About Pistyll Rhaeadr
Pistyll Rhaeadr was a waterfall that quickly impressed us the moment we started to see parts of it on the approach from the single-lane road leading to this quiet part of Wales near the English border.
This 240ft (73m) waterfall not only featured a pair of tall, plunging drops, but it even had a natural bridge across its middle.
That made this one of those rare waterfalls that could boast having a such a natural feature as part of its scenic allure, which made this a pretty special place.
Moreover, since the Afon Rhaeadr (Waterfall River) tended to have pretty reliable flow, that also meant that the Pistylle Rhaeadr waterfall had some staying power.
Experiencing Pistyll Rhaeadr
Visiting Pistyll Rhaeadr was quite easy as we were able to park the car close by the waterfall.
We wound up parking the car near the end of the road from the small town of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant (see directions below).
Then, we walked the short distance to a cafe and pay car park at the very end of the road.
From there, we descended to the footbridge right across the Afon Rhaeadr where we were able to get the most direct views of the Pistyll Rhaeadr.
For such a relatively easy-to-access waterfall, Julie, Tahia, and I were quite pleasantly surprised at the relative peace and quiet here.
Maybe the long drive to get here along with the single-lane roads might have had something to do with the lack of crowds.
In any case, we were quite content to experience the falls from this bridge as well as from the tea room near the car park (called Tan-y-Pistyll).
However, there was a trail that kept going past this bridge on the other side of the river (which I suspect might meander deeper into the Berwyn Mountains).
There was also another trail further back from the car park that appeared to go to the waterfall’s top.
Nevertheless, we didn’t have to exert ourselves very much to experience the best of the Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall, and almost all of the hour we were here was spent taking pictures.
Welsh Nomenclature
According to my Welsh dictionary, the word pistyll (probably pronounced “PIS-tuhthl”) meant “well” and rhaeadr (“HRHYE-uh-dur”) meant “waterfall”.
This suggested that Pistyll Rhaeadr could be the “waterfall well”.
However, according to the literature the translation of Pistyll Rhaeadr was more like “spring of the waterfall”.
There was a sign here suggesting that this was the highest waterfall in Wales and England, but having seen taller ones earlier on in the trip (e.g. Gaping Gill, Cautley Spout, and maybe even Taylor Gill Force, among others), that claim could very well be in doubt.
Authorities
Pistyll Rhaeadr resides near Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in Powys County, Wales. It is administered by the custodians at Tan-y-Pistyll. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.
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Pystlle Rhaeader (Wales UK) April 12, 2020 12:07 am - An exhilarating place. Can get busy over Bank holidays and nice weather. This is a must visit. ...Read More
Pistyll Rhaeadr (Wales UK) September 18, 2012 8:33 pm - At 240ft Pistyll Rhaeadr is one of the taller Welsh waterfalls. It is situated in the Berwyn Mountains of mid Wales not many miles in from the English border. To access the falls from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant follow the sign for the fall up a single track lane for about 4 miles. There is… ...Read MoreNearest Waterfalls
