LONGER WALK 4: TONMAWR TO BLAENGWYNFI

This walk provides a perfect introduction to the dramatic Afan valley, and demonstrates the amazing “renaturing” of former industrial areas of Neath Port Talbot into a magnificent countryside of mountain and forest which thanks to the old railway network, now offers outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation. Photo: C. Speakman, TFL

Map: OS Explorer 165 & 166 or Landranger 170

Distance: 12km (7½ miles); allow 4 hours

Terrain: One short steep section near the start of the walk along a narrow woodland path but the walk is mostly on level former railway track beds, some sections on shared cycle routes.

Start: Tonmawr Railway Terrace bus stop Grid reference 804963

Bus there: Mondays to Saturdays: First Cymru X5 from Swansea connect to First Cymru 159 from Swansea and Neath; First Cymru 23 from Port Talbot, connect to 159 at Pontrhydyfen
Sundays: First Cymru 158 from Swansea, connect 159 from Neath; frequency every hour daytime. No service from Port Talbot.

Walk:  Alight from the bus at the stop on the sharp corner as it turns into Tonmawr village at Railway Terrace. Walk back down the main road some 200 metres to where a well signed bridleway leads off sharp left, along a grassy track which once carried the track bed of the old South Wales Mineral Railway. This soon becomes an attractive, level path above the Pelenna Valley. Where the main valley swings sharp left forming Cwm Pelenna, the old railway path goes along the embankment straight ahead towards woodland, crossing a bridge. Near the tunnel mouth (hidden by trees) the path, now waymarked (810950), turns right and climbs steeply. Follow it as it twists left and ascends alongside a shallow ravine through fir and oak woods. At a forest track, turn right with the waymarks but after some 30m at the bend look in the track for the waymarked path on the left which takes the path steeply up back into woodland. Ascend to the lane at the summit of the ridge (807955) where directly ahead you will see the entrance into Afan Forest Park, and a number of interpretive panels indicating various grades of mountain bike trails.

Afan Forest Park consists of 11,000 hectares of mature forest, mainly coniferous woodlands, covering the Afan Valley and surrounding hills. Formerly blighted by coal mining, the old workings and spoil tips have been transformed by the forest. Woodpeckers now drum where once pit head wheels turned, and many of the old railways have been transformed into quiet cycle ways and level walking routes, many with magnificent views. Because of the nature of the terrain, with steep sided main and side valleys, this has becoming one of Britain’s top Mountain Biking areas, internationally known for its challenging as well as more moderate routes, but it is also a splendid area for walking.

Your way is to the left, not the broad track along the rim of the valley immediately left but the narrower bridleway descending to the right of the main route, waymarked with the ‘St Illtyd’s Way’ logo. This drops down at a steep angle into the Afan valley, with glimpses across the valley below between tall tree tops; this is an exceptionally beautiful route which soon follow a high shelf along the hillside from which you eventually emerge in an open area, just west of the old Gyfylychi Tunnel (817952) high above the valley. There are magnificent views from here and a picnic table offers a splendid lunch stop.

The Afan Valley is one of narrowest and most beautiful in South Wales; its spectacular, steeply wooded hill sides with traces of industry are not unlike the Erzgebirge in central Germany. It is also relatively short; just 15 miles from its source near Bwlch y Afan to where it joins the sea near Aberavon Beach in Port Talbot. The Gylfylchi Tunnel, almost a mile long, has special interest for railway historians as it was originally engineered in 1865 by Brunel. It was designed to carry the tracks of the old Great Western broad gauge (7’ 0¼”; 2.14m), but converted to standard gauge after Brunel’s death.

If you turn right here through the pedestrian gate this leads to the waymarked path that zigzags down to cross the cycle trail and the river, crossed by footbridge to reach the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre. Here you will find refreshments, toilets, exhibition areas, mountain bike hire. Your return bus goes from the stop on the main road immediately by the Country Park entrance.

