Cefn yr Arail Circular

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A lovely hill walk featuring wide gravel tracks, a stream, forest, ponds, amazing views and grassy walking.

There is a sizeable car park at the bottom of the forestry track. This loop can be done either way, but the way I walked it starts with the gentle ascent and saves the steep part of the track for the final descent back to the car park.

The walk starts on a wide, gravel, track that takes you gently up the valley with plenty of forest views and a gentle stream on your right. The ascent is gentle and eventually you head slightly left to continue upwards, more steeply, until you reach the end of the valley. Here you dip down and then steeply up the other side, following well worn tracks and a stone wall.

Fantastic views open up across the valleys and down to the Bristol Channel, and you get glimpses North towards the Brecon Beacons. You follow the path until you take a left, heading to a path through the small forest, which takes you out onto the common. The path here follows the edge of the ridgeway and offers up some little crags here and there, extensive views North and East. 

You can follow the path around the top of the hill, joining the very wide path / track that you then follow South and down the other valley, via some farm buildings, ponds and fields. All of this is on public footpaths and all points are accessible via appropriate gates etc.

You end up entering the forest again, zigzagging down a steep track until you reach the car park again.

This is a really good, peaceful and well marked route. Suitable all year round as the paths are resistant to flooding and mud.

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