Mynydd Marchywel trail head by Brybcaws Farm.
Route past the farm at the beginning of the route to Mynydd Marchywel.
| Mynydd Marchywel from
Brybcaws Farm Mynydd Marchywel |
| Estimated net time | 1½-2 hours | ||
| Difficulty | No difficulties. | ||
| Drinking water | Possibly OK drinking water from a stream a little above the farm, but there's a lot of sheep in the area. | ||
| GSM coverage | Coverage throughout the route (October 2013). | ||
| Parking | Room for one or two cars at trail head. | ||
| Start height | 190 metres | ||
| Vertical metres | 235 metres for the roundtrip. | ||
| Trip distance | 6.6 km | ||
| GPS-file | X | ||
| Map |
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| Route photo |
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From the town Neath, in southern Wales, drive road A465 a couple of kilometres (one mile or so) north and exit towards A4109. In the round about exit towards "Cilfrew" on road A4230, drive 250 metres, and turn right onto the road "Penscynor". Follow this road through the settlement and drive in total 3.1 km (1.9 mi) to where a road heads left towards a farm (you will see "Bryncaws Farm" written on the stone fence). Park along the road where the farm road starts.
Walk up to the farm, turn left when you get to the buildings, walk around the building, and then turn right behind the building. It might be good to ask for permission to hike up along the farm road. Follow the farm road approximately 1.0 km (0.6 mi) north-west, to where the terrain gets steeper. From here make sure you don't follow the farm road going right, but instead follow the farm road zigzagging uphill. Turn a little right when the farm road ends and walk north/north-west parallel with the forest, and aim for the right side of the forest towards north. When you get to this forest you need to jump/climb a barbed fence, which is best done where there is a shorter pole next to the fence pole. At the other side of the fence you will find a path going through the open section of the forest, and this path will take you to the summit cairn.
Descend by reversing your ascent route.
This was my third hike this Saturday, and one I thought would be a short and easy one. But the roads I had seen on the maps were farms roads not open for the public. After having driven back and forth a few times I decided to try my luck below Bryncaws Farm, and asked at the farm for advice. The farmer and his helper were most helpful, and showed me were to walk. They even offered to drive me up to a little below the summit!
Based on the advice from the farmers the hike ended up being a nice walk on farm roads and across a field. The summit cairn was located within a forest and hence there were no views.