Some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the whole of the UK can be found in one small area in the Brecon Beacons. Not only are they spectacular to look at, but the vast majority have fabulous swimming holes at the base. The water is crystal clear, and on a sunny day took me right back to some of my favourite swimming spots in Sydney!
Almost all the waterfalls are accessible by short easy walking trails, so it’s perfect for when you’re looking for a break from climbing the nearby peaks.
Here’s everything you need to know about the best waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons.
The best Brecon Beacons Waterfalls
1. Sgwd Einion Gam
Distance: 4.2 miles (6.8km) return
Difficulty: Moderate in good conditions, challenging with high water levels
If you’re looking for the waterfall with the wow factor, this is it. Sgwd Einion Gam flows into a deep mossy gorge and has a real fairytale like feel to it.
Staring up at the falls from the shimmering emerald pool had me instantly declare it one of my favourite wild swimming spots in the world.
However, you don’t have to enjoy swimming to feel the magic of Sgwd Einion Gam. There is plenty of space to sit on the rocks, relax and take it all in.
It’s a mesmerising place and well worth the effort to get to. And on that note, this is the most difficult waterfall to access on our list, involving two river crossings.
But get the conditions right and it’s not too challenging, everything you need to know about the trail is in this guide.
2. Henrhyd Falls
Distance: 0.7 miles (1.2km) return
Difficulty: Easy, but not flat
If you’ve watched The Dark Knight Rises then Henrhyd Falls needs no introduction. It’s the location for the infamous Bat Cave!
Confession: there might not be a proper cave behind the falls, but there is a big overhang which allows you to walk right the way behind the waterfall.
Standing behind the huge curtain of water is a really fun experience, although you definitely don’t have to in order to enjoy a great view of the falls.
The walk to reach the waterfall is easy, though it does have a couple of short steep hills. The track behind the waterfall is narrow and muddy, but it only takes a few minutes.
All of the details, including what it’s like to swim beneath the falls are in this guide.
It’s worth noting that Henrhyd Falls does tend to have a lower flow than many others in the area, so the best time to visit is after some decent rainfall - rather than a long dry spell like we did!
3. Sgwd Gwladus - Lady Falls
Distance: 3 miles (4.8km) return via the shortest route
Difficulty: Easy
Sgwd Gwladus, also known as Lady Falls, might have been looking a little on the slender side during our visit, but her beauty was undeniable.
The cave like setting adds a great atmosphere and the water is a beautiful emerald colour. It’s also the warmest water of any of the falls on this list if you’re keen on a spot of wild swimming, but balk at the idea of some of the icier pools.
There are two ways to reach Lady Falls, each is easy, with good track conditions, and very little in the way of climbing.
The difference depends on where you are able to get a parking space and whether you want to see some other waterfalls along the way.
Both routes are covered in our detailed guide to the Elidir Trail.
4. Sgwd Yr Eira
Distance: 3.6 miles (5.8km) return, but best walked as a circuit visiting the other three waterfalls
Difficulty: Easy, but a couple of slippery bits
Sgwd Yr Eira is a gorgeous walk behind waterfall located along the famous Four Waterfalls Trail. The waterfall is great to view from across the pool, but it’s even better from behind the falls.
The path leading behind the falls looks narrow and precarious from afar, but when you get closer, you’ll see it’s actually not too bad. Once you’re in the overhang, it’s very wide.
You can also take a dip in the pool at the base, although it’s a very popular spot, so if you’re visiting in peak season it certainly won’t be a secluded swim!
The walk to reach the falls is easy, it’s along a very well maintained, almost flat trail, until the last few hundred metres, when you have to negotiate some steep wooden stairs (which are slippery when wet, but there’s a handrail).
You then need to walk over a few rocks to get close to the falls, where there’s plenty of room to sit and relax, no matter how busy it is.
All the details on Sgwd Yr Eira, plus another stunning waterfall we haven’t mentioned on this list, are in our Four Waterfalls Trail post.
5. Pontsarn Blue Pool
Distance: Less than five minutes each way
Difficulty: Easy to view the falls, moderate to access pool
Pontsarn Blue Pool is a real beauty. It’s just a three minute walk from the road, yet it feels totally wild and secluded.
It might be more green than blue, but it’s no less spectacular for it. It sits beneath a pretty gorge, which is incredibly atmospheric and it’s hard to believe a spot this pretty is so quick to access.
The walk to reach the falls is very easy, but getting into the pool requires a scramble. If you simply want to view the waterfall, you can walk along the narrow dirt trail, which though slightly overgrown in places, only takes a few minutes.
The one blight on this otherwise idyllic spot is the rubbish. Please take some away with you if you can!
Details on how to find the waterfall and the gorge pool above, are in our Blue Pool guide.
6. Melincourt Falls
Distance: 550m each way
Difficulty: Easy
Melincourt Falls is a tall picturesque waterfall surrounded by high cliff walls and gorgeous dense forest.
It has a lovely peaceful feel to it and despite its size and beauty doesn’t seem to be talked about as much as other waterfalls in the area. Hopefully that means you’ll get it to yourself!
