Iron Mountain Trail Blaenavon

10.3 miles (16.5 km)

This circular walk explores the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site in Blaenavon, Torfaen.
The route challenging route visits some of the local highlights including Keepers Pond, Blorenge, and the Punchbowl near Abergavenny.
From Blaenavon the trail climbs gradually onto open upland terrain, where the remains of former tramways, quarries and spoil heaps illustrate the area’s industrial past. The early part of the walk passes several historic features linked to the iron and coal industries, many of which are signposted with interpretation boards that help to explain the history of the landscape.... As height is gained the views begin to open out across the surrounding hills, with the distinctive outline of the Blorenge becoming increasingly prominent.
Reaching Keepers Pond provides one of the most scenic sections of the route. Originally built as a reservoir for the nearby works, the pond now sits in a wide expanse of moorland with clear views across to the mountains of the eastern Brecon Beacons. From here the trail climbs onto the plateau of the Blorenge, where long, steady paths offer far-reaching views towards Abergavenny and the Usk Valley. The high ground here gives a strong sense of the size of the surrounding uplands before the path turns towards the next landmark.
The descent to the Punchbowl leads into a contrasting, more sheltered landscape. This small glacial hollow is filled with woodland and a quiet lake, creating a peaceful atmosphere after the exposed moorland above. The route skirts the edge of the woodland before beginning the return towards Blaenavon, following tracks that once served the area’s industrial transport network.
The final stretch crosses a mixture of open hillside and reclaimed industrial land, giving further views of historic sites around the heritage landscape. The loop eventually completes back in Blaenavon, where the combination of upland scenery, industrial archaeology and contrasting natural features makes this one of the area’s most rewarding long circuits.