Cistercian Way (Wales)

Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Shropshire, Torfaen, Wrexham

The Cistercian Way is more than a long-distance path: it is a walk into the heart of Wales. Explore the great abbeys of the Cistercian order, the little churches of the Welsh hills, the amazing geology of the Pembrokeshire coast, Stone Age burial mounds, medieval castles and sheep farms, picturesque landscaped gardens and the industrial heritage of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Originally developed by Friends of the Cistercian Way.

From Cymmer you can follow the Roman road, Sarn Helen, virtually all the way to Conwy.

Route notes are on the website below but there is no paper publication, and (as of April 2024) the Friends of the Cistercian Way website was no longer functioning, though there is a 2019 blog.

MARCH 2025: An approximately 1 mile stretch between White Castle and Caggle Street, Monmouthshire has been closed from an unspecified date due to an unusable footbridge at SO 372169. A diversion makes use of the Three Castles Way. The collapsed footbridge also carries Offa's Dyke National Trail: see https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/short-routes/diversion-between-white-castle-and-caggle-street/?trail=offas-dyke-path.

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Details:

Path Type:	Other Paths
Attributes:	Challenging Moorland Mountain Heritage Geological Industrial History Monarchy Religious
Start and Finish:	ST311929 - Llantarnam, Cwmbran, Torfaen, Monmouthshire
Web Sites:	The Cistercian Way: a walk into the heart of Wales Heritage Tortoise: the Cistercian Way Cistercian Way: a walk through the history of Wales (blog) Walking Englishman - Cistercian Way (Wales) The Cistercian Way ? A walking chat

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