Cynon Trail
Starting at Abercynon and ending in Hirwaun this route twists and turns its way north west along sections of the Old Glamorganshire Canal.
Amazingly, 16 of the canal's 52 locks were on a one mile stretch of the River Cynon in this former mining town built around The Navigation House - now a pub - but once the canal's headquarters. It's hard to believe this peaceful waterside retreat where Kingfisher's dip and Cuckoo's nest was once at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and the battleground of a legal wrangle between canal and mine owners - the latter wanting to build railway bridges to replace barges as a quicker way of transporting King Coal and finally winning their day in court in 1851.
Ride on to Caegarw and Mountain Ash past where a statue in honour of local running legend Guto Nyth Bran - a farmer's son born in 1700 - can be discovered. Every New Year's Eve the town holds the Nos Galon road races in his honour.
Follow the trail to Cwmbach, famous for its male voice choir, and on to the former mining town of Aberdare - the gateway to 500 acres of stunning countryside at the Dare Valley Country Park. There are lake centred activities and an interactive visitor centre. An ideal place for a picnic, there is also the enticingly named Cwtch Cafe.
The route is linked to the Cynon River Park where a labyrinth of cycle paths is under development. The Abercynon end also connects with the Taff Trail.
Natural attractions:
- River Cynon
Visitor attractions:
- Dare Valley Country Park
Route submitted by: Sustrans
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Key route details
- Region/Area:
South Wales Valleys
- Distance:
9 miles
- Classification:
Medium
- Traffic:
Mostly Traffic Free but some roads
- Surface:
Mixed
- NCN Route:
4 & 478
- Start:
Abercynon
- Finish:
Hirwaun
- Access:
Rail station at Aberdare
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