Update:  The Teifi Valley in West Wales is home to five Walkers are Welcome groups Tregaron, Lampeter, Llandysul & Pont-Tyweli, Cilgerran and St Dogmaels and those groups have been working together to define a new long distance trail through the Teifi Valley.  The Afon (River) Teifi begins at the Teifi Pools in the Cambrian Mountains. It flows by Strata Florida Abbey, through Cors Caron, a magnificent raised peat bog, and on to Tregaron before continuing through woodland, moorland and farmland, travelling 76 miles passing St Dogmael’s Abbey to the sea.

Walking from the source of the Teifi to the sea is a route that has never before been published, but that is about to change in this year of “Wales by Trails”.  The five Walkers are Welcome groups have defined the route to make the Teifi Valley Trail a reality.

The 75 mile route criss-crosses the river through the three counties of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire linking the many market and mill towns enabling walkers to take advantage of facilities in those communities. It is intended that the hospitality and transportation sectors as well as shops, food and drink producers, and visitor attractions will benefit.  Many of these areas already have circular walks which branch out from the main route, which will attract day visitors as well as long distance walkers.

Once the route is established, the towns are excited about the potential for the creation of an impressive 170 mile circular walk connecting the new Teifi Valley Trail with the Ceredigion Coastal Path, the Borth to Pontrhydfendigaid trail and the Cambrian Way.

They have some big ideas.  They will create a comprehensive website which will allow local communities and businesses to connect with hikers as well as providing  interactive mapping. They have the Teifi Valley Trail Champion volunteers already working with the rangers from the counties of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to help fit and fix structures along the route (gates, stiles, etc). They are also creating a guidebook to support the route.  They are hoping to have all in place for a soft launch in October 2023!

They have received small grants to produce a  leaflet (can be downloaded from their website holding page – http://teifivalleytrail.wales) and to fund some community engagement along the route.  However, they are now seeking to raise funds for a website, to print the trail guide (currently being written by volunteers) and to purchase waymarkers for the route. 

You can sign up to the newsletter  by visiting this page where there are also links to the Facebook page and  to introductory videos.