Melincourt Waterfall
(Rhaeadr Melin y cwrt, Sgwd Rhyd Yr Hesg)
The Melincourt waterfall (or Melincourt falls) is a a suprising nice, 24 meter single drop, waterfall at Melincourt, not far from Swansea in Wales. The waterfall is also known as Rhaeadr Melin y cwrt or Sgwd Rhyd Yr Hesg, the Welsh names for the Melincourt waterfall.
Sgwd Rhyd Yr Hesg means “Ford of the Rushes waterfall”. Rhaeadr Melin y cwrt is the Welsh translation for the English name.
The Melincourt is easy to access. When driving on road A465 from Swansea/Neath to Merthyr Tydfil, take the exit Melincourt and follow the signs “Waterfalls – Rhaedr”. Follow the main road until you see a big parking, a few minutes outside Melincourt (gps 51.704176, -3.706470). It is one of the few parkings that is for free. I hope it stays like that.
When we where traveling through the UK, Melincourt waterfall was one of the first waterfalls we visited. I still had no idea what to expect, but it had rained the weeks before. So I had good hope there was water in the waterfall!
From the parking go back to the road and cross it towards the white building with a big information sign. This is the trailhead to a path leads directly to the waterfall. It is a very easy walk through woodland, and within 10 minutes you are at the base of the Melincourt waterfall.
We where lucky, the flow rate of the river was quite high and with great force water was plunging down over 24 meter. Very impressive to see and I made so many pictures… Luckily for us there was so many water in teh river that a second waterfall showed up at the right side. I don’t think this happens always.
I had seen pictures of walking walking behind the waterfall, but when we visited the Melincourt falls, July 2023, there was too much water plunging down to go safely behind the waterfall. You don’t want to fall in teh water when it is extremely rough.
Best time to visit the Melincourt falls is after rainfall when the flow in the river gets quite powerful.
Nearby there are several other great waterfalls you can visit. I love all the waterfalls at Pontneddfechan (the four waterfall walk is a must to do>see Sgwd Yr Eira Waterfall) or the amazing Henrhyd waterfall, to many to mention them all.
