Start and Finish : Llandrindod Wells railway station Distance: 4.5 miles Notes : The walk involves a pleasant bus ride from Llandrindod Wells to Newbridge-on-Wye (10-minute journey time). It then returns to Llandrindod Wells via well marked rights of way over meadows, crossing the river Ithon, and passes close to a 13th-century Church and sites of Roman works. Boots or strong shoes are recommended as some of the paths are steep and can be muddy in wet weather. Not suitable for wheel chairs as there are a total of 28 stiles on this walk.

1. Catch a number 19 bus (Llandrindod to Rhayader) outside Llandrindod Wells railway station on the Station Crescent side (check Powys County Council website for bus times.) If possible, alight in Newbridge-on-Wye at first stop Llwyn Celyn or, if not, outside the Post Office (depends on time of bus taken).

(a) From Post Office stop, cross the A470 main road carefully and with your back to the post office, turn left, walk down the main road and turn left again at the New Inn Hotel into the B4358. Pass public conveniences on the right and follow directions at (b).

(b) Llwyn Celyn stop. Walk back in the direction the bus came from, passing the Renault garage of J A Powell & Sons. Approx.100 metres beyond garage, climb the stile in right hand (RH) hedge. Cross field to another stile in left hand (LH) corner by telegraph pole. Continue direction to scale another stile in top LH corner of field. Continue down next field walking parallel to right hedge. Cross a stile in bottom RH corner. Take note of direction indicated by waymark arrow and aim for a point just to the left of two large oak trees ahead. Cross stream on stepping stones and climb stile on bank ahead. Maintain direction across field and climb another stile at a junction of paths.

Turn left, negotiate another stile and continue with the fence line on you left. In bottom LH field corner, walk to the left of a small copse of trees and with a farm track over fence on your left. Cross this track via two more stiles and walk uphill to enter a wood over yet another stile.

2. Continue ahead on the path with fence on your right and proceed carefully down steep slope using steps provided to the River Ithon. Follow path as it turns left alongside river. Turn right to cross a small footbridge, still walking alongside the river and cross field to reach the road over another stile. Turn right on road to cross bridge over the river where herons or kingfishers can sometimes be seen.

3. Turn right to visit Disserth Church, which still has its boxed pews and a three deck pulpit, or left over stile to continue walk. Proceed uphill with hedge line on your left to pass through gate in top LH corner of field. Again continue ahead alongside LH hedge line and cross another stile in bottom LH field corner. Walk a short distance across the corner of next field to climb a stile in LH fence line.

Walk diagonally, as indicated by waymark arrow, across next field, which can be very muddy in wet weather. Enter a small copse of trees via a metal footbridge over a stream. At the other side of the copse, cross another stile alongside a wooden gate. Skirt around the hedge line to another stile in the RH fence line. Continue ahead with the fence line on your right, passing beneath overhead power cables. Climb stile in top RH field corner and then maintain direction on farm track. When track veers left, clamber over stile in RH fence and follow LH hedge line.

Climb stile in LH field corner next to metal gate. Cross diagonally right over farm track and take stile opposite. Follow LH fence line and cross another stile alongside metal gate. Now follow RH hedge line, pass through metal gate and continue ahead on grassy track. Climb the stile next to a metal gate and continue following the LH hedge line. In the top LH corner of this large field, cross over stile into a copse of mainly conifer trees. Follow path through copse and cross another stile into a second large field. Cross field, aiming for a metal gate ahead, and traverse the stile alongside the gate.

4. In this field you are crossing an ancient Roman Road which ran south from the Roman Camp of Castell Collen just to the north of Llandrindod Wells. Follow the LH fence line and cross a stile to the right of metal sheep pens. The field immediately to your left, and several north of it, were the site of Roman Military Practice Works where Roman soldiers were taught to build forts and camps. This was the largest known site in the whole of the Roman Empire.

5.Follow the track, passing a corrugated iron shed on the right. Go through another metal gate onto farm track and turn right over railway bridge to the road. Turn left on A483 main road and continue north into Llandrindod Wells passing Ridgebourne Inn on left and a Texaco garage on right. Turn left down the side of Grosvenor Stores and pass under railway bridge. Take track to the right by No Through Road sign.

6. Continue on track alongside wooden garden fencing, past playing fields on right, and into Rock Park. Cross over tarmac path by lamp post and follow sweeping path ahead which leads down to a substantial wooden bridge over the stream. Cross bridge and continue straight ahead on tarmac path which leads uphill to the main entrance to Rock Park. Cross carefully over the road at the roundabout and continue into the High Street opposite. Walk down the High Street to the railway station and cross over the line on the footbridge back to where you originally caught the bus at the start of the walk.

This walk was given to us by kind permission from Llandrindod Wells Town Council, with all the photographs taken by David Morgans.

Leaflets on walks around Llandrindod Wells are available from the town's Tourist Information Centre.