The Taff Trail

From Brecon to Cardiff Bay, the Taff Trail covers 55 miles of beautiful countryside.

Towns and Villages

The following is a list of places that are on the Taff Trail route. You can click on the place name to see detailed information about that part of the Taff Trail as well as photos and points of interest.

Taff Trail History

The Taff Trail was officially launched by Sir Wyn Roberts in 1988 following work by Merthyr and Cynon Groundwork Trust. Both logistical and financial assistance has been provided by Sustrans and the Welsh Development Agency.

The Groundwork Trust brought together existing trails and plans to create them by working with the local councils that the Taff Trail passes through.

The Route

The Taff Trail is a 55 mile (88 km) cycle and walking route starting in the south in Cardiff Bay and travelling north to Brecon Theatre. The trail passes through all the towns, villages and localities listed above. It is made up of old railway paths, forest paths and canals and follows National Cycle Route 8. You can find a great map of the route on the Sustrans website.

For the first 50km or so from Cardiff Bay there is a gradual incline. The peak at 14km in the chart above shows the high trail up to Castell Coch in Tongwynlais but this can be avoided by staying on Merthyr Road. Once you reach Merthyr Tydfil you'll notice a steeper ascent all the way up to Pontsticill. Some slight respite from the climb is experienced around Abercynafon before the final push up to Talybont Reservoir which is the highest point of the Taff Trail. Some of the best views in Wales can be had here before the sharp decline down through Llanfrynach and on to the final destination, Brecon.

Alternatively, if you are travelling south from Brecon to Cardiff Bay the second 10km stretch will challenge the most seasoned adventurers with the steep incline up to Talybont Reservoir. From there the vast majority of the Taff Trail descends gently and it isn't a surprise to know that most people make their way up to Brecon by other means before cycling back down south.

Distance Calculator

Find out how far it is between any two points on the Taff Trail using our distance calculator.