The walk starts through the Craig y Nos Country Park, an idyllic spot on the banks of the Afon Tawe (River Tawe) with its Victorian Gothic building (now a hotel), which was home to the world-renowned opera singer Adelina Patti from 1878 to 1919. The route then follows quiet bridleways and country lanes with excellent views across the valley to the Cribarth mountain, to a steep cliff edge above the Tawe River which it then follows for an extended stretch, with the river running below in rapids.
You then leave the Tawe to walk up a spectacular wooded ravine, formed by the Nant Llech. The river’s name (‘Rock Slab Stream’ in English) derives from the rock strata that tilt or dip to create small waterfalls along its course, several of which can be observed from close quarters. The wooded gorge (owned and managed by the National Trust) is an Ancient Woodland, meaning many of the trees (especially on the southern bank) have never been felled. It is also a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) for its humid habitat, supporting a wide range of damp-loving species.
You ascend through the scenic gorge to a natural amphitheatre, carved out over millennia by the highest waterfall in South Wales, the Sgwd Henrhyd (Henrhyd Waterfall), which drops down a rocky ledge forming a water curtain you can walk behind. From there country lanes and paths across pastures get you a prized lunch pub in Pen y Cae and then back along the bridleways and lanes of the outward route to finish with a riverside loop through the Craig y Nos Country Park to its tea rooms.
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6 of the previous 14 met eventually in the car park of the Craig y Nos Country Park, fortuitously insofar as 4 of those should have been out of sight by then, ie the bus takers. But said bus got delayed by a 'first ever in SWC history', a total stop of road traffic due to the bi-annual sheep corralling near Crag village: about 10 sheepdogs and a similar number of shepherds (some on quad bikes, more on horseback) driving hundreds and hundreds of the wooly monsters down the road to a farm (for shearing or inoculations?).
The 4 then got further delayed by the public footpath through the CP being closed for fallen trees. Now, this is often OTT and not really necessary, but - as we saw later - here it was.
So we reverse-walked the end of the route to get around the closed paths. And so bumped into father and son, who came with a reinforcement, namely the mother of the son (living locally).
The streams, rivers and waterfalls weren't obviously as full as they can be and have been on previous outings, but nevertheless everyone enjoyed the route and plenty of photos were taken at the sgwd, with us going behind the water curtain.
3 short showers (1 while in the wooded gorge, ie a non-event) brought out the rain covers and we also had a stop at the Pen y Cae Inn, then left in good time to make the 15.41 buses either to Neath (1) or Brecon (3). The Neath bus was delayed, the Brecon one turned up more delayed with the destination showing as 'Out of Service', this being explained by the driver (who briefly stopped to just do that) by pointing at the luggage rack which was dangerously dangling off the ceiling as the bottom fixtures had broken. Another 'SWC first', surely.
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