Change region

Have an account?

Sign in

Have an account?

Sign in
Join the Ramblers Make a donation
    ...
  1. Home
  2. Go walking
  3. Group walks
  4. The Sirhowy Valley

The Sirhowy Valley

Start:
Estimated Finish:
Cardiff group logo.

Cardiff Group

We are the Cardiff Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.

Email

Join the Ramblers and enjoy

  • unlimited free access to 50,000 Ramblers group walks
  • a library jam-packed with thousands of tried-and-tested routes
  • a welcome pack teeming with top tips plus our Walk magazine
  • exclusive discounts from our partners
  • knowing your support is opening up more places to walk and helping more people discover the joy of walking
Join now for just £3.58 per month
Register for an account for FREE

Overview

The walk will start at Machen village hall car park. it will climb to the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway and down to the Sirhowy Country Park, cross the Sirhowy river, on up the silent valley to Mynydd y Lan. It will then drop into Ynysddu before the last climb and then descending to Machen.

Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Start time:
10:00 am
Estimated finish time:
3:45 pm
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
17.7km / 11.0mi
Ascent:
701m / 2300ft
Type:
circular

Local Grade A

Features

  • Car parking available

Starting point

Grid reference:
ST 20963 89086
Nearest postcode:
CF83 8NU
what3words:
tuck.football.beak
Start time:
10:00 am

Machen village hall car park

Upcoming walks with Cardiff Group

Join the walk.

Shell Grotto and Folly Tower (open to the public this BH, free!!) Please register with Walk Leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.5 miles
wood

Dinas Powy area

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
Rail Ramble

£1 Single Fare Rail Ramble: Merthyr Vale to Merthyr. Linear.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles
View from Coety mountain across Garn Lakes to Table mountain, Skirrid and Blorenge.

Varteg, Coety Mountain, Garn Lakes, Big Pit and the Dog Stone. Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
11.0 miles
Join the walk.

Erwood, Wye Valley (Register with Walk Leader)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
15.0 miles
Join the walk.

Cardiff Bay

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Join the walk.

Cardiff Central Strollers: Glamorgan Canal Nature Reserve.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
View from Fan Frynach

Fan Frynach

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
7.0 miles
Join the walk.

Botany Bay and Barbadoes. Please register with the walk leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
11.0 miles
Rail Ramble

Explore Hengoed and Penallta area

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
Join the walk.

Penrhys Pilgrimage, Groesfaen to Llandaff

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
7.0 miles
Join the walk.

Mynydd Dimlaith & Rhymney Valley Ridgeway. Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Join the walk.

Craig y Nos circular. Numbers limited, please register with Walk Leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
15.0 miles
Placeholder image

Claire's Friday Morning Parc Cefn Onn Walk (woods, hills, countryside)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Canal, Dock & Bay.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Cwmparc

Cwmparc Circular including Bomb Memorial Site.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
View of the Sugarloaf Mountain

Lonely Shepherd from Gilwern. Please Register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Coach Trip. Booking early essential.

Coach Trip Ludlow & Mortimer Forest

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Placeholder image

Claire's Friday Morning Parc Cefn Onn Walk (woods, hills, countryside)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Join the walk.

Cardiff Central Strollers: Guest Leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Join the walk.

Radyr Circular

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles
Join the walk.

Hatterrall Hill and Garn Wen. Please register with walk leader in advance.

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
12.0 miles
Join the walk.

Exploring Porthkerry and Cwm Ciddy

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
Join the walk.

Southerndown Ogmore circular.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
St Peter’s Church

Llanharan to the Taff Ely Ridgeway. Please register with walk leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: tackle ASDA Mountain, Ferry Road

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
The Yew Stone

Tintern and Brockweir led by Leighton H.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
9.0 miles
Join the walk.

Llanthony and its Hills Contact Jim 07397 276530

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
9.5 miles
Join the walk.

Barry Waterfront

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles
hills

Defynnog to Fforest Fach and Crai. Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Join the walk.

Walk from Upper Blaen y Glyn

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
8.4 miles
Placeholder image

Claire's Friday Morning Parc Cefn Onn Walk (woods, hills, countryside)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Linear to Penylan Library.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Join the walk.

