Wales

Henrhyd Falls and Nant Llech walk

Visitor taking picture of waterfall with his phone while standing on small cliff above pool of water at Henrhyd Falls in the Brecon Beacons, Wales — Visitor taking a photo at Henrhyd Falls, Brecon Beacons | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Discover the tranquil surroundings at Henrhyd Falls and the Nant Llech river valley as you take this adventurous walk to the highest waterfall in South Wales.

Near to

Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

Start point

National Trust car park near Coelbren, grid ref: SN853121

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3.5 (km: 5.6)

Duration2 hours 30 mins

Dog friendly***

*A moderate riverside walk with some steep climbs and descents. For further details, please see the Terrain section.
**Uneven paths and slippery surfaces throughout the trail. For further details, please see the section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Address
National Trust car park near Coelbren, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), SA10 9PH
Directions via Google Maps
By bus
For local bus routes please check online.
Visit Traveline
Cycling
Local cycle routes and minor roads.
Visit Sustrans
On foot
Several footpaths pass near Henrhyd; see Ordnance Survey map OL12.
By road
Signposted from the A4067 and A4221 by brown tourist signs. The car park is located just outside Coelbren on the minor road to Pen y Cae. OS Grid ref: SN853121.
Total stages: 5
Total stages: 5
Start point
National Trust car park near Coelbren, grid ref: SN853121
Stage 1
Start your walk from the National Trust car park and pass through two gates, following the footpath down the slope to a junction at the bottom. Turn left and cross the wooden bridge, walking up the steep steps to the footpath at the top. The bridge was built in 1985 by a team of international volunteers, and the steps were added in 2001 following a landslide that destroyed the original path. Continue along the footpath to the waterfall. Henrhyd Falls is the highest in South Wales at 90ft (27m). Take care as the spray from the falls can make the ground slippery. Once you've taken time to enjoy the spectacular waterfall, retrace your steps back across the bridge to the path junction.
Henrhyd Falls and Coelbren
Henrhyd Falls plunges into the Graig Llech Gorge, an enclosed and steep-sided valley that creates its own microclimate where moss and ferns thrive. It's situated on the western side of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, near the nearby village of Coelbren. Originally just a chapel and collection of farms, Coelbren grew rapidly with the coming of the Brecon Forest Tramroad in 1820, closely followed by the building of the Brecon Swansea and Neath railway in the mid-19th century, creating Coelbren Junction. Station Road is a clue to the village's railway connections, although the Romans were here almost 2,000 years before the Victorians when they built Sarn Helen (Roman Road) nearby with an adjoining fort and marching camp – all built in the first decades of the Roman Occupation (approx. AD43 to AD410)
Visitors on the Henrhyd Falls and Nant Llech walk, Brecon Beacons | © National Trust Images/James Dobson
Stage 2
Go straight ahead, following the footpath with Nant Llech on your left-hand side. The trees that cling to the steep sides of the valley are mainly sessile oak and ash, although you can also find small-leafed lime, alder and wych elm. Many of the mature ash trees have been affected by ash dieback and we may see these disappear in time. Keep following the footpath and just after you cross a boardwalk, a smaller waterfall can be seen on your left.
Stage 3
Keep following the footpath until you pass through a gate which marks the end of National Trust land. Then cross a small bridge and continue to follow the path down the valley. After about 15 minutes, you'll cross the site of a former large landslide. These features are part of the natural processes that have helped create the dramatic landscape of this steep gorge.
Stage 4
Continue along this path until you reach the site of the disused watermill – the Melin Llech (these buildings are private property, please do not enter). From Melin Llech, continue past the bridge on the left and follow the track uphill for about 75ft (23m). Join the footpath on your left and continue along this path to a kissing gate and minor road, cross the road and bear right to another kissing gate on your left.
Stage 5
Pass through the kissing gate then follow the path until the River Tawe comes into view. This river flows all the way to Swansea and into the Bristol Channel. You have now reached the midway point of the walk. You can now return to the minor road by the path that you have just followed. At the road, you can either turn left uphill and follow the lanes back to the car park or, retrace the whole route back to Henrhyd Falls following the path by the Nant Llech.
Footpath running alongside the Nant Llech | © National Trust Images/James Dobson
End point
National Trust car park near Coelbren, grid ref: SN853121
Trail map
Henrhyd Falls and Nant Llech walk, Brecon Beacons map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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