Castell Coch and the Taff Trail

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Our view

"From a fairytale castle to a wild, windswept hillside – the new-look valleys at their scenic best."

Walk directions

Start in the car park at the Forestry Commission sign, head deeper into the car park, and then turn left after 54yds (50m), on to a clear footpath marked by a ‘no horse-riding’ sign. Follow this path, ignoring tracks on both the right and left (two of which are flanked by blue posts), until the posts become blue on your path and you come to a T-junction by a sign forbidding horse-riding. Cross the small brook and turn left to continue steeply down hill, past a turning on the left.

The track eventually swings around to the right and descends to meet the drive for Castell Coch. Turn right up the drive towards the castle.

Walk up to the castle entrance and turn right to walk to a metal information board. Take the path next to this and climb steeply on a good path past a waymark post and through a gap in the fence to a junction of tracks.

Turn sharp left, signposted ‘The Taff Trail’, and follow this broad forest track around the hillside and then down, where it meets the disused railway line close to some houses. Pass through the barrier on the right and follow the clear track for over 1 mile (1.6km) until you pass a picnic area and come to another barrier.

Go through the barrier then, as you come to a disused bridge, turn right over a stile, signposted ‘Glamorgan Ridgeway Walk’. Take this and follow it for about 76yds (70m) and then around to the right. Ignore one turn left and then turn sharp left to zig-zag back across the hillside, where you turn right again. Follow the main path as it zig-zags up the hillside, aiming at the mast and then, as you reach the field edge, bear right once more. This leads up to a post on a narrow ridge where you turn left.

Climb steeply up the ridge and continue, with high ground to your left, until you reach a clear path that leads left by a post, up to the ridge top. Follow this and bear right at the top to walk easily along, with great views. Keep ahead to drop slightly and then bear left on to a broad track that rises up and carries on along the ridge over Craig yr Allt.

Follow it down through the bracken ignoring the turn to right. Bear right onto the track down to a kissing gate that leads on to a tarmac drive. Turn left and continue past some houses on the right-hand side to a junction by The Black Cock Inn. Turn right and climb up to another junction, where you bear right.

Carry on past the golf club, then fork right on to a narrow lane that drops and bears around to the left. Turn right here back to the car park.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Forest tracks, disused railway line and clear paths, short section of tarmac

Landscape - Mixed woodland and open hillside with views over residential and industrial developments

Dog friendliness - Care needed near livestock; not allowed in castle

Parking - Fforest Fawr car park

Toilets en route - None on route

Walks in Rhondda Cynon Taff

About the walk

A wooded hillside visible from the M4 motorway is hardly the place that you’d expect to find a fairy-tale castle, but at the bottom of the Taff Vale, just a few miles north of Cardiff, is one that easily rivals those of Bavaria. Castell Coch, with its red sandstone walls and conical towers, is...

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Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Northwest of Cardiff lie the valleys associated with south Wales’ coal-mining industry. The county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff brings together the valleys of Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff and Ely.