A gentle and relaxing walk up to the summit and beyond of Mynydd Cilfach-yr-encil, a 446m hill in Merthyr Tydfil.
This route is fairly gentle on your legs as the car does most of the ascent up a fairly rough road through a forest. There are a few places to park when you get to the end of the road. Views are impressive from the moment you park, and the walk starts by following the road, which you can do on foot, but vehicles are blocked by a gate.
You can happily stroll up the tarmac road, or step on grassy paths to the side of it. I stick to the road for a while, heading left onto grassy tracks to keep to the ridgeway and take in the craggy section which offers some nice photo opportunities.
The top of the hill is marked by a rather unique sign, which looks like it could belong on a country train station. Views are wonderful and take in extensive sections of the Brecon Beacon mountains.
I continue heading North along grassy tracks, up towards the now defunct open cast coal mine, a huge manmade hole surrounded by manmade hills. You could return back along the road if you wish, but I returned back past the hilltop and back to the car the same way.
This is a really good hill, fantastic views, good paths and the bonus of fairly minimal and gentle ascent. Well worth a visit, especially if you get dramatic skies.