Forest bathing at Cwm Taf Fechan Woodlands

Cwm Taf Fechan is a tree-lined gorge cut by the Taf Fechan river between Cefn Coed y Cymmer and Pontsarn, on the northern edge of Merthyr Tydfil. Most of the valley is a Local Nature Reserve and part of the Cwm Taf Fechan Woodlands SSSI, managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales with the council. The woodland is semi-natural and broadleaved, mainly oak, ash, downy birch, hazel and hawthorn, and the cool, damp air keeps the limestone ledges thick with moss. It is a good place to sit by moving water and watch the light change.

Most people start from High Street in Cefn Coed and follow the wide, fairly level path on the east bank. The upper gorge, from the A465 bridge north to Pontsarn, is the most enclosed and the quietest part, with three narrow stretches, an ivy-covered mill ruin and Pwll Glas, the blue pool below a waterfall. The western path is narrower and climbs away from the river. Parts of the southern section stay wet underfoot, so wear boots, and keep out of the water.