AWESOME WALKS AROUND LLANGORSE & BWLCH WALKS WITH VIEWS, WALKS WITH SECRETS... LLANFIHANGEL B4560 TAL-Y-LLYN Talgarth> > > Llangorse Youth Cockit Hill Brecon & Community Centre TALYLLYN Llangorse LLANGORSE Common B4560 LLANGORSE LAKE Llangorse Multi Activity Centre LLANGASTY Llangasty Village Hall > Brecon B4560 A40 A40 Beacons Farm Shop (Welsh Venison Centre) B4560 TALYBONT ON USK BWLCH Crickhowell> We’d really like your feedback! Visit www.aroundllangorselake.co.uk A40 AWESOME WALKS WELCOME WELCOME TO LLANGORSE & BWLCH The villages of Llangorse and Bwlch sit at There are many places to explore in the area the foot of the Black Mountains within the and one of my all-time favourite places is on Brecon Beacons National Park. the top of Cockit Hill. Quite often, particularly on a nice summer’s evening, I will climb to Whilst the landscape is dominated by the top of the hill and just sit looking at the imposing hill tops such as Allt yr Esgair, view of Llangorse Lake with the patchwork Cockit Hill and Mynydd Llangorse it is also of fields below and the Central Beacons home to the largest natural lake in South behind, including Pen y Fan, the highest Wales, Llangorse Lake. I consider myself point in Southern Britain at 886 metres. very lucky to not only live in this area but to For those looking for solitude and a quiet spot also work in such stunning surroundings. to get away from it all this is well worth the Llangorse Lake is not only famous for its climb and quite a sight to behold. coarse fishing and watersports - what Please ensure that you are properly makes this place even more unique, is the equipped for your walk with suitable fact that it’s home to the only example of a walking boots, warm waterproof clothing, crannog in Wales and England. drinks and energy bars as the weather is quite unpredictable in these parts. This leaflet has been put together by National Stay safe everyone. Park Staff along with businesses and residents who want to protect and share the beauty Jon Pimm ACMI and interesting places where they live. Brecon Beacons National Park Area Warden 1 LLANGORSE OR LLANGORS? BWLCH The Welsh version is without the ‘e’, but Bwlch is a village with no vowels and you will see it spelt both ways. When means pass or gap. The Gate Shop in Llangorse Lake is translated into Welsh Bwlch dates back to the 1700s when it it is referred to as Llyn Syfaddan. was a toll house. Anyone wanting to pass through the gap (Bwlch) in the The Lake is renowned for extremely large mountains had to pay a toll. pike. However there is a rumour that the Lake is home to Gorsey, the lake monster who features in a poem as early as the 15th century by the Welsh bard Lewys Glyn Cothi. If you see Gorsey, let us know! 2 We’d really like your feedback! Visit www.aroundllangorselake.co.uk LLANGORSE FIGURE OF 8 WALK 1 GRADE Easy WALK 5.75 km (3.5 miles) ASCENT 120m (390ft) TIME 1 ½ hours TERRAIN Mixture of farm tracks, tarmac roads and fields. Seven stiles. CAR PARKING Car park at Llangorse Multi Activity Centre (LD3 7UH), off the B4560. Parking is also A circular route available at Llangorse Lake “from Llangorse Common, and at Llangorse Multi Activity Centre Youth & Community Centre. to Llangorse Lake taking you through REFRESHMENTS the village of & TOILETS Llangorse. Café and toilets are available ” at Llangorse Multi Activity Centre and also on Lakeside Common. There are two pubs on the route: The Castle Inn and The Red Lion. 3 THE ROUTE You can start this walk from any point on the route. This Just past The Castle Inn on the opposite side of the road description starts at Llangorse Multi Activity Centre. (and opposite the Old School), you will see a small gate D and public footpath going between the houses. Park your car in the Activity Centre car park, then return Take the footpath and follow the markers (please keep to the entrance A . Take a left and follow the road downhill dogs on leads). towards Llangorse. After a short distance, turn right along a gravel track towards Eligro. Follow the track until you You will cross a stile and walk through two further fields. reach a small set of buildings in front of you at Eligro B . Remember to follow the countryside code and leave gates as you find them. Take the gate on your right and walk along the bottom of a field, keeping the buildings on your left. After a short Walk straight across the third field, keeping the fence on distance, you will see two gates on your left. Turn left here your left, until you reach a small footbridge at the end and walk past