Lavender Farm
Outline
This circular walk starts at the Epynt Way link path, accessed through a small gate on the B4520 (SO 199 431). The walk largely follows the main Epynt Way route on well-established tracks before departing to reach a quiet lane leading to a Lavender Farm at Cefnperfedd Uchaf (https://www.welshlavender.com/) and then rejoining the main route to return to the start.
PEASE NOTE THAT THIS ROUTE IS SUITABLE FOR WALKERS ONLY.
Start and Finish Points
Park on grass verge on B4520 (SO 020 431).
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Walking Time: Allow 2.0 to 2.5 hours
Distance: 6.5 miles/ 11 km
Ascent: 191m
Parking: Grass verge near start/finish of walk,
Route Narrative
From the layby, head down the road in a south westerly direction until reaching a small gate.
Keep to the right of the conifer block until reaching a gravel path near to a trig point. Turn right here. You are now on the Epynt Way.
The track descends back towards the road you parked on. Do not cross the cattle grid but bear left onto a broad path (at post 030) for a short distance before branching off to the right to pass between two forestry blocks.
The path drops downhill to join an access track from the right near post 035 (SO 021 440).
The private house with a pond off to the right is the former Griffin Inn and is still marked as such on some maps. The flat area with disused concrete hut bases marks the site of a WWII PoW camp, which was a satellite of the main PoW camp in Builth Wells and was used by prisoners building the Concrete Road on the military training area.
Follow a gently rising tarmac track and continue straight ahead at post 040, before entering a wood at post 046 and eventually reaching a tarmac road. Turn right to pass over brick culverts that are the originals built by German and Italian PoWs. Leave the road to the right at post 053 to follow a grassy track towards a small metal gate and continuing straight ahead to reach a farm track at post 058.
Turn left to follow the track for about 1km before turning right off the main EW route at post 066 (SO 007 458) to follow an access path across open ground.
Pass posts L68, L67 & L66 to reach a metal gate, and leave the military training area before entering a sunken grassy track between fences and hedging. Follow the track, shortly bearing right through a large metal gate to join the unclassified public road.
Turn right to follow the road for a short distance to a Lavender Farm (SO 012 460) with its café, shop and swimming pond, before continuing to reach a sharp bend at a poultry farm.
Note that this new poultry unit is not yet marked on the 1:25,000 OS map.
Leave the road to the right through a metal gate to follow a broad track to reach post 042. Turn left to rejoin the main EW route and retrace your steps to the starting point.