This walk explores the surroundings of Trawsgoed Farm, mansion and surrounding hillsides and fields. We explore the entanglement of plant, animal and human lives.

Link to openly available OS map for the area, edited by us to indicate the main route: Trawscoed Farm – Woods and Hill Circular

Length: 5.55km, Duration 1:25, Total accent 184m.

Link to openly available OS map for the area, edited by us to indicate the route’: Trawscoed Farm to Coed Alltfedw Viewpoint via Trawsgoed Mansion

Length: 6.11km, Duration 1:48, Total accent 128m.

Description of Main Walk and guide to reflections 

1. Leaving your bike/car at the University parking lot at Trawscoed Farm 

Reflection point 1. History of Trawscoed Farm 

2. Proceed through the farm, passing various farm buildings and main cowshed on your right. Proceed straight down track heading out of farm and continue up to a crossroads. Here turn left; as you turn you will see a ‘weather station’ on your left. Follow this track, ignoring a track turning to your left.  

Reflection point 2. Oaks and multispecies communities.

  

3. When you get to end of field, you will see a sharp turning left upwards and a gate (not in good condition).  

Cross the gate and follow the walking path signs up. When you reach the Rhodedendron bushes on your right, see 

Reflection point 3 Invasive/native species 

4. Continue up the path; when you get to a track, turn left onto the track and continue down. When you reach a T-junction of tracks take the track right upwards.  

Continue uphill on this track through the forest, you pass a quarry to your right, continue on veering right following signs. When you are at the top you will come to a gate: go through it and veer towards the left following the bottom of a mound (a ‘settlement’).  

Reflection point 4. Settlements

 

At the end of the mound you will find a gate. Go through it and head down the path, to the left. 

Follow the track all the way down to a gate and across a field. In the field, listen to  

Reflection 5. The Bull 

5. Pass through the bridge across the stream on a little bridge  

and follow the track which veers to you right all the way to the road.  Turn left and carefully follow the road down to the Trawsgoed Farm turning.  

Reflection point 6: the discussion with multispecies team 

Optional Route: Trawscoed Farm to Coed Alltfedw Viewpoint via Trawsgoed Mansion

1. Leaving your car at the University parking lot (allowed?) at Trawscoed Farm, proceed through the farm (Reflection point 1. History of Trawscoed Farm), passing various farm buildings and main cowshed on your right. Proceed straight down track heading out of farm and continue up to a crossroads. 

2. Turn right at the crossroads to follow a very straight downward sloping track to Trawscoed Mansion.  

Pass past the Mansion (on your left) and to the Main Road. 

3. Carefully cross the road and walk for 20 meters on the verge to get to bridge. Cross the bridge and continue straight down. There will be Ceredigion County Council walks to your left but continue straight on instead. Continue Westward following footpath signs up a forestry track. Follow it, until you see the signage indicate a turning to your left; pass a waterfall and scramble up to the lake.  

Reflection point 2. Waterfall 

4. Follow the path as it snakes upwards and onto a wide forestry track 

Reflection point 3: Energy crisis 

5. Follow the forestry track as it moves up and then eventually turns right.  When you are nearly at the top you will see a sign for a viewpoint to your left; take it and follow it as it turns right and onto a viewpoint with a view of Trawscoed Farm and surrounding landscape. 

6. As you leave the viewpoint, don’t be tempted to follow the path straight down: we tried, it doesn’t lead anywhere! Instead, retrace your steps to where the sign for viewpoint was and from there take the track down (straight on) instead. Follow the track all the way down where it will connects with the track which you joined at the start for this circular. 

7. Retrace your steps to Mansion and to Trawscoed Farm.  

Online sources: 

Trawscoed Farm 

University Farms  : Department of Life Sciences , Aberystwyth University 

About Trawscoed 

Trawsgoed – Wikipedia