Afan Forest Park – Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre, near Port Talbot
Starting point for three of our red-graded mountain...
Gwarallt is a small car park near Brechfa village.
It is the starting point for a short walking trail in Brechfa Forest.
Pobl y Fforest, a local community group, received funding from Forestry Commission Wales (now Natural Resources Wales) to create this trail.
The walking trail is waymarked from start to finish.
Look out for the information panel at the start of the trail.
Find out about walking trail grades.
Climb through beech woodlands to reach an open area planted with native trees such as oak, rowan and birch.
Brechfa Forest is the modern name for part of the ancient Glyn Cothi Forest.
Glyn Cothi Forest was managed for centuries by local people in order to provide building materials, products and grazing.
In 1283, following the final defeat of Wales by Edward I, Glyn Cothi became a Royal Forest administered under Forest Law for several centuries.
Since those days a very different forest has developed. In the 1900s Brechfa Forest was replanted with conifers by the Forestry Commission to boost Britain’s timber reserve after the heavy use of timber in the First World War.
Brechfa Forest covers some 6500 hectares and is looked after by Natural Resources Wales for the benefit of people, wildlife and timber production, and more recently the production of wind energy.
There are walking and mountain bike trails from these other Natural Resources Wales car parksin Brechfa Forest:
Brechfa Forest forms part of the National Forest for Wales.
The National Forest will:
In time it will form a connected ecological network running throughout Wales, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits.
For more information about the National Forest for Wales go to the Welsh Government website.
Sometimes we need to close or divert trails for your safety whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations.
We may have to close a site in extreme weather, such as high winds or snow and ice, due to the risk of injury to visitors or staff.
Please always follow any instructions on site and any temporary diversion signs.
Gwarallt car park is 13¾ miles north east of Carmarthen.
It is in the county of Carmarthenshire.
Gwarallt is on Ordnance Survey (OS) Explorer map 186.
The OS grid reference is SN 520 322.
Take the A40 from Carmarthen towards Llandeilo.
Turn left onto the B4310 signposted to Brechfa.
In the village of Brechfa turn left at the village shop signposted to New Inn.
Follow this minor road for 1½ miles and pass the Keepers car park on the left.
The Gwarallt car park is ¼ mile further along the road on the right, up a short but steep forest entrance road.
The nearest mainline railway station is in Carmarthen.
For details of public transport go to the Traveline Cymru website.
Car parking is free of charge.
Overnight parking is not permitted.
There are no staff at this location.
Contact our customer team for general enquiries during office hours, Monday to Friday.