Cefncarnau is a 272m high hill South of Caerphilly. It is actually just over a metre taller than nearby Caerphilly Common, but a lot less walked with no summit marker and a summit not accessible due to a barbed wire fence.

Cefncarnau
Cefncarnau top is towards the right of this photo, beyond the power lines. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 24mm, f11.

The route above is a 3.7m loop starting out at Caerphilly Mountain car park and heading through woodlands and old mine working areas before heading South and heading up to the top of Cefncarnau. The paths are easy to follow and well-walked and you can take many different turns to complete this circular.

Woodland
The paths were quite muddy in places after heavy rain, but the forest walk was nice. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 24mm, f11.

As you progress further into the woodland you will, in the right season, see blankets of bluebells.

Bluebells
Bluebell woodland. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 48mm, f3.8.
Bluebells
Bluebell Woodland. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 24mm, f11.

When you turn right to head South you’ll dip down and follow a road briefly before heading up towards the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway footpath. The walking is still easy and there are no really steep gradients on the walk, with any steeper sections being short.

Woodland Path
A typical pathway on this walk. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 24mm, f11.
Woodland
A typical woodland scene from this section of the walk. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 24mm, f11.

You can get pretty close to the summit without hopping the barbed wire fence – which I had no desire to do. There might be a way in somewhere, but I didn’t walk the whole way around the fence to check. This is why I’ll not be doing the minor tumps in most counties as it is just not worth the hassle of accessing private land to find some indistinct hilltop.

Cefncarnau
Top of Cefncarnau. Views are restricted by a couple of treelines either side. | Tamron Adaptall SP 24-48 @ 24mm, f11.

Overall though the walk is well worth it as it is a nice loop, certainly not the worst hill I’ve done lately!

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