The village of Ystradfellte is situated in what is popularly known as ‘Waterfall Country’ in the south of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The area is renowned both for its waterfalls and caves. Here the rivers Mellte, Hepste and Nedd Fechan flow down deep wooded gorges, cascading over a series of dramatic waterfalls, before joining to form the River Neath. Mosses, ferns and lichens thrive in the humid conditions. Near the village (on the route of the walk) is Porth yr Ogof, one of the most impressive and largest cave entrances in Britain, where the River Mellte disappears underground before reappearing 250m further downstream. There are information boards showing the waymarked paths (not all on the OS maps) at both the Ystradfellte and Cwm Porth car parks, but you would be well advised to take with you one of the National Park-produced Waterfall Country leaflets, available for £1 from both the New Inn and the Cwm Porth car park shop. The maps, especially the larger scale, are very useful.
1. START Turn left out of the car park (SN929134) and right in front of the New Inn, passing the church on your left. Continue along the lane, crossing the Afon Mellte, and take the next footpath on the right to the Cwm Porth car park. A wooden signpost indicates the path down to Porth yr Ogof, which is well worth viewing.
2. Cross the road and continue along the path signposted for Sgwd Clun-Gwyn. Keep ahead at a gate (the path that forks right is signed ‘Access for Cavers’). Before long, you reach a grassy area and the path continues alongside the Afon Mellte. Carry on past the footbridge to reach a four-way signpost, numbered 13, where you join the Four Falls Trail. There are numbered signposts all along the Trail – these correspond to the numbers shown on the large scale map in the Waterfall Country leaflet so you know exactly where you are. The Trail itself is a red waymarked circuit, off which are green waymarked linear routes (link paths) down to each waterfall. Turn off right down the link path that leads to the first splendid waterfall: Sgwd Clun-Gwyn (meaning ‘Fall of the White Meadow’).
3. Return to the four-way junction and turn right (signposted for Sgwd yr Eira). The path heads on up through the trees and then levels off.
4. At post number 25, you’ll reach another junction. Turn off right down the link path signed for Sgwd y Pannwr (‘Fall of the Fuller’). This is quite a steep path with stretches of boardwalk and steps. At the bottom, enjoy the view of the waterfall, then follow the path northwards alongside the river to visit the next waterfall, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn (‘Lower Waterfall of the White Meadow’). The last section of path beyond post 32 is tricky since the ground next to the waterfall is steep, rough and slippery – so take care. Retrace your steps back uphill to post 25 and turn right, continuing until you reach the next junction at post 35.
5. Turn off right once again and follow the stepped path, which descends quite steeply down to Sgwd yr Eira (‘Fall of Snow’) – the most famous waterfall in the area. The soft rock behind the waterfall has worn away leaving enough room to walk behind the cascade, but note the warning sign about the unstable rocks and slippery path if you do choose to do so. Climb back up to post 35 and turn right, following the signs for Gwaun Hepste car park and bearing right at a four-way junction.
6. Continue from the car park to the road and turn left, keeping ahead at the fork, back down to Ystradfellte.