Mawr Heritage Walking Trail

Parsel Mawr (Big Parcel), better known as just ‘Mawr’, is the beautiful rural hinterland of Swansea.

The Mawr Heritage Trail takes walkers through the pretty village of Felindre and the popular Lower Lliw Reservoir, passing landmarks that illustrate the significant contribution Mawr has made to the growth of Swansea and South Wales through its farms, mines and the reservoir itself.

Walk Summary

Useful Information

Safety Information

Mostly tarmac with some uneven earth around the reservoir. Some stiles, one flight of steps and one fairly steep road.

Walk Details

• The walk starts at the car park of the Lower Lliw reservoir. Head anti-clockwise up a clearly marked tarmac path.
• Pass remnants of the Victorian-era Velindre mine before turning left down a bank and across the stream to the opposite side of the reservoir (there is an option to carry on straight along the road for an additional mile to the Upper Lliw reservoir).
• Turn left on the other side of the bridge and continue anti-clockwise along the opposite bank of the reservoir.
• Leave the reservoir behind to continue straight along Llwybr y Bugail towards the village of Felindre.
• Enter the village along Heol Myddfai, passing Nebo chapel on the left.
• Head down to the bridge across the Afon Lliw and the Old Mill, before tracking back to the reservoir along Heol Myddfai and Llwybr y Bugail.

Highlights

• The Lower Lliw Reservoir was built between 1862 and 1867 to provide clean water for the rapidly growing town of Swansea, with its abundance of copper smelting works, ironworks and tinplate. Its completion led to the region becoming the third healthiest in Europe.
• Mawr has a rich coal mining history. Evidence of it can be found on the trail in the shape of Glyn-deri winding head gear and gunpowder store of the Velindre mine, abandoned in 1877.
• Nebo Chapel is home to a ‘murder stone’ to commemorate one of the most tragic incidents in Mawr’s long history, the murder of milkmaid Eleanor Williams.

More Information

Swansea Council Countryside Access team
# 01792 635746 or 01792 635230
@ countrysideaccess@swansea.gov.uk
i www.swansea.gov.uk/countrysideaccess

Further links
i swanseabaywithoutacar.co.uk
i www.traveline-cymru.org.uk

With nearly 400 miles’ worth of rights of way, Swansea Bay offers many memorable walking routes, from short family trips, taking in many of the small churches and landmarks in the area, to routes for the more experienced, with breathtaking views of the Gower Peninsula. Find out more: