WALK 11: CLYNE TO RESOLVEN ALONG THE NEATH CANAL AND AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO MELINCOURT WATERFALL

This is a delightful walk along a well-wooded towpath of the Neath Canal options to Melincourt Waterfall; or to Resolven. Either option will take you over the newly reopened aqueduct at Ynysbwllog.

Map: OS Explorer 165 & 166 or Landranger 170

Distance: Melincourt Falls: 2½ miles, 4 kilometres. Resolven: 3 miles, 4.5 kilometres

Terrain: Easy level walking throughout on towpaths and urban paths with short steep section to Melincourt Falls; allow 2 hours

Start: Clyne Cyd Terrace; Grid Reference 798003. Clyne bus stop information

Bus there: Mondays to Saturdays: First Cymru X5 from Swansea & Neath to Clyne Cyd Terrace; every half hour daytime
Sundays: First Cymru X5 from Neath (connection from Swansea by 158) to Clyne Cyd Terrace; frequency: every hour.

Walk: Alight at the Cyd Terrace stop adjacent to the Clyne canal lock and towpath. The walk takes you on a level course alongside the canal (right) and the river (left) crossing the new Ynysbwllog Aqueduct after ¾ mile/1.2 km where the towpath continues to Abergarwed map reference 817024. For Melincourt turn right and follow the footpath over the river and under the road until you reach the B4434. Cross over and take the footpath (sign posted) to the falls for a further ¼ mile/0.5 km; return to Melincourt bus stop. For Resolven, continue to the B4242 road at Abergarwed from where there is a pavement on the right hand of this road. Turn right at Craig Nedd into Resolven crossing the A465 on a footbridge.

Finish: Melincourt bus stop, Grid Reference SN823020; or Resolven Post Office, Grid Reference SN82902.

Facilities: There are no facilities at Melincourt; at Resolven, the Farmers Arms for bar food and drinks and take away food outlets in Resolven.

Bus back: Mondays to Saturdays: First Cymru Service X5 to Neath and Swansea; frequency, every half hour, daytime
Sundays: First Cymru Service X5 to Neath and Swansea; frequency, every hour, daytime.

Bus times

Tickets

From Swansea: First Day Swansea Bay; prices as of spring 2011: £4.40 adult, £2.80 child.
From Port Talbot and Pontardawe: First Day Neath Port Talbot; prices as of spring 2011: £4.00 adult, £2.80 child.

Updated 23.06.11