Bannau Brycheniog (aka the Brecon Beacons) is a breath-taking bit of southern Wales which is also home to many gorgeous waterfalls, all in close proximity to each other. This past year, we were lucky enough to take some short breaks in Snowdonia as well as Bannau Brycheniog and walk some of the most beautiful waterfall-filled trails we’ve ever seen! As a bonus we also visited the waterfall entrance to the Bat Cave!
The Four Waterfalls Walk
The first “waterfall walk” we took is known as the Four Waterfalls Walk, for obvious reasons. This circular walk is absolutely freakin amazing! It is most definitely the most beautiful and awe-inspiring trail I’ve been on. And it’s definitely no secret…If you don’t like sharing beautiful, peaceful places with crowds of people, then I suggest getting here very early in the morning! This becomes a very popular place as the day goes on. There are two car parks near by: Cwm Porth and just a bit further away, Gwaun Hepste.
The Waterfalls
1.) Sgwd Yr Eira (Falls of Snow)
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!
2.) Sgwd y Pannwr (Falls of the Woolwasher)
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.
3.) Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn (Lower Fall of the White Meadow)
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!
4.) Sgwd Clun-Gwyn (Fall of the White Meadow)
Ah, the final falls of this extraordianry 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. You can scramble down the side to get a closer/lower view. But, do make sure you cross the bridge and head back to the other side of the falls where you can more or less stand on top of them.
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!
The Elidir Trail
This is an “out and back” walk alongside two rivers with some spectacular waterfalls – four of them in fact! You will walk the banks of the Afon Nedd Fechon and Afon Pyrddin. It is a peaceful walk, surrounded by magical woods that are purported to contain the entrance to a Fairy Kingdom. The Elidir Trail takes its name from the legend of a local boy, Elidir, who walked this very trail and discovered the cave entrance leading to the Fairy Kingdom.
The Elidir Trail begins in Pontneddfechan and is marked by a set of metal gates that say “Waterfall Country” across them. The closest place to park is in the VERY small free car park across from the Angel Inn pub, just south of the gates. As the car park only has 4 spaces, it will fill quickly and early! If getting up at the crack of dawn is not your thing, there is also roadside parking south of the Angel Inn. (Which, coincidentally serves some heavenly vegan burgers!!)
The Waterfalls
1.) Sgwd Gwaldys (Lady Falls)
These falls are often called Lady Falls, not because Gwaldys translates to “lady”, but it is thought, due to the word “gwaldys” looking similar to the word “lady” to English speakers in the 1800’s. Gwaldys was actually the name of one of King Brychan’s daughters.
The falls are beautiful, and were my favourite of this walk. The atmosphere around the falls, with ferns, ivy, mossy rocks and fallen trees give it a fairy-tale feel. The falls themselves are a 20ft drop from a sandstone cliff and are dramatic and pleasing to watch and listen to.
2.) Sgwd y Bedol (Horseshoe Falls)
Sgwd y Bedol are the first of 3 falls in very close succession on the Nedd Fechan. They are cut in a semi-circle shape, roughly resembling a horseshoe and although they are not tall falls, their cascade is very beautiful. I love the way they step down. You can scramble down the river bank to get a view from the bottom of the falls, which, I think, is the best to really admire their beauty and the steps!
3.) Sgwd Ddwli Isaf (Lower Gushing Falls)
With all the rain we had before our trip, yes they were definitely gushing! They are another lovely tall curtain of water. I suspect they would have been worth clambering down the bank to stand in front of them, but it also appears that where I have seen other people do this, they end up standing in the river and it has not been after the traumatic amounts of rain we have seen this winter and spring!
4.) Sgwd Ddwli Uchaf (Upper Gushing Falls)
These too were certainly gushing on our visit! They are not as tall as they are wide, but they are also magnificent and were worth the effort to get to. Again, we descended the river bank to glean the view from the bottom – well worth it! There is a large (slippery in places!) slab of rock at the bottom of the falls that allowed us to take in many angles. It also offered a place to sit for a bit of trail mix, water and a chat.
Extra, Extra!
The Cave: Was it Elidir’s cave to the Fairy Kingdom?
We found a cave shortly after crossing the bridge to get to the falls. If memory serves correctly, you can see it from the path before the bridge, over to your right. I was brave enough to take a few steps in (it was a small dark hole, not my favourite place to be without a torch). Had I carried a torch and walked a bit further, perhaps this would have led me through to the Kingdom Elidir had discovered! We may never know, but I’ll be packing a torch in my day bag for future!
The Bonus Waterfall – Henrhyd Falls
Henrhyd Falls are the tallest falls in South Wales, with an impressive drop of about 90 feet. They are extremely close to an unnamed car park at (post code) SA10 9PG. From the car park you walk through a gate and down a steep but relatively short woodland path to get to the falls. My guesstimate is about 10 minutes to get to the bottom. And then you are there – standing in front of the Bat Cave from 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.
You can walk behind these falls, however once again they were really powering down due to all the rain, and we weren’t in the right attire to get soaked on this occasion, so had to give that a miss! They are really worth a visit in their own right, and I am sure we will return another time to check out the other side of the falls!
So that’s it, our guide to the best waterfalls Bannau Brycheniog has to offer! You should definitely check out our YouTube video to see them in action:
Go ahead and see these beauties for yourself! Below are the AllTrails links to the trails we used:
The Four Waterfalls Walk – Explore Four Waterfalls Walk | AllTrails
The Elidir Trail – Elidir Trail, Powys, Wales – 320 Reviews, Map | AllTrails
Which waterfall was your favourite? Got a comment or a question? Please leave it below!