Best Waterfalls Near Newport
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Newport are Cleddon Shoots, Pistyll Goleu, Berw-ddu Waterfall, Blaen-y-Glyn, Pwll-Du Waterfall, Pwll y Crochan, Sgwd Yr Eira Waterfall and Sychryd Waterfall.
Newport sits within easy reach of some of the loveliest waterfall country in Wales, whether you head for the wooded Wye or climb into the hills to the north and west. Northeast, in the Wye Valley above Llandogo, Cleddon Shoots tumbles down a steep, oak-clad slope toward the river.
West and northwest, the Valleys hold their own quieter falls: Pistyll Goleu in St Gwynno's Forest near Llanwonno, and Berw-ddu at the head of the Dare Valley beyond Aberdare. Push north into the Brecon Beacons and the choice grows.
Blaen-y-Glyn strings its cascades down the Caerfanell above Talybont, while the Waterfall Country near Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte gathers Pwll-Du, Pwll y Crochan, the walk-behind Sgwd yr Eira and the accessible Sychryd cascades. Some run only after rain and others flow year round, so a little planning pays off.
Take boots for the slippery gorges, and treat each as an excuse to explore the Welsh hills. Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Newport.
Cleddon Shoots
Photo: David M Clark via Geograph.org.uk
Cleddon Shoots A drive northeast into the Wye Valley brings you above Llandogo, on the Monmouthshire side, where Cleddon Shoots tumbles down a steep, wooded slope toward the River Wye. The stream drops through a ravine of sessile oak and beech, the whole wood a site of special scientific interest, damp and thick with moss.
Rough paths lead down to it from car parks on the higher ground, and it can be reached only on foot. This is a quiet, out-of-the-way fall rather than a headline attraction, well suited to anyone who prefers their scenery earned by a bit of a walk through the trees.
Pistyll Goleu
Photo: Alan Bowring via Geograph.org.uk
Pistyll Goleu West of Newport, up in the hills of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Pistyll Goleu is a small, pretty fall in St Gwynno's Forest near Llanwonno, where the Sychnant stream slips over a face of Pennant sandstone. It is a lesser-known, tucked-away spot, reached on a short walk of about ten minutes from the roadside and often folded into a longer waterfall walk around Llanwonno.
The mossy, wooded setting draws photographers, and it makes a gentle stop rather than a strenuous outing. There are no facilities here, so bring what you need, but the drive into these quiet forest hills is a pleasure in itself.
Berw-ddu Waterfall
Photo: Nick Earl via Geograph.org.uk
Berw-ddu Waterfall Further into the Valleys, a drive out beyond Aberdare reaches Berw-ddu, a hillside fall at the head of the Dare Valley below the cliffs of Tarren y Bwllfa. Its Welsh name means roughly 'black rapids'.
The water runs off the open hillside and can be worked into the walks around Dare Valley Country Park, though it is very much an on-and-off fall: it needs a good spell of rain to get going and can be close to dry the rest of the time. This is a lightly documented local feature rather than a mapped landmark, so choose a wet week and treat finding it as part of the fun.
Blaen-y-Glyn
Photo: Nigel Davies via Geograph.org.uk
Blaen-y-Glyn North into the Brecon Beacons, Blaen-y-Glyn is a whole run of waterfalls on the Caerfanell river, in the forested hills above the Talybont valley at the eastern edge of the range. The river and its side streams drop through steep, wooded gorges, the rocks thick with moss and ferns and the water sliding from one pool to the next.
Paths climb beside the streams and cross footbridges, linking fall to fall over a couple of miles. On the open moor above stands a memorial to the crew of a Wellington bomber that crashed here in 1942, and pieces of the wreck still lie on the hill.
Pwll-Du Waterfall
Photo: Colin Pyle via Geograph.org.uk
Pwll-Du Waterfall In the Waterfall Country near Pontneddfechan, Pwll Du, meaning the black pool, is a deep, dark river pool in the wooded Nedd Fechan gorge, just above the village where the Afon Pyrddin joins the Nedd Fechan. Rather than one tall drop, small cascades feed the shaded pool, set in a steep gorge rich in moss and fern.
It is reached on an easy riverside walk from the car park by the Angel Inn at Pontneddfechan, the same path that carries on to bigger falls higher up, such as Sgwd Gwladys. There are no facilities in the gorge itself, so come prepared.
Pwll y Crochan
Photo: Alan Bowring via Geograph.org.uk
Pwll y Crochan Pwll y Crochan, the cauldron pool, is a waterfall and plunge pool on the Afon Sychryd, in the wooded gorge below Dinas Rock at the eastern edge of the Waterfall Country in Bannau Brycheiniog, near Pontneddfechan. It lies up the gorge toward the main road, hemmed in by rock and trees, which makes it awkward to reach.
The more visited falls on the same short river are the Sychryd Cascades just downstream, gained by an easy path from the car park at Dinas Rock. Come here if you want the quieter, harder-won corner of a spot most people only half explore.
Sgwd Yr Eira Waterfall
Photo: Rudi Winter via Geograph.org.uk
Sgwd Yr Eira Waterfall A rock ledge runs along the cliff behind the falling water, and you can walk right along it, passing behind the full curtain of the fall; shepherds once drove sheep between the banks this way. The waterfall carries a Welsh name meaning the fall of snow and sits on the Afon Hepste near Ystradfellte, among the best-known in the Waterfall Country of the Brecon Beacons.
It is a high point of the Four Waterfalls Walk, reached on foot down a steep flight of steps to the river. The ledge is wet and slippery, and closed off altogether when the river runs in flood, so check before you set out.
Sychryd Waterfall
Photo: Alan Hughes via Geograph.org.uk
Sychryd Waterfall The Sychryd cascades, in Welsh Sgydau Sychryd, are a run of falls on the Afon Sychryd in the Waterfall Country near Pontneddfechan, and the easiest of the lot to reach. A flat, well-surfaced path of under half a mile leads to them from the Dinas Rock car park, gentle enough for wheelchairs and pushchairs, threading a wooded gorge with benches and picnic spots along the way.
The route passes the towering limestone crag of Dinas Rock and a dramatic fold in the rock called Bwa Maen, as well as the remains of an old gunpowder works that once served the local mines.
FAQs
Which waterfall near Newport can you walk behind?
Sgwd yr Eira on the Afon Hepste near Ystradfellte is the one, with a rock ledge running behind the curtain of water. It is a highlight of the Four Waterfalls Walk in the Brecon Beacons.
Are any of these falls suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs?
Yes. The Sychryd cascades near Pontneddfechan have a flat, well-surfaced path of under half a mile from the Dinas Rock car park, gentle enough for wheels and small children.
Do the smaller waterfalls always flow?
No. Falls like Berw-ddu above Aberdare need a good spell of rain and can run nearly dry, so around Newport it is worth checking the weather before setting out.
Conclusion
From the oak woods of the Wye to the gorges of the Brecon Beacons, Newport makes a fine base for a run of Welsh waterfalls. None sits right on the doorstep, but none is far, and the drives take you through some lovely country.
If you want an easy day, the surfaced path to the Sychryd cascades suits wheels and small children alike. For something more adventurous, walk behind the curtain at Sgwd yr Eira, or seek out the hidden pools of Pwll Du and Pwll y Crochan.
Several of the smaller falls need rain to flow, so watch the forecast and time your trip well. Take stout boots for the slippery gorge paths, allow for the driving, and pick your weather.
From Monmouthshire to the Beacons, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Newport.
