Afan Forest Park – Visitor Centre, near Port Talbot
Main starting point for mountain bike and walking...
Afan Forest Park – Rhyslyn, near Port Talbot
What's here
All trails here are closed.
The recent strong winds took a significant toll on our sites.
We’re continuing to assess the damage, but this will take some time.
We may close the car park and other facilities at short notice whilst we undertake recovery operations.
You should always follow any instructions given by signs or local staff including any trail diversions or closures, and beware of the danger of falling trees or branches.
Ongoing forestry operations
There are forestry operations underway in Afan Forest Park including a major tree felling operation.
Many of the walking and mountain bike trails are closed or diverted.
See information in car parks and follow diversion signs on the trails
Be aware of timber haulage lorries and follow instructions from staff.
Learn more about the major tree felling operation in Afan Forest Park.
Welcome
Rhyslyn is in Afan Forest Park.
It is within walking distance of the village of Pontrhydyfen.
There are two waymarked walking trails here. The easier trail goes alongside the river and the longer trail goes along a ridgeway track with views of Pontrhydyfen viaduct.
The picnic area is next to the car park.
Walking trails
The walking trails are waymarked from start to finish.
Look out for the information panel at the start of the trail.
Find out about walking trail grades.
Rhyslyn Riverside Walk
- Grade: Easy
- Distance: 1 mile/1.8 kilometres
- Time: 45 minutes
- Climb: Mainly level
Follow the Afan River upstream to a viewpoint and return along a disused mineral railway track.
This is a flat route almost all the way along riverside paths and on forest roads.
Watch out for cyclists on sections of the walk.
Penrhys Walk
- Grade: Moderate
- Distance: 3½ miles/5.7 kilometres
- Time: 2 hours
- Climb: 600 feet/180 metres
Enjoy panoramic views along the ancient ridgeway track which connected Baglan church on the coast to Craig y Llyn north of Glyncorrwg.
You can see all the way to the Carmarthenshire Fans (peaks) on a clear day.
Mountain bike trail
All our mountain bike trails are waymarked from start to finish and have been graded for difficulty.
At the start of the trail there is an information panel – please read this before setting off.
- Find out about mountain bike trail grades.
- For a list of our mountain bike trails and information to plan your ride, go to mountain biking.
- For more information about mountain biking in Wales, go to the Mountain Bike Wales website.
Y Wal Trail
- Grade: Red (difficult)
- Distance: 18.6 kilometres
- Time: 1½-3 hours
- Climb: 520 metres
- Alternative starting point: Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre
Boasting some of the best singletrack descents in the UK, this trail traverses the north side of the Afan Valley on singletrack.
It varies from fast, open and flowing to tight, technical and rooty.
Great views of the valley and coastline open out at different points, and in places the steep-sided slopes can feel exposed.
The approach to the singletrack shares a section with the Rheilffordd Low Level Cycleway and the disused railway line, so please ride with consideration for the many other forest users.
For a longer ride, combine with White’s Level Trail via one of the W2 links - see Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre.
Richard Burton Birthplace Trail
Rhyslyn car park is within easy walking distance of the village of Pontrhydyfen where the famous actor Richard Burton was born.
The Richard Burton Birthplace Trail sets off from the car park to Pontrhydyfen and his birth place.
There are information panels along the trail with interesting facts on his childhood and career.
For more information, go to the Discover Neath Port Talbot website.
Afan Forest Park
Rhyslyn is situated in Afan Forest Park.
Afan Forest Park is one of Britain’s iconic mountain bike destinations and a popular place for walking.
The forest park is situated in the Afan Valley, a former coal mining valley just a few miles from the M4.
You can discover some of the valley’s heritage features along our trails in the forest park.
Other trails in Afan Forest Park
Explore Afan Forest Park from the car parks at these three other places:
- Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre – main car park in the forest park with walking trails and mountain bike trails for riders of all levels
- Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Centre – starting point for three red-graded mountain bike trails
- Gyfylchi (Afan Bike Park) - home to an extreme-graded skills area
National Forest for Wales
Afan Forest Park forms part of the National Forest for Wales.
The National Forest will:
- create areas of new woodland
- enhance existing woodlands
- restore Wales’ irreplaceable ancient woodlands
It will form a connected ecological network running throughout Wales, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits.
Parts of the network will eventually form a trail running the length and breadth of Wales, so anyone can access it wherever they live.
For more information go to the National Forest for Wales website.
Visiting safely
We want you to return home safely after your visit here.
You are responsible for your own safety as well as the safety of any children and animals with you during your visit.
For advice and tips to help you plan your visit here go to Visiting our places safely.
Changes to visitor facilities
See the top of this webpage for details of any planned closures or other changes to visitor facilities here.
For your safety, always follow instructions from staff and signs including those for trail diversions or closures.
We may divert or close trails whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations and we may need to close other visitor facilities temporarily.
In extreme weather, we may close facilities at short notice due to the risk of injury to visitors and staff.
Organising an event on our land
You may need permission from us to organise an event or to carry out some activities on our land.
Check if you are allowed to use our land.
How to get here
Rhyslyn is 4 miles north east of Port Talbot.
Postcode
The postcode is SA12 9SG.
Please note that this postcode may not take you to the car park if you use a sat nav or navigation app.
We suggest you follow the directions below or use the Google map on this page which has a pin on the car park’s location.
Directions
Exit M4 at junction 40 onto A4107 towards Cymer.
Follow the brown and white signs for Afan Forest from the roundabout after leaving the motorway.
After 3½ miles, turn left onto the B4287 towards Pontrhydyfen.
Go over a bridge and, as the road bears left, take a sharp right turn onto the access track.
Follow the access track for 350 metres to reach Rhyslyn car park.
What3Words
View this place on the What3Words website.
Ordnance Survey
The Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference for the car park is SS 800 942 (Explorer Map 165 or 166).
Public transport
The nearest mainline railway station is in Port Talbot.
For details of public transport go to the Traveline Cymru website.
Sustrans cycle route
You can cycle to Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre on Sustrans National Cycle Network route 887.
Route 887 provides a link between the towns of Port Talbot, Cwmafan, and Pontrhydyfen and continues onto Afan Forest Park.
For more information go to the Sustrans website.
Parking
Car parking is free of charge.
Overnight parking is not permitted.
Contact details
There are no staff at this location.
Contact our customer team for general enquiries during office hours, Monday to Friday.
Related document downloads
Afan Forest Park walking leaflet
PDF [5.5 MB]
Y Wal Trail guide
PDF [5.7 MB]
Other places in South West Wales
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