Blaen Bran Reservoir
This circular walk visits the Blaen Bran Reservoirs near Cwmbran in Torfaen county.
The site includes pleasant nature trails taking you around the two small reservoirs and into the surrounding woodland. You can find the reservoirs just to the north west of Cwmbran and just south of Pontypool. There is a car parking area at the site, just south east of the reservoirs at a postcode of NP44 5AT for your sat navs. From here you can pick up the trails heading north west to the lakes and a waterfall. Then climb above the water to the north for some great views. You can extend the walk by climbing onto the moorland around Mynydd Twyn-glas.
Postcode
NP44 5AT - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsBlaen Bran Reservoir Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Blaen Bran Reservoir Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Blaen Bran Reservoir OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Blaen Bran Reservoir Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Dog Walking
The woodland and waterside trails are ideal for dog walking. You will probably see other owners on your visit.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
In nearby Pontypool you could visit the lovely Pontypool park and pick up the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and follow it to the popular Goytre Wharf. Llandegfedd Reservoir and the World Heritage site at Blaenavon are also not too far away.
The epic Cambrian Way passes the site. The long distance waymarked route starts from the city of Cardiff and runs for nearly 300 miles through the Brecon Beacons, the Cambrian Mountains and Snowdonia before finishing on the North Wales coast at Conwy.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Blaen Brân Reservoir and Blaen-Brân Community Woodland. This picture shows the now disused Blaen-Brân Reservoir with part of the 100 acres of Blaen-Brân Community Woodland and Mynydd Maen in the background. There are two reservoirs shown on the maps but the top one was demolished many years ago. The picture was taken in 2003. The bridge to the water tower has now been removed, for public safety.
This shows the same view as the previous photo but 4 years later. Sadly the iron bridge to the valve tower has been scrapped for public safety reasons. Blaen-Brân Community Woodland is thriving, with 100 members, and many more local people visiting the woods for quiet recreation. It was bought for the local community with grant aid from the Cydcoed "Woodlands For All" Project. The reservoir is full due to heavy rain.
The New Ford and the Brân Brook. The ford was completed in the autumn of 2006 and the design is believed to be unique. It allows Fire Engines and other authorised vehicles to enter Blaen Brân Community Woodland quickly and safely. The vehicles can cross the stream without disturbing the stream bed. The ford was designed by Chris Harris from an idea by Mark Strickland. It was built for the Community Woodland using grant aid from Cydcoed.
Looking down towards the reservoir from above.
Stile leading to woodland, Upper Cwmbran. A sign next to the stile has the initials BBCW - Blaen Bran Community Woodland. There are two areas in BBCW : Blaen Bran farm and Coed Gwaun-y-Fferiad (Priest’s Moor). Blaen Bran farm, now gone, was built into the mountainside and probably looked similar to other mountain farms of the era. Blaen Bran is the source of the Bran brook which runs down a small valley into the Afon Llwyd river. The valley became known as Cwmbran, hence the name of the town. All that remains on the former farm site are some stone walls and part of one wall of the farmhouse.
Common above Cwmbran. Looking towards Mynydd Twyn Glas on the Mountain Road to Cwmbran.
Glyn Bran Farmhouse, Upper Cwmbran
Western flank of Mynydd Twyn-glas. Mainly featureless moorland, but a good path from the summit descends off the ridge to the right towards Cwmbran.