Pen Pych Waterfall Hike

One of our favourite hikes of the late summer was a walk up to Pen Pych Waterfall in the Welsh Valleys near the small village of Blaencwm. I know thousands of people flock to the Brecon Beacons to take in the beautiful Waterfall hikes and trails but if your looking for a far quieter and child-friendly hike then this is a great option. We went on a Sunday around lunchtime and only came across other people on our way back down, it was so nice and quiet and it meant we could take our time and walk at our own pace.

When you arrive into Blaencwm there are signs for the mountain carpark which has plenty of space and is free to park. At the far right end of the car park is the start of the Pen Pych Mountain trail which initially veers away from the waterfall through a meadow and then back around into a forest area where a gentle incline starts.

As we did this near the end of the summer everything was green and slightly overgrown with huge ferns and we also spotted some mushrooms and toadstools but the path was still very clear and easy to follow. After the gentle incline, you come to a fork in the path with a wooden gate, a path going down and one going up, we followed the path going up. As per usual when heading out on hikes we do some research before leaving and knew we were due to find some picnic benches which would signal the half waypoint. Once we found the benches it can be a little confusing as you can see a Waterfall in the distance but it's not actually the one the path leads too so don't get disheartened if it looks really far away.

The woodlands of Pen Pych mountain are really beautiful especially with it being more untouched and less trodden than the Brecon Beacon walks, there is also plenty of wildlife and we saw an array of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. The walk levels off for a while before reaching a viewing point over a smaller waterfall below, which you can walk down to for a better view.

From here the path veers sharply upwards through the woods and can be quite steep and slippery so do bring decent walking shoes, although my 9yr old had no issues although my 4.5yr old needed just a little assistance - mainly hand-holding or helping up some big steps. As you head upwards you can catch glimpses of the waterfall and you can start to hear it's roar and with that increases the excitement and certainly the energy levels of the kids who were flagging at one point.

After a fairly short walk through the woods, you come out into a clearing and see the waterfall in all it's glory. Again there are two paths, one going around to the top of Pen Pych Mountain and another heading to the waterfall which involves a bit of a scramble but is well worth it. If it's been raining the flow can be quite heavy and even if your a good 10 meters away from the waterfall you will feel it's spray. There is plenty of space to relax and have a bit of a picnic on the big rocks which is what we did and take in the unrestricted views of the Rhondda Valley.

What I love about this hike is that it's not too strenuous as there are plenty of places to stop and also sections of easy levelled ground, although you do still feel like you have had a bit of a workout and I would allocate around 2hrs which of course you can do faster without children but for a low-stress hike I would recommend taking your time so you can soak in the beautiful scenery. I often feel the Welsh Valleys are overlooked but there are some truly fantastic places to explore and plenty of mountain walks and hikes in the area, a real hidden gem.