the pink house to re-join the gravel track, and between the tall trees. Carry on across the next field turn right. Continue to the end of the track until you reach towards the buildings (the Lake is on your left). Cross the a minor tarmac road. stile onto the Lake Common E . On reaching the road, turn left and continue until you Here you can visit the Lake by taking a left, or join The reach a triangular grassed area upon which is a tree and a Lake Trail by continuing straight on. Turn right to continue seat C . Turn right at the triangle and follow the pavement this walk along the Common road passing Lakeside Café through the village until you reach The Castle Inn on your & Shop on your right. right. On leaving the Common, take the gate next to the cattle grid and carry on up the road until you reach a junction. 4 We’d really like your feedback! Visit www.aroundllangorselake.co.uk LLANGORSE FIGURE OF 8 WALK 1 Here you should take a right onto the pavement leading to the village. Walk past the Community Centre and Primary Walk around the left edge of this field and continue past a School on the right, turning right at the end of the road. wooden hide and pond on your left until you reach a small You will now be walking back though the village, passing The gate in the hedge G . Red Lion on your right and the Church and The Castle Inn on your left. On crossing the small watercourse behind this gate, take a right around the bottom of this field, passing a further Continue through the village, passing the grassed triangle gate on your right. At the far end of the field, you will on the left until you reach Lake View Close F . arrive at a set of two gates leading to a narrow tarmac road. B4560 Turn left and follow the minor road to the Activity Centre Immediately before Lake View Close take the footpath to finish. on your left, over a stile. Stay on the footpath and climb the next stile. IMPORTANT Part of this route is a Pen-y-Bryn Farms Permitted Footpath. Pen-y-Bryn Farm is a working farm so please keep to the footpath identified on the map and on the ground Walk along the left side of the field until you reach a with way-marking discs. Usage permitted during daylight hours only. Dogs must be kept further stile on your left. This leads to a small bridge and on leads around all livestock and horses. Permitted paths are closed for at least one day into an apple orchard. Turn right here and walk through the each year. Please follow the countryside code. next field until you reach two gates leading to a larger field. Community Centre LLANGORSE P Acorn D C Adventure Llangorse Common F P > LAKE TRAIL Eligro B E WC G B4560 Lakeside Jetties A WC Llangorse Multi P Activity LLANGORSE LAKE Centre 0125m250m 0220yds440yds 5 Damselfly Canada Goose Banded Demoiselle Mallard Drake Lapwing Grebe LLANGORSE LAKE AND COMMON A VERY SPECIAL PLACE The south side of Wales’ largest natural Llangasty where one can spend time lake is designated as a special area of watching the bird life on the water. conservation and in early summer a Look out for coots, reed and sedge highlight to come and see are the flower warblers and the elusive water rail. These rich meadows. Some gems are the birds are very shy, hiding between the southern marsh-heath and common reeds and if you are very lucky you might spotted orchids, devils-bit scabious, spot them from the Bird Hide. yellow iris, meadow sweet and common meadow rue. If you are taking your dog with you on the walks please ensure that your dog is Watch out for the colourful dragonflies and under close control. You may come across damselflies as they patrol their territory, cattle, horses and sheep, so please keep hunting down flying insects on the wing your dog on a lead on these occasions to like miniature flying aces. Dragonflies are avoid upsetting the animals and also your the bigger and more robust of the two, with dog. Please clean up after your dog as the a powerful flight. They also have huge faeces can be harmful to sheep and eyes which seem to occupy their entire children. head. Damselflies are smaller and more lightly built with side-mounted eyes. Llangorse Lake and Common is a very special place. Please take all your litter The Lake Trail walk will lead you through home with you. these meadows to the Bird Hide at 6 We’d really like your feedback! Visit www.aroundllangorselake.co.uk THE LAKE TRAIL WALK 2 GRADE Easy (Stile Free) WALK 7 km (4 miles) ASCENT 40m (125ft) Gentle rise from the Bird Hide TIME 2 hours TERRAIN Grassy paths and a short tarmac section.