Garwnant Forest Centre (now open)

Garwnant Forest Centre is situated five miles north of Merthyr Tydfil on a minor road just off the A470 main trunk road to Brecon. It is located in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Garwnant offers an excellent opportunity for you to discover the natural world of the forests of the Brecon Beacons. The following photographs give an early indication of the excellent and exciting new facilities that visitors can look forward to in 2010.

A new shop and cafe restaurant (photographs above) also offers gifts and refreshments. An exhibition area will presently contain displays that aid self discovery by the individual or a family. The new courtyard area is well situated for enjoying the sunshine.

The new Environmental education and information centre offers a significantly improved range of facilities to suit school and other educational groups. (photograph right)  

• A range of special events organised throughout the year.

• A calendar of events leaflet is available as well as a wide range of tourist leaflets for the wider locality.

• Guided walks often start from Garwnant as well as a programme of talks.

• There are several walking routes suitable for the family that start and finish at the centre. Some routes are suitable for disabled visitors. Please contact the centre for advice.

• The Taf Trail long distance footpath passes through the forest centre.

• Mountain bikes are available for hire.

• Fishing: close by can be found the Llwyn Onn reservoir (offering multi method fishing) and just to the north the Cantref and Beacons reservoirs (fly fishing only). 

• There is an excellent children's adventure playground.

• Mountain Bike Adventure Circuit. Please contact the centre for advice.

Sorbus Leyana or Leys Whitebeam was discovered and is named after the Rev. Augustin Ley. The Rev. Ley was a C19th Vicar who spent much of his spare time riding around Wales on horseback indulging his passionate interest in natural history and botany in particular. He was a member of a Botanical Society in Hereford with a national reputation.  Sorbus Leyana is one of Britain’s rarest trees. The tree is found only in the Penmoelallt Woodland Reserve and in the Darren Fach Nature Reserve on the opposite side of the valley. The tree grows on the steep rocky wind blown limestone crags which are a characteristic of both sides of this valley. These locations are generally accessible only to the skilled rock climber or the fool hardy, which makes its discovery by the Rev. Ley even more remarkable. However, one such tree can be found at Garwnant Forest Centre.