Dolaucothi Gold Mines Walk

This circular walk visits the Dolaucothi Estate in Caio, Carmarthenshire.
This walk starts at the woodland car park near the National Trust visitor centre, close to the site of the Roman gold mines in the valley of the River Cothi. The path leads you out of the car park and past the mine yard where evidence of ancient and twentieth-century mining can be seen.... Dolaucothi is the only known Roman gold mine in Britain, with surface and underground workings visible in the landscape around the main site.
From the mine area you follow the waymarked estate paths that take you through the estate’s parkland and woodland. These trails wind above the river and through woods that were once part of the wider Dolaucothi Estate, with sections of the route historically used by horses hauling timber or ore. Walking here gives a sense of the long history of the place, with Roman mine entrances and later mining remains along the way.
Continuing on, the route leads across fields and tracks that take you up towards the village of Caio and the surrounding farmland. The River Cothi runs through the valley and you cross or follow sections of riverside path as you make your outward loop. From higher points on the estate trail views open out over the Cothi Valley and the winding river below, with glimpses back towards the woodland and mine buildings where the site’s industrial heritage is most concentrated.
The return leg brings you back down towards the mine car park along estate paths that follow field edges and quieter tracks, completing a circular walk that joins woodland, riverside and open valley landscape around the Dolaucothi Gold Mines.
If you'd like to continue your walking in the area head east to Rhandirmwyn where you can pick up the lovely Cwm Rhaeadr Waterfall Walk and explore the River Tywi Valley.

Ordnance Survey Map OpenStreetMap OS Map (Mobile GPS) OpenStreetMap (Mobile GPS)

Interactive Map

Route Video

Nearby Routes

Rhandirmwyn Cwm Rhaeadr Waterfall Walk Llandovery Lampeter Brechfa Forest Tywi Valley

Photos

Dolaucothi Gold Mine. This gold mine dates back to Roman times and is now preserved by the National Trust. The group are waiting to go on an underground tour.

Headframe at Dolaucothi mine

Structure at Dolaucothi mine

Caio main street

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