The main trail, however, follows the old railway line along the northern slopes of the Afan Valley. There are magnificent views along the valley, across to the Visitor Centre and on to the villages of Cynonville and Duffryn. The line from the tunnel gradually descends to meet the track bed carrying the main cycle path along the valley. Watch out for cyclists who rarely have bells (as a general rule walk on the right to face oncoming traffic) but the views over hillside of ancient oak woods more than compensates.

You can admire Brunel’s superb engineering of this railway as it follows a high shelf above the valley. Note the much lower railway line and alternative cycle path across the river along the south side of the valley; this is the much later (1885) Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway, built to link the coal mines and communities of the nearby Rhondda Valley with Swansea and its docks.

After 4 kilometres (2½ miles) the track bed gradually curves into Cwm Cregan through a section of rocky cutting before emerging at a small car park below Abercregan village (848964). Continue along the narrow tarmac path which goes south of the road through the village. Soon the old iron bridge which once carried the railway into the Corrwg valley comes into view. Keep ahead past picnic tables into Cymmer, crossing the fine single arch bridge which leads into the village. Turn right and right again in the open area before the fire station to reach the old Station Refreshment Rooms.

Once part of Cymmer Station on the old Rhondda & Swansea Bay railway, closed to passengers in 1970, the station Refreshment Rooms is now a popular café and local pub for both walkers and cyclists in the Afan valley as well as the local community.

The name Cymer in Welsh means the joining of two rivers; the Afon Afan and the Afon Corrwg. This former mining village is now a focal point for a number of walking and cycling trails and is very well served by local buses to and from the coastal towns and valleys. 


From the Refreshment Rooms head towards the fire station; turn right and follow the fence around the fire station to join a tarmac path past the station and a bench which leads under the stone arches carrying the Port Talbot road. After 100 metres the path divides; take the path left through a narrow metal pedestrian stile. This follows another lovely stretch of former railway, soon crossing the River Afan, which here is a narrow, fast flowing mountain stream. The valley now curves northwards. After a little less than a km (½ mile) the paths - you can either climb around the edge of an old tunnel or take an easier way to the right - both rejoin the main cycle way which now crosses the river and edges into the A4107 road (872963). Keep on the cycle way now branching away from the road towards a metal gate. Soon after this gate however, look for a very narrow footpath left which again leaves the cycle way. This is another old branch of the railway, parallel with the cycle path but now following a very beautiful stretch of riverside, on an embankment above the river with mountain views on all sides and the grassy peak of Coergae Isaf dominant to the south.

You rejoin the cycleway, now a smooth tarmac path which curves to the right to head directly into the former mining village of Blaengwynfi, with twin village Abergwynfi directly above. Where you leave the path to follow the main trail up to the road, cross directly to the continuation of the path, signed Blaengwynfi. After 300 metres you go under a stone archway carrying an old road into the village. Turn immediately left after this bridge for the centre of the village and the bus shelter near the turning circle where the 23 or 159 bus stops.

Buses back to Port Talbot, Neath and Swansea go from the small turning circle and bus interchange along the Port Talbot road on the western edge of the village.

Blaengwynfi was a community developed for most of its life to serve Afan Colliery, a huge mining complex, now completely vanished. It is with Abergwynfi very much the village at the end of a valley which is gradually regaining the natural beauty it enjoyed before the Industrial Revolution, a process helped by the cycle and walking trails along the Afan Valley and into forest and mountain on all sides. The welcoming Tunnel Inn, open most days for food and refreshment, is an easy stroll opposite the bus stop.

Finish: Blaengwynfi. Grid Referemce: 889 967 

Facilities: Café and bar at the Refreshment Rooms in Cymmer (8km); Tunnel Inn and shops at Blaengwynfi.

Bus back: Mondays to Saturdays: First Cymru 23 from Blaengwynfi to Port Talbot; connect at Pontrhydyfen for 159 to Neath and connect at Port Talbot for X1 or X3 to Swansea.
Sundays: First Cymru 159 to Neath; connect for 158 to Swansea
Frequency; every hour daytime.

Tickets: Best buy First Day Swansea Bay; prices as of summer 2010: £4.25 adult, £2.75 child.

Updated 19.8.10