Route Summary

A 6 mile circular walk from Ystradfellte, taking in the waterfalls of the Mellte and Hepste rivers.

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance:  6.6 miles (10.6 km)

Walking Time: 03h 45m

Type: Circular

Start location

Car park in Ystradfellte

lat: 51.8092056

lon: -3.554038

Getting there

No public transport to start. Ystradfellte is a couple of miles off the A4059 in the south of the Brecon Beacons National Park. 

Route Map

Waypoints

1

Turn left out of the car park (SN929134) and right in front of the New Inn, passing the church on your left. Continue along the lane, crossing the Afon Mellte, and take the next footpath on the right to the Cwm Porth car park. A wooden signpost indicates the path down to Porth yr Ogof, which is well worth viewing.

2

Cross the road and continue along the path signposted for Sgwd Clun-Gwyn. Keep ahead at a gate (the path that forks right is signed ‘Access for Cavers’). Before long, you reach a grassy area and the path continues alongside the Afon Mellte. Carry on past the footbridge to reach a four-way signpost, numbered 13, where you join the Four Falls Trail. There are numbered signposts all along the Trail – these correspond to the numbers shown on the large scale map in the Waterfall Country leaflet so you know exactly where you are. The Trail itself is a red waymarked circuit, off which are green waymarked linear routes (link paths) down to each waterfall. Turn off right down the link path that leads to the first splendid waterfall: Sgwd Clun-Gwyn (meaning ‘Fall of the White Meadow’).

3

Return to the four-way junction and turn right (signposted for Sgwd yr Eira). The path heads on up through the trees and then levels off.

4

At post number 25, you’ll reach another junction. Turn off right down the link path signed for Sgwd y Pannwr (‘Fall of the Fuller’). This is quite a steep path with stretches of boardwalk and steps. At the bottom, enjoy the view of the waterfall, then follow the path northwards alongside the river to visit the next waterfall, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn (‘Lower Waterfall of the White Meadow’). The last section of path beyond post 32 is tricky since the ground next to the waterfall is steep, rough and slippery – so take care. Retrace your steps back uphill to post 25 and turn right, continuing until you reach the next junction at post 35.

5

Turn off right once again and follow the stepped path, which descends quite steeply down to Sgwd yr Eira (‘Fall of Snow’) – the most famous waterfall in the area. The soft rock behind the waterfall has worn away leaving enough room to walk behind the cascade, but note the warning sign about the unstable rocks and slippery path if you do choose to do so. Climb back up to post 35 and turn right, following the signs for Gwaun Hepste car park and bearing right at a four-way junction.

6

Continue from the car park to the road and turn left, keeping ahead at the fork, back down to Ystradfellte.