Following the longest river in Great Britain, this accessible path is just one of many within the bounds of a lush Welsh forest
You don’t need to trek very far before you stumble across one of the UK’s many tranquil waterways and riverside trails. The Welsh landscape in particular is renowned for its intersecting trails along trickling mountain streams and large river bodies. For those who have already traversed the most popular Usk Valley Walk in the Brecon Beacons National Park, there is one trail along the River Severn that should be next on your exploration list.
Planted by the Forestry Commission in the 1930s, Hafren Forest is a 40 square kilometre forest situated in Mid Wales. The forest was named after Afon Hafren (the Welsh name for the River Severn) which flows through the region. The Hafren Forest is home to a multitude of walking trails that are perfectly carved to enjoy Great Britain’s longest river. Trails go to waterfalls and the source of the Severn on Pumlumon, the highest point in Mid Wales. The marked routes and wheelchair accessible boardwalk make it well suited to accommodate both leisure and ardent explorers.
If you’re up for a challenge, the longest route will take you straight to the source of the Severn, which lies just outside the forest’s boundary. For those interested in a shorter route, there are also trails that lead to waterfalls within the forest bounds, including the famous Severn-Break-Its-Neck.
The four main walking routes
The Cascades Walk is among the shortest routes. Only half a mile long and taking only half an hour to complete, the accessible route follows the riverside boardwalk to a raised platform with views of the cascades. This trail in particular is perfectly suited for a fairytale photo-op.
The Severn-Break-its-Neck Trail which is 1.5 miles long and takes about an hour to complete leads to the Severn Break its Neck waterfall. The trail sets off alongside the river before taking a detour through a wildflower meadow and over the footbridge where the River Severn flows down a gully to form the infamous falls.
The Blaen Hafren Falls trail, while a bit longer, offers an even more scenic path through the forest, before ending at the Blaen Hafren Falls. This trail is approximately 3.5 miles long.
The Source of the Severn Trail is among the longest routes at 8-miles. This is also one of the more difficult routes, following the river through the forest and boggy moorland before reaching the carved wooden post which marks the river’s source on Pumlumon. If you have time to spare along your journey, it’s worth reading the information panels along the path which mark heritage features like a standing stone and the remains of a mine and a farmstead.
Each of these walking trails is graded on a scale ranging from Accessible to Strenuous on the Natural Resource Wales website.
In addition to these four paths, you can also trek The Severn Way, The Wye Valley Walk, Glyndŵr’s Way and the Sarn Sabrina walk, all of which pass through the Hafren Forest.
All trails begin from the car park (Rhyd-y-benwch) where you can find toilet facilities and a large picnic area.
Finally, if you’re interested in exploring the forest by bike, the Sustrans National Cycle Network route 8 (Lôn Las Cymru) follows the minor road through Hafren Forest.