Southerndown - Ogmore Circular

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
Placeholder image

Chepstow, Tidenham tunnel and the Devils Pulpit. Please register with walk leader. (Text preferred)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
11.8 miles
Join the walk.

Llandaff to Cardiff Castle

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles
Placeholder image

Garth Circular

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Placeholder image

Hills around Blaengarw. Please register with Walk Leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
14.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Bute Park

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Cowbridge town hall meeting place

Hanging around Cowbridge

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
7.0 miles
Placeholder image

The River of Two Kingdoms. Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
13.7 miles
Pistyll-goleu waterfall

St Gwynno Forest and Cwm Clydach from Llanwonno. Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Join the walk.

Mountain Centre circular. Please register with Walk Leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
16.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Whitchurch or Bust. Linear.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
View looking towards the Skirrid & Sugarloaf.

Monmouth, Kings Wood and Wonastow . Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
7.0 miles
Placeholder image

Manmoel Circular from Pen y Fan Pond. Please Register with Walk Leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
11.0 miles
Eastnor Obelisk

Southern Malvern Hills

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
12.0 miles
Placeholder image

Friday Morning Cefn Onn Park Walk led by Carol B. 07968 649627

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Placeholder image

Cardiff Central Strollers: Guest Leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
hills

Abersychan

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
Placeholder image

Cefn Eglwysilan and Mynydd Meio. Please Register with Walk Leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
11.2 miles
Join the walk.

Circular to Craig Ruperra from Parc Cefn Onn

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
11.0 miles
Placeholder image

The Sirhowy Valley

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
11.0 miles
Placeholder image

Claire's Friday Morning Parc Cefn Onn Walk (woods, hills, countryside)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Cardiff Wetlands Circular

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Rail Ramble

Rail Ramble: Exploring Abergavenny

Start:

Difficulty:
Easy
Distance:
4.0 miles
Placeholder image

Merthyr Heritage Walk. Please register with the walk leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
9.0 miles
Memorial Plaque to William Edwards

Rail ramble (Energlyn to Pontypridd) - footsteps of William Edwards bridge builder

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Placeholder image

Claire's Friday Morning Parc Cefn Onn Walk (woods, hills, countryside)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Sports Village & ASDA Mountain Circular

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Join the walk.

Newport Wetlands and Goldcliffe Loop

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
7.0 miles
Placeholder image

Margam Circular. Please Register with Walk Leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
12.0 miles
Motte and bailey on Twmbarlwm

Upper Cwmbran to Twmbarlwm. Please register with walk leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
10.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: City Centre Parks & Gardens. Circular.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Placeholder image

Bryngarw Park from Parc Slip

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.5 miles
Join the walk.

Whitchurch to Wenallt Woods

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Rail Ramble

Penallta Explore. Linear.

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
8.0 miles
Join the walk.

The Skirrid and Bryn Arw. Please register with Walk Leader.

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
13.0 miles
Placeholder image

Claire's Friday Morning Parc Cefn Onn Walk (woods, hills, countryside)

Start:

Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
6.0 miles
Placeholder image

Cardiff Central Strollers: Guest Leader

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Placeholder image

Glamorgan Area AGM

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles
Newly painted bridge in Newbridge

Newbridge to Mynydd Maen

Start:

Difficulty:
Strenuous
Distance:
12.0 miles
Rail Ramble

Rail Ramble: from Taff's Well to Llandaf North

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles
Cardiff Central Bus Interchange

Cardiff Central Strollers: Penarth Heights. Linear.

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
5.0 miles
Join the walk.

Longwood Drive, Coryton Circular

Start:

Difficulty:
Leisurely
Distance:
6.0 miles

Join the Ramblers and enjoy

  • unlimited free access to 50,000 Ramblers group walks
  • a library jam-packed with thousands of tried-and-tested routes
  • a welcome pack teeming with top tips plus our Walk magazine
  • exclusive discounts from our partners
  • knowing your support is opening up more places to walk and helping more people discover the joy of walking
Join now for just £3.58 per month
Register for an account for FREE