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Sample Chapter: The Waterfall Woods Coed-y-Rhaiadr means ‘waterfall woods’ and you’ll not find a more impressive network of forest lidos and falling water anywhere in Wales. The route to the waterfalls near Pontneddfechan is found through an old gate inscribed simply ‘Waterfalls’ in wrought iron. Soon the sound of rushing water fills the woods. If you follow the trail for twenty minutes or so you’ll come to a large rocky outcrop on the right above a mini canyon through which you can snorkel, with clear views of the underwater rock formations in the abyss below. Further on there’s a large junction pool beneath a footbridge where families swim and older children jump. Like many wooded waterfalls in Wales this valley has its share of legends. It was from a cave by the riverside here that Elidorus, a fourth-century priest, found a passageway to a secret land from which he tried to steal a golden ball. The next waterfall along, Sgwd Gwladys, or Lady Falls, is named after the daughter of King Brychan who ruled here in the tenth century. The falls occupy a giant amphitheatre rimmed with a lip of dark black gritstone. The great bowl holds a wide pool of gentle water and shingle beach. Moss and fern grow in profusion in this misty microclimate and many say this is the most beautiful waterfall in Wales. I arrived at midday and the sun was high enough to light up the sunken woodbine and ragwort-draped glade. A slender chute of water was falling from a high ledge beneath slopes of oak and beech. Tiptoeing into the pebble shallows, I dove into the deeper parts of the plunge pool and swam underwater in the peaty darkness, hearing the drone of the water hum between my ears and the movement of the falls vibrate across my skin. Breaking the surface close to the far wall I clambered out onto a ledge of wet rock that leads around behind the falls. Lady Falls is variable: sometimes it can be a roaring cascade, at other times a trickle. If you’re well equipped and have time you may be able to bushwhack your way up a further kilometre through the forest above Lady Falls to find the falls of Einion Gam, named after Gwladys’ lover. This is twice as tall, and its pool is cut into a sheer-sided ravine. Back at the footbridge and junction pool a rather precipitous path leads on to the Horseshoe Falls and two perfectly elliptical pools, like emerald lidos, lying deep in the forest. In the parallel valley of the Melte, leading up to Ystradfellte, there are yet more waterfalls. At one of the most famous, Scwd yr Eira, an ancient drover’s road passes behind the flow. In another the entire river disappears into the caverns of Porth yr Ogof, one of the largest cave systems in Europe. This extraordinary landscape was laid down in layers of time. The oldest limestone was formed from the shells of sea creatures that inhabited the early tropical seas and these soft layers have been eroded into the plunge pools. The harder red sandstones and gritstones above were compressed out of the desert sands that covered the earth just before the dinosaurs and these form the hard lip at the top of the falls. Finally there are the carboniferous, or coalbearing, seams, the remains of the first forests that colonised earth once the seas and deserts receded. Warped, compressed and contorted, all these eons of time are visible in the waterfalls. Swim 76: Little Canyon Town: Pontneddfechan Grid ref: SN 899087 Postcode: SA11 5UD (500m E) Water quality: A Depth/size: swim, dive Walking: 15 mins, moderate Train: Aberdare, 12km Extras: Scwd yr Eira An exciting and relatively safe piece of gorge swimming. A pool flows slowly through a deep, narrow channel, 5m wide for about 30m. There’s a large rocky outcrop by path to watch from, or jump in from. Dangerous when flooding. Pontneddfechan is 2km from Glyn Neath on the A465 from Swansea (or A470 Merthyr Tydfil from Cardiff). From the roadside Angel Inn turn L and find iron gates just before the old bridge into the woods. Follow the river on good path for 1.3km (20 mins). An open field and gate on L marks halfway. If you reach the picnic tables you’ve gone too far. Swim 77: Sgwd Gwladys / Lady Falls Town: Pontneddfechan Grid ref: SN 896093 Postcode: SA11 5UR (500m S) Water quality: A Depth/size: paddle, swim Walking: 25 mins, moderate Train: Aberdare, 12km Extras: Henrhyd Falls, Coelbren A graceful column of water falls 10m into a deep, large plunge pool set in an amphitheatre in the woods. Swim beneath fall. Climb up behind fall and then dive back in. Continue on from Little Canyon 500m and arrive at junction pool with footbridges. The pool here is deep and large and good for swimming. Cross first bridge and turn L (up Afron Pyrddin), past Lime Pool (300m) to reach tall waterfall with pool (450m). Flow can vary considerably and can dry up altogether, though pool remains. Access to viewing platform on L. Einion Gam Falls 1km upstream, no path (SN 890094). Swim 78: Horseshoe Falls Town: Pontneddfechan Grid ref: SN 903097 Postcode: SA11 5UR (500m SE) Water quality: A Depth/size: swim, dive, current Walking: 45 mins, difficult Train: Aberdare, 12km Extras: Ystradfellte and Porth yr Ogof cave A fantastic set of deep forest plunge pools beneath a horseshoe-shaped waterfall. Continue on from Little Canyon 500m and arrive at junction pool with footbridges. Cross first footbridge, turn R and bear L (up main river, Neddfechan) for a further 800m along an often muddy and steep path. The main pool drains into a second pool almost as big. In normal flows these pools are flat and relatively calm. Above the path leads on to Lower Ddwli (150m, SN 904098) and Upper Ddwli (400m, SN 906099) for yet more dips. |
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