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Cwmcarn Forest Drive is a hidden gem within the Welsh valleys. They offer car parking for £1 for two hours, or £3 for all day. Next to the Car park is a bike shop, where you could rent or pick up anything you may have forgotten if you’re heading there for an adrenaline filled mountain bike adventure.
They have a visitors centre and cafe, where dogs are welcome and the friendly staff can help you select your walk. There are also toilets available, outside sitting and a little play area for children.
Cwmcarn Forest drive offer accommodation in the form of glamping pods, or pitches where you can park your own caravan or pitch your own tent.
There are nunerous walks through the forest to choose from, the time ranges from 30minutes to 5+hours. So you can literally choose how long you want to spend exploring.
There is a lovely pond in the middle of the forest, where you can purchase fishing passes if you fancy.
As mentioned above the walks are also for mountain biking, so you just have to make sure your furry friend doesn’t get in there way during your walk, tire marks are not in this season!
Overall a lovely walk, with other facilities and a location where you can choose the route that suits you
Indie-Rose
12/01/2021 at 1:27 pmCwncarn Forest Review
Within the Caerphilly Borough Council area this magnificent park really is a hidden gem that every dog owner should take their dog too! We only discovered this from looking for local areas in lockdown that we was able to visit back late last summer for a day out.
It was a popular area when we attended on the weekend however there are a range of different areas to park if there isn’t no space in the main car park you can follow the road to find lay by’s or other car parks a bit further up from the visitor centre. I will note at the time and currently still stands it is free to park due to the ongoing pandemic and the council is not servicing car park pay and display machines until further notice. However, in regular circumstances it is £1 for 2 hours or £3 for the whole day which is a good value fee for the different range of walk lengths available to take your companion on.
This park isn’t short on facilities ranging from their own Café, toilets, gift shop, accommodation such as lodges or camping/touring facilities, playground, a lake, and bike paths. This walk really is one to suit the whole family especially our four-legged friends.
When we first went we was a little unsure on the trails but if you go into the Gift shop you can purchase a map for 20p which details the different walks through the forest you can take which can range from 30 minutes even up to 9 hours!! We went for the Twmbarlwm Walk which is 2 hours but we did de-tour to take a longer walk throughout the park. The walk does take you to the highest peak in that park where stands a hill fort with outstanding 360 panoramic views ranging from Cardiff, Newport to the Brecon Beacons. It did get windy up on the fort and Indie’s flapometers were in full flapping condition!
I took a back pack with some refreshments in for myself and Indie which I would recommend if you’re spending a full day here as it is a large area especially if you go the longer trails such as the 1807 or Escape to Twmbarlwm Walk.
Overall, I am excited to go back to this park when restrictions are lifted and may even try a bite in the café next time! Indie had a good amount of socialisation which is good for her development and social skills as a puppy as well as hitting her goal to mark her territory all over Wales!