Walking the Waterfall Country of the Brecon Beacons

Who doesn’t love a waterfall? The Brecon Beacons National Park is home to what is commonly called “Waterfall Country”. Many visitors to the National Park come, at least in part, for the wonderful walking. Many of our guests here at Tall John’s House plan at least one walk during their stay with us and many bring their dogs and walk every day. We always steer them towards the waterfalls because, as I said before, who doesn’t love a waterfall?

Waterfall country is nestled into the southern slopes of the Fforest Fawr massif, west of Merthyr Tydfil and not at all far from us at Tall John’s House. It is one of the most beautiful and popular parts of the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Fforest Fawr Geopark because of its steep, tree-lined gorges and the abundance of tumbling water.

Talybont Reservoir is worth a visit in its own right and there are great walks through the woods on one side and the open hills on the other. Much of the water that fills Talybont Reservoir begins its journey high up in the mountains at the head of the Talybont Valley in the eastern Beacons. At Blaen-y-Glyn, the infant River Caerfanell, the Nant Bwrefwr and other streams tumble down from the hills over tremendous clusters of picturesque waterfalls

With a drop of 27m, Sgwd Henrhyd, on the River Nant Llech north-west of Glyn-Neath, is the highest waterfall in the National Park. This is amazing not only for its height but because a natural path leads right behind the curtain of water. A walking trail leads to the waterfall from the National Trust car park near Coelbren, off the A4221 a mile south-east of Abercrave. You follow a steep path down into the mystical wooded valley, with occasional glimpses of the falls through the trees. A wooden bridge takes you across the stream which you then follow up to the pool at the base of Henrhyd Falls. You can then walk down the Nant Llech valley, whose steep sides are lined with sessile oak, ash, small-leafed lime, alder and wych elm trees and also over 200 species of mosses, liverworts and ferns. This takes you to Henrhyd Small Falls.

Why not come and look at the wonderful waterfalls in Waterfall Country?