Walks Around Coed Y Brenin Guidebook

by: Michael Burnett
Coed Y Brenin, the King's Forest, covers some 9000 acres north of Dolgellau in Gwynedd in the Snowdonia National Park. The forest straddles the Eden, Gain, Mawddach and Wen rivers. Although still a working forest, managed by the Forestry Commission, Coed Y Brenin was designated a forest park during the 1990's and is now famed for its cycling trails and other recreational facilities.

The area is renowned for its spectacular mountain scenery with the wild Rhinog Mountains to the west and the remote peaks of Dduallt and Rhobell to the east. There are river valleys with rapids and waterfalls, gold mines and remote farms. The Roman road, Sarn Helen, passes through the forest and the attractive village of Ganiiwyd lies at the centre of the park.

The 20 walks in this book vary in length from 1.5 to 5.5 miles and all begin from one of six starting points. These are: Ganllwyd; Coed Y Brenin Visitor Centre; Bedd y Coedwr; Abergeirw; Hermon; Cwmheisian Ganol. Each walk entry begins with a summary description of the route plus how to get to the start including by public transport where possible. This is followed by detailed route finding instructions and a sketch map. Short notes on points of interest are given in italics.

The walk locations are:
Cefn Coch Gold Mine - 3 miles
Rhaeadr Du and Afon Gamlan - 3.5 miles
Afon Gamlan and Goetre - 2.5 miles
Around Ganllwyd - 1.5 miles
Plas Dolmelynllyn and Rhaeadr Du - 1.5 miles
Friog and Penrhos Isaf - 3.5 miles
Sarn Helen and Afon Eden - 4.5 miles
Tyddyn Y Bwlch and Afon Gamlan - 5.5 miles
Pont Cae'n y Coed and Rhaeadr Du - 5.5 miles
Pistyll Cain and Tyddyn Glwadys - 4.5 miles
Pont Cae'n y Coed and Cefndeuddwr - 4.5 miles
Gwynfynydd Gold Mine - 2 miles
Rhaeadr Mawddach and Pont Gwynfyndd - 2.5 miles
Tyddyn Mawr and Afon Mawddach - 4 miles
Around Hermon - 2.5 miles
Bwlchrhoswen Isaf and Afon Mawddach - 3.5 miles
Cwmheisian Isaf and Pistyll Cain - 4 miles
Afon Wen and Pen y Bryn - 3 miles
Cwmheisian Isaf and Moel Hafodowen - 5 miles
Hafod Fraith and Rhaeadr Mawddach - 4 miles

ISBN 9781902302898 Pages 41 (2011) 148mm x 210mm