GLYNNEATH & ABERPERGWM CIRCULAR WALK

GLYNNEATH-ABERPERGWM-CIRC-6HO-SN.883064.SA11.5DB

OVERVIEW - A nice walk until you meet a blocked off path. I'd give this one a miss if I were you - (please see point X below) until I've worked out a suitable alternate route. The path from I to J is a concrete road and will be extremely slippery and dangerous in icy conditions.

ALTERNATE ROUTE NOW AVAILABLE - CLICK HERE   

ELEVATION - Hilly - 520 feet

SEVERITY of TERRAIN - Off Road (muddy in parts)

START - Glynneath Town Centre Car Park

GRID REF - SN 883 064

POSTCODE - SA11 5DB (Oddfellows Street)

PLACES OF INTEREST - Neath Canal - Lime Kiln - St Cadoc's Church, Aberpergwm, Glynneath Conservation Area, Lamb & Flag, Glynneath

WALK DATE - 13 Dec 2014 

WALK BLOG & MORE PHOTOS - CLICK HERE

DIRECTIONS TO START - Drive through Glynneath town until you reach the Co-operative Supermarket - turn into Oddfellows Street opposite (signposted P = parking) the Co-op and follow it to the end.

OVERVIEW - A nice walk until you meet a blocked off path. I'd give this one a miss if I were you - (please see point X below) until I've worked out a suitable alternate route. The path from I to J is a concrete road and will be extremely slippery and dangerous in icy conditions.

ALTERNATE ROUTE NOW AVAILABLE - CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE FOR A MORE DETAILED IMAGE OF THE ROUTE

THE WALK

START - Glynneath Town Centre Car Park - Take path under road bridge and follow the river to the end of the path looking left you will see the subway under the road to Cwmgwrach, looking right you will see a road..............

B - Turn right and follow this road. - PHOTO CLICK HERE

C - At the end of this road turn right and then left onto the old Resolven road B4242. Follow this road for about 400 metres and on your left there will be a tarmac path leading off to the left.

D - Turn left here and rejoin the river path where it leaves the road. Follow this path and at the point it turns from tarmac to gravel, turn right. As soon as you arrive at an open grassy space just before the canal bridge if you immediately turn right and follow the tree line for about 10 metres just before you hit the canal path there is a massive lime kiln that is worth a look.

E - At the point where this path meets the canal, cross bridge onto a lane. - PHOTO CLICK HERE

F - Decision time - Marshall's or not ? - If not turn right to point G.

MMMMMMMM - Turn left and Marshalls is about 200 metres on the same side. There is no pavement here but a generous verge that you can walk on. Marshalls is normally open until about 2.00pm. To pre-order your Marshall's meal please ring 07974 602 681. When ready retrace your route back past point F. Again there is no pavement here so please be careful and use the verge to be safe.  

G - Turn left up the lane signed Derifach Lane. - PHOTO CLICK HERE

X - About 500 metres up the lane the lane splits into a small holding entrance (shed sales) & a bridleway (PHOTO CLICK HERE) but the bridleway has been blocked off with a fence and sign 'Danger Radiation'. My map says this is a public right of way but as it's been blocked off and I'm not sure if it still is I do not advise proceeding past this point for this and three other reasons.  - PHOTO CLICK HERE

1. At this point the path cuts through land owned by the Aberpergwm Colliery so you would need to be aware that this is a working environment and there are vehicles and machinery at work in this area. 
2. Attention to the detail on the map is important because there are no signposts and there are several wrong options that could be taken before arriving at point H. 
3. This area is used for Motorsport, in particular motorbike scramblers and rally cars.

H - On reaching the path/bridleway junction turn right down the hill, there should be a stream with cascades on your right, The path continues through a gate next to the stream.

I - At the stream junction, leave the stream and continue down the concrete road which which lead you back into civilization.  Continue straight on and when the road turns left fork right towards the church.

J - Head down the lane to St Cadoc's church. At the end of the lane you pass through the gates of the old Aberpergwm House.  - PHOTO CLICK HERE

K Turn left at the road. Cross over the road at some stage then just after the Lamb & Flag and before the speed camera look for a grassy path that goes off at a 2 o clock angle on the right. - PHOTO CLICK HERE

L -Take this path and within about 100 metres you should arrive at the 'road to nowhere'. this is the old bypass that is now closed off at either end. Walk the length of the road and just before the end on the right hand side.........

M - ..... cut back down a wide rough path and this will take you back down to the river path, follow the river path back to the finish.