Llyn Mawr

Some of you may be wondering what Llyn Mawr Means. You will be pleased to know that it is the Welsh translation of “Big Lake“. And the reality of it is, the Llyn Mawr is indeed a Reservoir. This walk is set right in the heart of the South Wales Valleys – at the bottom of the Rhigos Mountain to be precise. The nearest postcode that we could find to get you to this location is CF44 9UF.

If you head over the Rhigos Mountain, you will find a small lay by just opposite the turning to the Llyn. Here, you can park for free for as long as you want. You won’t be able to drive into the actual turning of the Llyn unless you have, to my understanding, a fishing permit and/or access to allocated keys for the gate.

The walk begins with a gentle ramble on the forestry road until you reach the reservoir itself. This should only take you around 5-10 minutes. Once you get to the Llyn you will see plenty of fishermen along the banks and be able to enjoy the picturesque mountain views! I personally wouldn’t swim, or allow your dog to swim in the reservoir though – as there are a number of signs warning against this. And to my knowledge, it is still a working reservoir.

If you continue walking past the Llyn, you will reach a narrow footpath where you will have the chance to enjoy the view of the Brecon Beacons in the horizon If it is a really clear day, then you will be lucky enough to see the peak of Pen-y-Fan. You can continue on this footpath until you reach a forestry road. Here you can continue your venture further up the mountain or turn back around and return to your car if you decide.

Once on the forestry road, you can walk for as long or as little as you like. Along the way you can continue soaking up the views! And eventually, you will reach a fork in the road. You can either keep going and follow the forestry road. Or you can continue up the mountain path and you will eventually reach a second lake, locally known at Llyn Fach! Here, we have seen people wild camping and having picnics. Although, this isn’t necessarily legal here in Wales. A lot of people do it, and it usually isn’t a problem – as long as you are respectful of the environment.

Needless to say, it is recommended that you wear sensible footwear and unfortunately, this route is not suitable for prams or wheelchair users. For those of you walking with your hounds, there are not any doggy bins in the vicinity either. This truly is a mountain walk, so be prepared to carry your poop bags with you, and to take plenty of refreshments to keep you and your dog topped up along the way.