Boughrood, Mynydd Fforest Loop

• Distance: 11 km

• Total ascent: 294 m

• River Wye section: 3.5 km

• Duration: 03:20

• Walking Grade 3

• Terrain: River paths, lane, bridleway, plantation/pine, open hill, ascending gently

• Start/Finish: Boughrood village bridge

• Views: Wye Valley, Black Mountains and central Brecon Beacons

• Difficulty: Moderate – a mix of flat, hill and semi moorland

• Highlights: Dramatic viewpoints, Backcountry remote, Brechfa Pool & central Beacons

• Best time to visit: Spring, Summer and autumn for colour

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Parking Up

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This loop is right at the transiton point of the Mid to Upper Wye and a good way into this part of the Wye landscape. There is car parking in Boughrood on the village streets, but be respectful. There is also the chance of a car parking space at the Llyswen Community Hall on the right side of the river or at the pubs if you use them - see below. 

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From the Bridge

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Cross over the bridge to the right bank and walk a few yards and turn right down a lane past a community garden/picnic site to your right. Immediately you're walking through an avenue of trees characteristic of this stretch of the river for 2.5 miles. To your left it's broken by open fields bordered on the far-side by forest plantation. There is a genuine feeling of seclusion despite the A470 running parallel 500 meters away. Note, Mid way the 16th C Llangoed Hall, said to be the home of the first Welsh Parliament and home to the Ashley's of Laura Ashley. 

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As you kick back and enjoy the space drop down to the river, especially near the rapids. If you can during summer step out into the middle of the river and look down or up. The views are pretty far-out and inspiring. It's rocky sandstone bed gives you another sense of what the river is made up of. The photographic opportunities are also worth the effort. 

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Crossing the Road

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Just before Lady Milford's Bridge/LLanstephan you bear left handrailing Sgithwen Brook. Stepping onto the road check out Trericket Mill opposite. It was a former 19th-century watermill historically used for grinding corn. It gained international geological importance in the 1830s when Sir Roderick Murchison identified it as the site of "the first true Silurian" rocks, a pivotal moment in geological history. Currently, Trericket Mill is a B&B and camp site, ideal for Multi-day or the Wye Valley Walk. 

 

From here turn left for 150 meters and then right up a lane. We're heading into backcountry, secluded and what we like.  Handrailing a forest plantation on our left we're soon skirting the base of Mynydd Fforest (400M) with the Wye Valley below to our left and the Brecon Beacons beyond to our right/south. It's up to you if you want to add 2KM to the route but you can summit Mynydd Fforest from here. The views of the central Beacons open up, but they do later if you continue your trajectory. Here, we are on the border of the Wye basin. It's a spectacular part of Mid wales and the UK. 

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The Views & Brechfa Pool

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Further down the trail, just prior to the lane leading to Brechfa Pool, the central Beacons appear to your right. It's a view to linger for. But that's not all to your front is the entire western escarpment of the Black Mountains. Together they're a visual feast unparalleled in the region - both ranges in full view.  

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Brechfa pool is an important seasonal refuge for wildlife, attracting migrating wading birds in spring and autumn, and supporting small numbers of teal and other waterfowl during the winter months. It's all a bit geeky but significant. For plant lovers, it offers a rich diversity of rare species associated with its shallow, mud-bottomed margins. These include orange foxtail (Alopecurus aequalis) and pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), as well as the particularly notable pillwort (Pilularia globulifera), an unusual fern endemic to Europe and now threatened across much of its range due to habitat loss.

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Stick around, it's a peaceful space framed by the Central Brecon beacons beyond. It's a little known gem. 

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Eat/Drink

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If you fancy more than just the trail and views, there are a few good spots to grab something to eat or drink around Boughrood and Llysewen. In Boughrood there's the village store (see link). whilst across the bridge in Llyswen there's the Bridge End Inn and the Griffin pub. Opposite and down the road is the Llyswen Esso Garage with an Asda store. For small villages there's a fair bit to get you going. 

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Summary

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To round things off, this is a walk that quietly punches above its weight. The River Wye here, cutting through its sandstone bed, has a surprisingly rugged, almost upland feel, while Mynydd Fforest brings a real sense of backcountry space. The lanes are narrow, quiet and feel a world away from anywhere busy. Then there are the views—stretching from the Black Mountains to the Brecon Beacons—which can feel like visual overload in the best way. And tucked into it all, Brechfa Pool stands out as a proper natural gem, both for its wildlife and its calm, reflective setting.

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A Quick Link To More Views

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Back to other viewpoints and trails. Click.