Cefncarnau

About Cefncarnau

Standing as a modest sentinel over Caerphilly, Cefncarnau is the sort of hill that feels like a mountain if you've had a particularly heavy lunch. It offers panoramic views of the Taff Valley and enough fresh air to forget the M4 motorway exists for twenty minutes.

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Did You Know?

• •The hill marks a geological boundary where the limestone of the South Wales coalfield meets older Old Red Sandstone, creating a varied and surprisingly lush botanical landscape.
• •Directly underneath the summit ridge lies the Caerphilly Tunnel; at over a mile long, it was a Herculean Victorian engineering project designed to transport coal to the Cardiff docks.
• •The name translates from Welsh as 'Ridge of the Cairns,' referring to the ancient burial mounds that once dotted this strategic high ground overlooking the Bristol Channel.
• •It forms a key section of the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Path, a trail that allows you to traverse the spine of South Wales without ever being too far from a reliable pub.
• •Expect to be overtaken by local fell runners who appear to possess a third lung, making your tactical 'looking at the view' breathing pauses feel slightly less dignified.