A walk along the Taff Trail in Rhydyfelin, Wales is a great way to spend a day out with the family.
The Taff Trail is a beautiful walk with some stunning views at various points along the path. It runs alongside the River Taff for 55 miles (88km) from Cardiff Castle to Brecon. It follows an old railway line, so there are plenty of bridges, tunnels and viaducts to explore along the way.
There were actually two former railway lines in Rhydyfelin, the other one being down the hill following the route where the modern day A470 runs. These railways were demolished in the 1970s and the Taff Trail is now a pedestrian and cycle route for us to enjoy.
The trail is perfect for walkers of all abilities – there are many different sections of varying length and difficulty that you can choose from depending on your fitness levels.
A significant portion of the Taff Trail runs through Rhydfelin and there are several access points for residents and visitors to use.
As the Taff Trail is essentially a North-South path, it doesn’t loop around so walking along the line will usually mean doubling-back on yourself to retrace your footsteps back, unless you choose to walk back along the streets instead.
Tips for walking along the Taff Trail
Pick a direction
You can either walk North towards Pontypridd and Merthyr, or South towards Castell Coch and Cardiff.
Don’t wear headphones
There are lots of cyclists using the Taff Trail, many of them are cycling at speed. If you’re wearing headphones, you won’t hear the cyclists coming from behind you. It’s also much better to be more aware of your surroundings.
Be mindful of others
There are hundreds of people who walk or cycle along the Taff Trail everyday, it’s highly likely that you’ll be sharing the path with others so be respectful and polite.
Take rubbish home with you
Don’t drop litter anywhere that isn’t a bin. Please. That includes cigarettes butts and chewing gum. Get a portable ashtray, they’re safe, they don’t smell and it avoids loads of litter.
Clean up after your dog
Dogs poop and that’s normal, but responsible owners always scoop it up and bin it. As there are so many people using the Taff Trail, it’s highly inconsiderate to leave your dog’s mess behind. Just bag it up and bin it, it’s really not that hard.
Avoid walking along the Taff Trail in the dark
The route has no lights so it can be disorientating walking along the line in the dark. There are also occasions when mopeds and quad bikes are speeding up and down the line late at night, which is highly dangerous. Of course they shouldn’t be doing that, for us regular pedestrians it’s another risk to be aware of.
Bring a bottle of water with you
There are very few places to stop to buy a soft drink unless you take a detour, so it’s best to bring a refillable bottle with you, especially if it’s a warm day.
Keep your dogs on a lead
There are several junctions with roads along the line, not to mention other dog-walkers out and about. Even if your dog is friendly and well-behaved, other dogs may not be, so it’s not worth the risk where several parts of the trail are enclosed by trees. This would make any potential altercation difficult to manage.
There are plenty of squirrels and a few cats hanging around, which could cause your dog to dart off toward them!
