This is a good walk following established tracks – which are often large gravel roads complete with road signs to direct traffic around the woodland and windfarms. Parking is at a famous viewpoint which doesn’t just mean you get great views from the off, but also that you’ve done most of the ascent in the car.
If you head along the road from the car park you’ll see a little path on the grassy verge which you can follow until it picks up a wider footpath, this way you don’t have to worry about traffic. Views immediately of Craig y Llyn are impressive, as is the zipwire that takes customers from the top of the crag to the bottom.
The footpath is wet in places, so wear good boots. I did this after heavy rain so parts were a stream as well – but because it is rocky in the fastest flowing places it was not a problem.
You can follow the track until you take a sharp left to the trig point of Craig y Llyn, at 600m the highest hill in Neath Port Talbot and not far off being a mountain.
The trig point is to the right of the track and sitting next to a couple of small trees in a slight clearing. There aren’t really any views from it, which is why this walk is partly circular, as the way back takes you along the edge of the Craig for better views.
This is a good walk – that also takes in Mynydd Pen-y-cae – and at 600m Craig y Llyn is not far off of being a mountain, so if you walked it from the valley it would offer a significant ascent. The parking spots around the area offer good ridgeway walks, without the initial ascent, so suits walkers who want the views but don’t fancy the uphill slogs.