Abergwynant Woods

From the car park, follow the Mawddach Trail in the direction of Barmouth along the estuary edge. Cross the road by Llynpenmaen Bridge, continue past the George III Hotel, then look for the signed gate into Coed Abergwynant. Inside the wood the route climbs on a zigzag path to a viewpoint looking out over the Mawddach estuary, which is the main payoff of the walk. The return drops back through the trees, passes Abergwynant Hall, then follows the Gwynant river past an old lime kiln before a narrow uphill path and an old sawmill track bring you back to the Mawddach Trail and the car park.

The estuary section uses the surfaced or compacted bed of a former railway, so it is smooth and level. Once you enter the woodland the character changes: unsurfaced paths, tight zigzags, some steep pitches, uneven footing and ground that can stay wet long after rain. Boots with grip are worth having, and the descents ask for care. Note the road crossing near Llynpenmaen Bridge, and remember that the Mawddach Trail is multi-use, so expect cyclists and other walkers on the shared opening and closing stretches.

The wood covers around 90 acres of native oak, birch and holly, with heavy growth of mosses and lichens on trunks and boulders. Fungi appear through the damper months, and frogs and newts use the wet hollows and margins near the Gwynant. The lime kiln beside the river and the old sawmill track are reminders that this was working ground before it was a walking route, as is the railway alignment that now carries the Mawddach Trail.

Dogs are welcome on the public footpaths and open-access land here under close control. Use a short lead near livestock or wildlife, and on open-access land keep dogs on a lead no longer than 2 metres between 1 March and 31 July. Because the first and last stretches are shared with cyclists, a lead is sensible there too. Park only in designated spaces at Penmaenpool. Public toilets and picnic tables can be found along the Mawddach Trail.