Walk 12 Trehafren Hill

1

This walk starts under the Town Clock at the junction of Broad St, High St and Severn St, the area known locally as ‘The Cross’. The building now housing Barclays Bank was erected by Sarah Brisco, a descendent of the Pryce family of Newtown Hall, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1897.    Opposite the clock on Severn Street is the Robert Owen Museum and the Robert Owen Memorial Rooms are over the HSBC on the other corner.  Robert Owen, the father of the Co-operative Movement, is one of Newtown’s most famous sons.  Walk down High Street and cross Back Lane into the park.

Bear right past the front of Oriel Davies Gallery and to the left of the single storey community building at the top of the car park.  

2

Follow the paved footpath ahead towards the river past the play area and school playing fields fencing to your left.  When you reach the fence corner, follow the path to the left and pass the Scout Hut on your right. 

3

At the road (SO 105913) turn sharp right and follow the pavement. This takes you past the Newtown AFC Football ground on your left and you leave the path just afterwards, up to a roundabout on the road (SO 103913).

4 

At the roundabout go straight across and up the wide, unpaved track leading uphill, stepping around the large metal gate. This is the vehicular access for the water storage system at the top of the hill.  At the top of the hill you will come to a fenced in area holding an underground water storage tank.  Go along the path to the right of this fence and through the hedge ahead on to the top of the ridge (SO 100911).  Do not take the lower gravel path which is the bike trail and runs parallel the walking path at this point. 

Here you are above the community orchard, about 100 yards below you on the left.  There are great views in all directions from here. Carry on along the ridge and down through another gap in the hedge straight ahead. When a cyclist play area of jumps and bumps comes into view, cross the cycle track and turn right along a faint grassy path. Follow this path through some bushes and downhill to a pedestrian gate leading on to the road (SO 099911). 

5

Cross the road and go down Lon Pinwydd road ahead.  At the car park at the bottom of this short road turn left then right down the paved footpath hidden in the corner (SO 098912) at the end between house frontages and back garden fencing.  Turn left on to the bigger footpath and turn right at the end of the hedge (SO 098911).  Cross the road straight ahead, pass some garages on your right and walk on to the grassed area.  Slightly to the right you will find rough steps (SO 097912) leading down to another paved footpath and playing fields. 

6

Either turn right and follow this footpath back into Newtown or cross the playing fields and walk beside the river back into town.  After the skateboard park on your right cross the pedestrian footbridge over the brook and take the lower path continuing past the pedestrian footbridge to Dolerw Park.  Walk straight ahead on the river bank following the upper footpath with the car park on your right, until you reach Broad Street with the Elephant and Castle ahead of you. Turn right and walk up Broad Street to the clock and the finish of the walk.