The walk to reach the falls is very easy and so pretty, taking you alongside the river and through mossy green forest. It can get a touch muddy, but the trail is flat and generally in good condition.
The pool at the base of the falls is small, so it’s not suitable for swimming, but you can definitely have a paddle.
7. Sychryd Waterfall
Distance: 1 mile (1.6km) return
Difficulty: Easy, but a little slippery at the very end
Sychryd Falls is gorgeous. It might be relatively small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. The pool at the base of the falls is a wonderful emerald colour and sits just above a second pool, which has real canyon vibes.
It’s funny because its moments off a walking track and directly beneath the bridge that leads to Dinas silica mine (2 minutes away and well worth a visit), yet it still has a lovely secluded feel to it.
The walk to reach the falls is generally easy, but there is a very short scramble at the end. There’s a handrail in place, but just go carefully if it’s damp as the rock is quite slippery.
You can also visit the lower Sychryd Falls and hidden canyon pool along the same track, details of which are all here.
8. Nant Sere Waterfalls
Distance: 5 miles (8km) return
Difficulty: Easy
The Nant Sere Waterfalls are one of the best hidden gems in the Brecon Beacons.
It’s the sort of place that you might read about in a children’s fairytale, yet it’s hidden in plain sight beneath the most popular peak in the Brecon Beacons.
The waterfall cascades over a mossy cliff wall and into several shallow plunge pools. It’s a picture perfect scene that invites you to linger far longer than you planned.
The walk to get to the falls is easy, although it does have a little hill to climb. The views to Pen y Fan and Cribyn make it one of the most beautiful trails on this list, and would be worth the walk even without the captivating falls at the end.
Directions for exactly how to find falls are in this post.
9. Sgwd Y Pannwr
Distance: 0.75 miles (1.2km) beyond Sgwd yr Eira
Difficulty: Easy
Sgwd Y Pannwr is the first waterfall I swam in, in Wales, and it began my love affair with the Brecon Beacons.
The wide cascades flow over a cliff wall and into a deep emerald pool. It’s a spectacular waterfall, yet inexplicably it sees far fewer visitors than nearby Sgwd yr Eira.
We visited on a cold day, when the water felt positively glacial, but even then it was a dreamy spot for a dip.
The walk to get there is easy and on a well formed trail much of the way. There are a couple of rocky sections, most notably at the very end when you descend to the base of the falls.
This involves rock hopping, but it only lasts a few minutes and is well worth the little extra effort. More details, including photos of the trail conditions are in this guide.
10. Sgwd Ddwli Uchaf
Distance: 0.9 miles (1.5km) return
Difficulty: Easy
Sgwd Ddwli Uchaf is a glorious waterfall with a huge emerald pool at the base. I don’t know if this is always the case, but on our visit rainbows were constantly forming in the spray, which gave it a dream like quality.
It was beautiful to view from the river bank, but magical to actually swim through the rainbows!
Reaching the falls is very easy. It’s a flat maintained path up until the last few minutes, where you take a decent dirt track downhill to the base of the falls.
It’s on the same trail as several other stunning falls, including numbers one and three on this list, and visiting them all makes for one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in the Brecon Beacons.
All of the details on the falls, including where to park for the easiest access, is in this post.
11. Blaen-y-Glyn Waterfalls
Distance: 1 mile (1.6km) circuit
Difficulty: Easy
The Blaen-y-Glyn Waterfalls are a series of falls accessible along a short easy circuit walk.
The tallest falls - Blaen-y-Glyn Waterfall - is usually the most impressive, but this one really does benefit from decent water levels, and was a little on the depleted side on our visit.
However, even when it had reduced to a mere trickle, several of the other waterfalls below still had a reasonable flow, so don’t be deterred.
You can stop for a dip in many of the waterfall pools along the way, or simply bring a picnic and sit on one of the rocky platforms in the sunshine.
All of the details on the walk, including our favourite swimming spots, can be found here.
12. Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn
Distance: 300m from Sgwd Y Pannwr
Difficulty: Easy to lower falls, moderate to upper falls
Photos do not do the lower part of Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn justice, it’s a truly magnificent spot.
A slender waterfall flows into a mossy gorge, creating a series of cascades and plunge pools. It feels truly wild despite being located on the popular Four Waterfalls Trail.
Accessing the upper falls requires negotiating a short stretch of rough terrain - think a steep dirt path with tree roots - which can be slippery so take care.
However, it’s just 50m long, so if you are comfortable with a short off track adventure, you’ll be rewarded with the lesser visited upper falls which are a sight to behold.
The wide curtain of water flows over the cliffside and into the canyon below. It’s an enchanting scene and you rarely have to share it with anyone else.
You can read more details, including a picture of the rough path, in this guide.
The best time to visit the Brecon Beacon Waterfalls
In terms of seeing them at their most powerful, the best time to visit any of these waterfalls is after some decent rain, or at least not during a long dry spell. However, we visited almost every one of these waterfalls during a highly unusual period of very dry weather and they still looked good, so don’t be deterred even during a dry summer. Some will have notably reduced flow, but they are still very pretty.
If you enjoy swimming then visiting with a lower flow is actually beneficial as the water colour and clarity is at its best and there won’t be a current.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the park, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
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