Craig Y Llyn, Foel Fynyddau and Mynydd Dinas (Hirwaun and Port Talbot, South Wales)

Updated: Oct 3, 2020

Well like the true mutated anorak that I have become today I decided to do three Marilyns. Those of Craig Y Llyn near Hirwaun that I would blast out quickly first thing in the morning and then head towards the coast to do Foel Fynyddau and Mynydd Dinas in the Cwmafan valley near the industrialised monster that is Port Talbot.

Craig Y Llyn 600m

This is a deceptively high Marilyn but yet again, as is the norm with the South Wales Marilyns, not the most aesthetic of beauties to do being more of a large mound within a wind farmed forestry than a conical hill. In the early morning Welsh drizzle I headed south and up over the high remote veld like road of the Rhigos on the A4061. This prompted fond memories of police chases where one would pursue those ever so naughty little valley tikes ‘over the top’ so to speak whilst they would be throwing tools at us through sun roofs! Anyway I digress and after parking up an hour’s worth of steady hiking saw me to the nondescript forestry enshrouded trig pointed summit and back at my van. Nothing of any scenic value worth mentioning here and after doing this as a warm up I headed off down the A465 Heads of the Valley road for the next encounter.

Parking and Access: Ample car parking in a large lay-by at OS Grid Ref: SN 92687 03099 on an A class road.

Route Summary: All in all another uninspiring forestry encrusted Marilyn. A 5km jaunt with 150m height gain done in an hour flat.

GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’

Ascent Entry - Craig Y Llyn

Foel Fynyddau 370m and Mynydd Dinas 258m

Heading down the A465 heads of the valley road I journeyed to the M4 before turning off up the Cwmafan valley to park at Afan Forest car park near Pontrhydyfen.

This was a long looped route here first tackling Foel Fynyddau via Pontrhydyfen forestry gaining steady height as you go along until you get to yet another nondescript trig point nestled amongst three radio/mobile masts. There are some half decent views but nothing worth writing home about before setting off down hill towards Mynydd Dinas. En route I encountered the obligatory knee deep (at times) morass that I have been quite adept at finding these days before I set off on a long winding loop up Mynydd Dinas. It was a pretty boggy ascent at times eventually leading into the obligatory forestry until I got to the summit cone where I found a faint trail to the trig point which yet again was…yes, quite right, nondescript with nothing of any scenic value!

After the excitement of two pretty tedious summits I set off downhill. Here I got overwhelming views of Port Talbot but to be honest views of Aleppo would have similar appeal. Anyway I eventually reached the valley floor and then had to negotiate the entire length (4-5km) of Cwmafan valley before arriving back at my van.

Parking and access: Loads of it at Afan forest car park OS Grid Ref: SS 80034 94242 . No toilets or cafe though.

Route Summary: An uninspiring walk on forest track and trails. Quite often over fields and trails that are very muddy (winter hike) and on the whole not very good views unless you like industrial monoliths or deprived valley towns. An 18km hike with 660m of height gain in 3hrs 30min. A quick time as there was nothing really to hang around for.

GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’

Ascent Entry - Foel Fynyddau & Mynydd Dinas

The day as a whole?

So a good workout day with 23 kilometres hiked with around 800m of ascent in 4.5 hours moving time. As far as the summits went though there nothing above a half decent view. If you are looking for alternative hiking venues…stay away from these three Marilyns.

NOTE: The route overviews and stats will refer to both Mynydd Dinas and Fynnyddau as they are both on the same ascent sheet/trip entry.