Fishpools Trail (closed)

On leaving the car park the trail soon passes the old Birmingham Water Board sighting tower. This tower was used to survey the line of the pipe from the Elan Valley to the Midlands, which feeds water by gravity to Frankley reservoir to the west of Birmingham and is approximately 73 miles long.

A little further on is the first of two viewpoints on the trail with a bench to take in the beautiful views to the west, out across the valley towards Llanfihangel Rhydithon and the hills surrounding Abbey Cwm Hir and Llandrindod Wells in the distance.

Halfway round the trail is the Turberry loop, an area of high conservation value which provides valuable habitat within the forest as it features the kind of vegetation found before intensive sheep grazing and tree planting took place. There is a shorter route back to the car park from this point, just follow the signs.

Further along the trail the second viewpoint has a bench to take in the views to the east, down onto the village of Bleddfa and towards the Lugg valley and the old battle site at Pilleth in the distance. From here the trail travels downhill and through an area of large conifers providing a contrast in surroundings to the relatively young trees. These mature trees provide an ideal nesting habitat for larger birds of prey such as Buzzard and Goshawk. The trail continues out and away from these large conifers to complete the circular route back to the car park. This walk is not a too strenuous but sensible footwear is recommended.