Including Rhaeadr Cynwyd.
From Cardiff, either take the A470 to Dolgellau then the A494 past Bala then the B4401 on the right to Cynwyd, or take the A470 to Builth Wells then the A483 to Oswestry then the A5 to Corwen then the B4401 on the left to Cynwyd. From Cynwyd, take the road directly opposite the Prince of Wales pub (beside The Blue Lion pub). For the extended walk, there are parking areas on both sides of the road, or on the roadsides of the housing etstate opposite the Bethania chapel. SJ 0575 4105. For the basic walk, continue up the road until you can park in a lay-by on the left with a park bench beside it. SJ 0633 4061.
For the basic walk, head up the road to a stile on the right. Follow the path from that stile to cross the stream. Soon afterwards, a path heads to the right into the trees. Follow it as it descends some crags to get to the bottom of the Rhaeadr Cynwyd waterfall. Return the same way.
I have not had a chance to follow the extended walk, and it is presented here as a suggestion only. Be aware that the paths may not be obvious, so you should take a 1:25'000 scale map, and know how to use it. Opposite the Bethania chapel there are two side roads. Take the one on the right which climbs through the upper village. At the end, continue ahead into fields, keeping a wall to your left. The wall then becomes a line of trees, leading to the ruins of Pen-y-griglan, which are situated inside an enclosure full of bracken. Turn left in front of the ruins, passing another line of trees, then curve to the right around the enclosure. Cross the wall ahead into the next field, then through a gap in the wall ahead-left into the side of a large, rectangular field. The path then follows that field's wall to the right, to the corner, passing into the field ahead at the corner. It diagonally crosses the field to the far right corner, then runs along the right edge of the next field to rejoin the road. Turn right, then immediately left onto a forestry track, which can be followed to the Trystion Reservoir.
Return to the road, head left (downhill) and continue to a stile on the left. Follow the path from that stile to cross the stream and reach the edge of some fields. Soon afterwards, a path heads to the right into the trees. Follow it as it descends some crags to get to the bottom of the Rhaeadr Cynwyd waterfall. Go back to the path from the stile, and continue along the bottom of the gently sloping fields (not the more steeply sloping bracken field below them). After passing the left side of some farm buildings, join the next farm track to the right. Follow it down, as it turns into a road, and descends back into Cynwyd. At the end of the road, turn right to cross a bridge, then continue ahead when the road bends to the left, to arrive back at the Bethania chapel.
| Waterfall | Grid reference | GPS coordinates | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhaeadr Cynwyd | SJ 06330 40541 | 52.954038°N, 3.395724°W | |
Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this description, neither the author nor his fellow walkers can accept responsibility for loss or injury arising from any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in this description. This description is intended as a guide only, and you should select a route to suit your own abilities, at your own discretion. Ability requirements are a guide only. Route maps are approximated. You follow this description at your own risk.