to Four Waterfalls Trail, Powys, Wales
While we have visited Wales several times, this was only our second visit to Bannau Brycheniog. Our 1st visit was last Autumn when we stayed in the beautiful Toad and Snail Glamping’s unique train carriage. The plan during that visit was to do the Four Waterfalls Walk, but the weather was not on our side that visit! So we were extra happy to be able to get it in this time around! We had pretty amazing weather all weekend, and also had a chance to walk up Hay Bluff to see one of the mysterious monoliths that have been appearing around the world. Good times all around!
Getting There:
The start of the Four Waterfalls Walk is located roughly in the south of the national park near Pontneddfechan. There are 2 main car parks to begin your route from. The first is Cwm Porth car park, which is where we parked. The postcode for the car park is CF44 9JF. It is a fair size, but does fill quickly so make sure you get here early. There is a small visitors’ centre/gift shop and toilets. The toilets aren’t in a great state, but they are useable. I think it was £5 to park for the day.
Alternatively there is the Gwaun Hepste car park, about ¾ mile further east. This will obviously add a bit more walking to the beginning and end of your hike.
The Path (What to Expect):
There are boards in the car park showing you the route for the Four Waterfalls Walk. The walk itself is well sign-posted and the route down to each of the falls also has a sign post with the name of the falls and the approximated time it will take to reach them. As I mentioned earlier, the main trail is super flat, easy to walk gravelled path. The routes down to each of the waterfalls can seem a bit daunting, but are actually well-maintained, with hand rails. There are many stony steps, some of which are uneven and of course it can all be a bit slippy during or after wet weather. So, as with any walk, exercise caution when needed.
As it is a circular walk, you can go clockwise, or counter-clockwise around the path. We chose counter-clockwise, visiting Sgwd Yr Eira first and Sgwd Clun-Gwyn last. The pros to going this way round were: 1.) doing the “boring” bit of path (ie the bit with no waterfalls) first and getting it out of the way. 2.) we got what we think were the best falls of the bunch all to ourselves as we set out early, and several people seemed to be doing the route the other way around. However, the con to going this way around is by the time we got to Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, it seemed less dramatic and beautiful than the other falls. Go ahead and choose your own adventure!
1.) Sgwd Yr Eira
These are some awesome falls that you can walk behind! If you watch our YouTube video, you will see they were a bit intense during our visit due to the insane amounts of rain the UK has had this year. We have seen videos/photos of them looking much more chill, but to be honest I’m glad we got the insane version. They were loud and powerful – you could feel the spray and wind that they were creating as we walked towards them. And to walk behind them, getting drenched in the process, was really something special!
I found many translations to the Welsh name of these falls, all of which mean something like Falls of Snow.
2.) Sgwd y Pannwr
The path to these falls goes to the top of the falls, where you will find a huge flat rock with channels of water and small pools etched into it. It makes a perfect place to perch for a bit with a snack! If you scramble down a lesser trodden path of rocks and tree roots, you will find yourself at the bottom of the falls, a place to get some extra lovely photos.
The Welsh name roughly translates to Falls of the Woolwasher.
3.) Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn
These were my second-favourite falls of the walk. They look like dramatic steps from the bottom. The trail should have carried on up the slope next to the falls, but has been closed at the top due to crumbling pathway. Unfortunately this meant we had to retrace our steps a bit. However, before doing that, we did scramble up the hill side as far as we could go to get a slightly better view of the falls. If you don’t fancy it, the view from the bottom is nearly as stunning as from further up!
The Welsh name translates to Lower Fall of the White Meadow.
4.) Sgwd Clun-Gwyn
Ah, the final falls of this extraordinary walk. Although they weren’t as dramatic as the other three waterfalls, they were still beautiful. The path comes down to the top of these falls as well, bringing you to a railed viewing platform. Once you continue down the trail, you can cross the bridge and head back towards the falls to get a different angle from the opposite side of the river. From here you can scramble down the side to get a closer/lower view. Alan did, though I chose not to. (This is not part of the official path, and as with all treks and scrambles, do so at your own risk.)
The Welsh name translates to Fall of the White Meadow.
Extra, Extra!
The Cave: Porth yr Ogof
We actually checked out the cave before taking the Four Waterfalls Walk, but make sure you visit it one way or another. If you parked in the Cwm Porth car park, then the info board and steps down to the cave are very visible. Follow them down and take a left along the river. You will see the massive imposing cave entrance ahead.
This is the largest cave entrance in Wales, which is not difficult to believe. We couldn’t get too far into the cave due to water levels being up and the river being rough, but those who have explored it have found many visible fossils!
You can have a look at the Four Waterfalls Walk for yourself here:
If you’ve done this walk, let me know what you thought! Have you been somewhere else in Bannau Brycheniog that you want to recommend? Leave a comment below!