Sgwd y Pannwr

Sgwd y Pannwr is one of the four waterfalls on the “four waterfalls walk” starting south of Ystradfellte in Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales (UK).

In the summer of 2023 we finally decided to go to the UK, chasing waterfalls. The weeks before it rained much and the weather forecast wasn’t that good. But for the flow rate of the river it was very good. Sgwd y Pannwr was one of the first waterfalls we visited and it was quite powerful. Sgwd y Pannwr is the Welsh name and in English the waterfall is called/translated “fall of the fuller”.

There are several car parks from where you can start and you even can start at Pontneddfechan (then you have to cross the river behind the waterfall Sgwd Yr Eira, if you dare). I was on my way from Pontneddfechan to  “Cwm Porth – Four Waterfalls Car Park (gps51.80001, -3.55541) when I saw a smaller (free) car park not far from the first waterfall. On Google map it is named “Comin Y Rhos (gps51.78336, -3.56908)”, the perfect place to start.

The “four waterfalls walk” is an easy walk but you have to take your time to enjoy, to make lots of pictures and to explore. The first waterfall you see (if you follow the main trail, there are signs) is Sgwd Clun Gwyn from the west side of the river Afon Hepste. You will reach a first viewpoint within 10 minutes and a second (from the other side) within 20 minutes. To see the other three waterfalls I had to follow the red trail because it looked like it that they closed the trail that runs directly (close to the river) to Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn. I decided to go to the most impressive waterfall first, Sgwd yr Eira, and then take the green trail to the other two waterfalls.

I reached Sgwd yr Eira after exactly 1 hour and Sgwd y Pannwr after 1h45. Sgwd y Pannwr is a very photogenic waterfall with unusual long stretched (small) drops at the top and a wide drop of appr. 5 meter ending in a pool. When I arrived a big group was canyoning and they jumped off the waterfall.

I think I spend a lot of time making great pictures from all kind of angles. You also climb to the base of the waterfall so you will have the pool in front of you. Afterwards you only have to follow the river upstream for the last waterfall.

The total (round) trip for the “four waterfalls walk” is more then 10 kilometer long and takes you along the other three waterfalls: Sgwd y Pannwr, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn and Sgwd Clun-Gwyn. With stops, taking a lot of pictures and a pause because I injured myself at a waterfall, it took me 3h15. Note: I also took an alternative trail (difficult) near the parking to base of Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn. This why I mentioned exploring earlier because few people know of this trail, but I saw a trail on my Gaia gps app…. and it a free app.