Once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Brycheiniog, this small, friendly riverside town which is located on the Eastern side Brecon Beacons National Park has peaceful churches and wonderful views of rolling hillsides. Talgarth is a gateway to the Black Mountains making it a well-placed hub for outdoor activities.
St Gwendoline’s Church has a memorial to Hywel Harris, a remarkable man who led the Methodist Revival in Wales in 1735, with Talgarth’s old mill beautifully converted as part of a very successful community project. Read on to find out more about the town.
St Gwendoline’s Church Gwendoline was one of the many offspring of King Brychan, the 5th-century ruler of Brycheiniog. This beautiful church may well date from the early Celtic-Christian times of the 6th century. The Preaching Cross in the churchyard was used by local man and charismatic religious leader Hywel Harris. He was a social and agricultural pioneer too, founding a Methodist community at nearby Trefeca that lived an almost self-sufficient, communal life. It’s reputed that 20,000 people attended his funeral at St Gwendoline’s in 1773.
Rhos Fawr (‘Big Moor’) and neighbouring Rhos Fach (‘Little Moor’) are swathes of semi-enclosed common land used for grazing animals by adjoining farms that enjoy ‘common rights’. Historically, these areas were vital for the poorer people of the parish, who used them for grazing their house cows, poultry and sometimes pigs. Land like this is quite a common (forgive the pun), characteristic feature of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
You can’t miss it. It soars upwards in a dramatic north-facing wall from Talgarth along to Hay Bluff and the Wales/England border. It causes near-perfect flying conditions for gliders – you’ll often see them in the skies, having launched from the gliding club south of Talgarth. If you fancy a go at gliding, then find out more here.
Its name, meaning ‘The Witches’ Pool’, alludes to a dark legend surrounding its use as pool that put to the test those accused of witchcraft in medieval times to determine innocence or guilt. True or false, the atmosphere today is that of a bucolic beauty spot cloaked in ancient woodland. It’s a popular 43-acre (17.5ha) nature reserve where the river Ennig plunges down a band of rock into the legendary pool. Pwll-y-Wrach is rich in wildlife. Come here in spring for the wood anemones and bluebells, and see if you can catch the blue flash of a kingfisher or even the bark of an otter. There’s also a marked geology trail.
For a walking route description of 'Talgarth Woods and Waterfalls', please click here.
Talgarth Mill and The Bakers Table
Be sure to visit Talgarth Mill, as featured on the BBC's 'Village SOS' programme. Talgarth Mill is a fully restored and working 18th Century water mill. The knowledgeable and friendly volunteer guides will show you around and explain its workings, history and the story behind its restoration which was featured on the BBC programme "Village SOS".
They mill flour at least two days a week and children are given the opportunity to mill a little of their own flour with a small hand mill.
Last year the wholemeal flour won a Find Foods Great Taste award. there is a wide range of flour, including spelt and rye, can be purchased in the Talgarth Mill Craft Shop.
A wonderful selection of home baked bread can be bought at the Bakers' Table Cafe, where you can sit by the river and sample their locally produced food and delicious cakes as seen recently on Britain's Best Bakery.
Close by you will find the nature reserves of Park Wood and Pwll-y-Wrach. Looked after by the Woodland Trust and Brecknock Wildlife Trust respectively, they feature in the Wildlife Walks and Walks Around Talgarth booklets. HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess or Cornwall recently visited the town and Mill as part of their annual week-long tour of Wales.
Credit: Talgarth Mill
Talgarth Information Centre offers a free accommodation and booking service for visitors to the area, and has lots of information about the great walking and mountain biking opportunities in around the Black Mountains and surrounding valleys. Opening times here
Events in the town
On August the 27th Talgarth Festival of the Countryside will take place! Join in the celebration of the Black Mountains and Welsh countryside! A lovely, friendly, family festival in a beautiful setting and a great way to spend the Bank Holiday Weekend. FREE parking, FREE entry, and, on the whole, FREE entertainment. A great day out for all the family. More here
Celebrate Spring's arrival at our first ever walking Festival in Talgarth. We have castles and mountains, red kites and otters, an ancient hill fort, burial mounds, waterfalls, and a restored watermill. You can take part in the 'Witches Pool Challenge', then enjoy a beer brewed right here in Talgarth, with a wood fired pizza at the Mill. This is a beautiful and unspoilt part of the Brecon Beacons National Park, and should you tire of walking, you can even hire an Eco-Car. Free parking and a warm welcome awaits you in the 'Gateway to the Black Mountains'. Keep an eye out for 2017 walks here
How to get there: By Train the nearest station is abergavenny – talgarth is 18 miles from abergavenny By bus: talgarth is serviced by buses in all directions, from hereford, Builth Wells, abergavenny and Brecon. look at www.traveline-cymru.org.uk for the latest travel information and timetables. For the hereford to Brecon (via talgarth) bus timetable, search for service 39 on the herefordshire County Council website (39a for the sunday timetable). during the summer months the Beacons Bus service also passes through
talgarth on sundays and Bank holiday Mondays from the end of May to the beginning of october. By bike: National route 8 passes through talgarth.
