Glytre one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Glytre here.

August 2022. Direction: Glyn Neath to Treherbert.

Excellent walk passing through some dramatic scenery, but hard going in places.

After leaving Pont Walby, the path enters the Cwm Gwrelych Geo Heritage Trail, which is lovely little valley, with several waterfalls. Due to last train time pressure, I didn`t get to investigate them, but could hear them through the trees as I passed by. There is no signage after the start of the trail and there are several looping paths, but the main path is wider and eventually leads on to farm land before joining the road for a short while.

The path then leads into the forestry and a long steady trudge uphill on very rough paths, eventually coming out at the zip-wire facility running from the top of the mountain above Llyn Fawr down to the former Tower Colliery site. The path is not clear from there and it`s possible that it is closed for safety reasons due to the zip wires. The left hand gravel road leads down to the former colliery site, so I took the right hand gravel road and a little short cut to the left on a right hand bend, which does re-join the planned path and comes out near the hairpin bend on the A4061. The hardest bit of the walk is the climb up from the road to the top of the Rhigos Pass. Although there is a right of way, there is no path as such, so it was a yomp up a very steep slope through 2 foot thick, very springy vegetation, but the reward on reaching the top of the Rhigos Pass was well worth the effort. Absolutely stunning views out across the top of the Cynon Valley and the Brecon Beacons.

The path then follows the road partly and sometimes parallel off-road paths down into the Rhondda Fawr valley and down into Treherbert. There are lots of wind generators at the top end of the valley, but as you descend, there are some great views down and across the valley.

Photo 1 - Viaduct at the start of the Cwm Gwrelych Geo Heritage Trail
Photo 2 - Nant Gwrelych stream
Photo 3 - Zip-wire tower at the half way point of the zip-wire above the former Tower Colliery site
Photo 4 - Llyn Fawr reservoir from the top of the Rhigos Pass
Photo 5 - Zip -wire facility and Brecon Beacons from the top of the Rhigos Pass
Photo 6 - Wind farm near the top of the Rhigos Pass
Photo 7 - Looking down the Rhondda Fawr valley.

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