Carreg Cennen
Black Mountain
Coming round
the mountain
This is the trail where you lose count of how many
times someone says ‘Look at that view!’
You and your car will surely enjoy the
ups and downs and round-abouts of
this trail. You’ll be driving to those heady
heights, except for just one walk up to
magnificent Castell Carreg Cennen –
which must have the best vantage point
of any castle anywhere.
Across the Black Mountain, you’ll have
the company of sheep and ponies and
the ghosts of all those hardworking folk
who quarried lime in these parts. It’s
downhill along the valley then, following
the river Amman, before tackling the
mountain one more time. Now just sit
back and see the castle you conquered
from the comfort of your car.
Carmarthenshire Driving Trails
You have the freedom of the road – no tollgates
now, no battles or riots, but the drama of past times
is still there in the landscape
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Trap
BLACK MOUNTAIN
Black Mountain Quarries
Carreg Cennen
Brynaman
Ammanford
A474
Garnant
Pontaman
ROUTE INFORMATION
Length of route: about 32 miles
The road over The Black Mountain,
Y Mynydd Du, is one much loved by
programme-makers such as those who
produce Top Gear. So if it looks familiar,
maybe you’ve been watching too much
television! Enjoy the roads for yourself
but take care round the bends.
Gwaun Cae Gurwen
WHAT’S in a name?
afon Aman / the river Amman
Couple any of the Welsh words for
common features of the landscape with
the river’s name and you’ll get a placename that matches the valley terrain.
Bryn - hill
Glan - bank
Pont - bridge
Rhyd - ford
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Images: Crown Copyright (2015) Visit Wales; Discover Carmarthenshire.com; Llanerchindda Farm; Towyphotography.com; Dariusz Gora/ Patrick Wang/Giorgio Morara /Shutterstock.com
Laugharne
Black Mountain
Carreg Cennen
A coffee stop at Llandeilo would be a
good start to your trip. Or else stock up for a
grand picnic from the delis and independent
shops – it would be easy to get sidetracked
into proper shopping here. Then cross the
historic bridge over the Tywi into Ffair-fach,
named after the fairs held there – if you
chance on the last Saturday in the month
you will see just how busy the livestock
market is, even today.
Take the Bethlehem road for Carreg Cennen,
to see the most spectacularly sited castle
in Wales rising out of a rocky hilltop. It
dates back to at least the 13th century,
though there is archaeological evidence
that Romans and indeed prehistoric peoples
may have occupied the limestone crag upon
which the castle sits. The first stone castle
on the site was probably built by Lord
Rhys, Prince of Deheubarth in the late
12th century.
Throughout the centuries it has inspired
poets and painters, including J M W
Turner, and today it continues to attract
photographers who strive to catch its
every mood. Take a torch or hire one at
Carreg Cennen Farm so you can explore the
limestone cave beneath the castle.
Stay on the road through Gwynfe, where a
sculpture of a red kite reminds you to keep
an eye on the skies for the red flash and
the forked tail. The kites are fed at nearby
Llanddeusant so many nest in this area.
Black Mountain
Black Mountain
Riverside Cycle Trail
Carreg Cennen
At the junction with the A4069 turn right
and head straight for the Black Mountain
for a spectacular drive.
The moment you rumble across the
cattle grid, the wildness of this terrain will
strike you. You are in the first Geopark in
Wales. The western half of the Brecon
Beacons National Park is known as
Fforest Fawr Geopark (literally, large
forest) where mountain and moorland have
a fascinating history. Pull in to a viewpoint
for information boards and an audio trail
about the lime quarrying for which the
Black Mountain was famous, and the unique
geology and plants of this landscape.
This area was a hotbed of rioting in the
19th century. Welsh farmers and agricultural
workers had become increasingly poor and
the tollgates placed on key roads which
farmers used to fetch lime for their land
was crippling them. The Llangadog trust had
13 gates on a stretch of just 40 miles, so
it was not surprising that angry protestors
attacked the tollgates and destroyed
tollhouses. Those Rebecca Riots have
iconic status in the history of Wales.
Sweeping down into Brynaman, you might
like to learn more about the lime industry.
At the Black Mountain Centre on the left
as you enter the village, you can see an
exhibition and enjoy a cuppa.
As you make your way down the Amman
valley, the terraced housing will remind you
of the busy coalmining communities that
once flourished here. Today, the riverside
cycle trail shows how nature has reclaimed
the territory. If you have passengers who
cannot manage rough terrain, the picnic site
at Garnant might be a good place for a walk.
Turn right at a school sign for Ysgol y Bedol.
Among the famous names linked to this
area is the rugby wizard Shane Williams.
He was awarded the MBE in 2012 for his
services to rugby, played for the Ospreys, for
Wales and for the British Lions.
Just on the outskirts of Ammanford, at
Pontaman, turn right for Trap and follow this
green and pleasant route towards the ‘back’
or southern slopes of the Black Mountain. If
you’re fascinated by either architecture or
the conflict and clashes between religious
denominations, stop to look at Llandyfan
church, which is a little gem. The present
building was built around 1864 to the design
of eminent architect R. K. Penson. It was
he who gave Newton House in Llandeilo
its mock-gothic design, and he also rebuilt
a little church in the grounds of Dinefwr
park, lovely Llandyfeisant church in Castle
Woods. The stained glass in the windows
at Llandyfan were made by Hardmans, the
people who made windows for the Houses
of Parliament! Step just inside the gates of
the church and you’ll see a baptism pool –
from a time when Baptists worshipped here,
in the eighteenth century. But long before
the Anglican church or the Nonconformists
laid claim to it, pilgrims had come to this
place to drink from the waters of Llyndyfan
spring. It was believed they had restorative
powers, so the sick could be healed. Believers
came from far and wide – sipping water from
a human skull, according to one legend.
If you’d like to finish your day with a more
active pursuit, both Glynhir Golf Club
and Dinefwr Riding Centre are on this
route and could be booked ahead of time.
Whatever you choose, you can finish on
a high note as you head once more for
Carreg Cennen.