A little about the path...
The Bro Garmon leisure network starts at the popular village of Betws y Coed, one of the most picturesque villages in the Snowdonia National Park, nestled in the Conwy Valley. The footpath climbs through woodlands and fields before it reaches the small hamlet of Capel Garmon, which offers magnificent views of the Conwy Valley. It then passes the Neolithic burial chamber that dates back to the 3rd Millennium BC before making its way through fields and woodland as it rejoins the path you ascended at the start of the walk.
The Route
1. Walk out of the car park and make your way down Station Road, heading in the direction of the A5 main road. Turn left at the junction and walk along the pavement heading out of Betws y Coed. Walk over Waterloo Bridge and carefully cross to the right hand side of the bridge. Now cross the road again so that you are standing outside Tŷ Gwyn public house looking back towards the bridge.
The civil engineer Thomas Telford built Waterloo Bridge, which spans the River Conwy. An inscription on the arch records that the bridge was constructed in 1815, the same year as the Battle of Waterloo and formed part of the road that linked London to Holyhead (the A5).
2. Follow the right of way and leisure network signpost up the narrow path to the left of Tŷ Gwyn, climbing steeply through the woods until you reach a rough track. Keep walking up the footpath until you reach a curved track and then turn left making your way over a small bridge and then turning right up the tarmac road. After walking about 700 meters on the tarmac road, you will come across Garthmyn Farm. Walk past the farm, turning right at the right of way signpost and walk through the kissing gate into the field.
3. Keep walking through the field and proceed through two kissing gates until you reach a narrow tarmac road. Walk across the road and through a metal gate that leads on to another field. Follow the way markers through this field.
4. You should now see the village of Capel Garmon ahead of you. Keep following the path keeping the first house on your left hand side. Follow the footpath up the field, keeping along the wall. Go through the kissing gate and keep to the right following the fence towards the ladder stile behind the church. Cross the stile and make your way down the field towards the tarmac road. On reaching the road, turn left and head towards the village of Capel Garmon.
Situated high above the Conwy Valley, Capel Garmon is a small village within the community of Bro Garmon and commands magnificent views of Snowdonia. The parish church at Capel Garmon was originally a chapel of ease serving the parish of Llanrwst, Garth Garmon and Tybrith Uchaf until Capel Garmon became a separate parish in 1927.
5. On reaching the village, turn right and follow the road for around 500 meters. Keep walking past the first right of way sign on your right until you reach a second right of way sign on your right. Go through the kissing gate and follow the waymarkers along the footpath towards Tŷ’n y Coed Farm.
6. Go through the farmyard and follow the right of way through the gate and into the field. Following the right of way, turn into another field through the gate and walk towards the burial chamber.
This Neolithic burial chamber dates back to around the 3rd Millennium BC and is made up of passages leading up to a rectangular space with circular chambers branching to the east and west. Although the site has undergone considerable renovation, it is still possible to trace the original stone walling on the eastern chamber.
7. Walk past the burial chamber and through the kissing gate towards the woodland. Follow the right of way signposts through the woodland until you reach Penrhyddion Uchaf Farm. On reaching the farm, you need to follow the diversion signs around the farm making your way over the stile and onto the tarmac road.
8. Turn right down the tarmac road and keep walking until you reach a farm gate. Go through this gate and turn right, following the right of way along the rough track. Keep walking, passing through several gates until you reach coniferous woodland.
9. You will also notice a large mast ahead of you. Keep to the right of the wall beside the mast, avoiding the woodland altogether and following the grass track down towards the tarmac road. Turn left towards Cefn Rhydd Farm turning right over a stile before reaching the farm itself.
10. Follow the public right of way and within 50 meters turn left over a stile following the right of way leading into a broadleaved woodland. Follow the footpath and way markers towards the forestry track, over another stile into ‘Coed y Celyn’ coniferous forest.
11. At this point, turn right and follow the way markers along the public right of way until you reach the junction of the footpath you ascended at the start of your walk. Carry on descending the footpath through the woods making your way back towards Tŷ Gwyn public house. Now retrace your footsteps back to Betws y Coed and the car park, which concludes your walk.
Respect the Environment!
If you're going out for a walk,
please take all your rubbish
home with you
including
fruit skins
& cigarette
stumps.
Snowdonia National Park Authority, National Park Offices, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd LL519DX
Telephone: 01766772274 e-mail: parc@snowdonia-npa.gov.uk www.snowdonia-npa.gov.uk