Day 36: Tuesday, 15th October 2013: Devil’s Bridge & Train from Devil’s Bridge to Aberystwyth

Today was a day spent “closer to home” but it was a full day out. We left home at about 9.00am and drove the short distance – about ¾ hour – to Devil’s Bridge. 

The Three Bridges of Devil's Bridge

a look at Jacob's Ladder

one of the falls

another view of the bridges

the falls

looking up Jacob's Ladder

The steam train from Devil's Bridge to Aberystwyth

another view of the falls

looking down Jacob's Ladder

 Devil's Bridge (Welsh: Pontarfynach, lit. "The bridge on the Mynach") is a village in Ceredigion, Wales. The bridge spans the Mynach, a tributary of the Rheidol. The bridge is unusual in that three separate bridges are coexistent, each one built upon the previous bridge. The most recently built is an iron bridge (1901), which was built over a stone bridge (1753), which was built when the original bridge was thought to be unstable. The builders of the 1753 bridge used the original bridge (built 1075–1200) to support scaffolding during construction. The bridge is at a point where the River Mynach drops 90 metres (300 ft) in 5 steps down a steep and narrow ravine before it meets the River Rheidol. The set of stone steps leading down to the lowest bridge at the waterfall are known as Jacob's Ladder. According to the legend the original bridge was built by the Devil, as it was too difficult for mortals to build. The agreement stipulated that the Devil would build the bridge in return for the soul of the first life to cross the bridge. The Devil built the bridge but was tricked by an old woman who threw bread onto the bridge. Her dog crossed the bridge for the bread, thus becoming the first life to cross the new bridge.

We parked our car in a nearby car park and set off to the bridge and waterfalls. On our way along the road, (we had to walk at the edge of the road as there is no footpath), I slipped and went down on my right knee! I took a layer of skin off my knee and had trouble getting up. I needed Keith’s help to stand, then found it difficult to walk, so went back to the café near the car park while Keith & Ali went on to the falls and bridges. (I insisted they go on, even though they offered to go back with me). I spent the next hour or so in the café with a coffee after I got a big plaster (band aid) from them to put on my knee.

Keith and Alison did the walk to the Mynach Falls and then on to the Gyfarllwyd Falls. Mynach Falls (Welsh: Rhaeadr Mynach) is a waterfall near Aberystwyth in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. It occurs where the River Mynach drops 90 metres (300 ft) in 5 steps down a steep and narrow ravine before it meets the River Rheidol. The Gyfarllwyd Fall are on the River Rheidol – a short distance from the Mynach Falls. Both the Mynach Falls and Gyfarllwyd Falls are down stream from the Devil’s Bridge, down a steep track, including Jacob’s Ladder – steep stone steps. It was a very picturesque area, but hard walking.

After doing the walk, Keith & Alison met me back at the café, just after the steam train that runs between Devil’s Bridge and Aberystwyth, arrived. We got some lunch at the café, then boarded the train for the hour ride to Aberystwyth, then after only half an hour in Aberystwyth at the station, we went back to Devil’s Bridge on the train. The tran trip was very enjoyable with some beautiful scenery. From Devil’s Bridge, we drove back home, stopping at LLanidloes to go to the Pharmacy to get some antiseptic and big band aids for my knee. While there we had a coffee at a local café, then headed home for baths and showers to wash of the soot from the train! We also needed to wash the clothes we had on as they were covered in soot too. Dinner tonight was at the local hotel – The Lion Hotel – in the village of LLandinum. While we waited for our table we sat in the bar chatting to one of the locals and the bar man.  Our meal was a very enjoyable! Alison & I had chicken and Keith had lamb. We all then had dessert – Keith had Sticky Date pudding, Alison had a vanilla and white peach pannacotta with mango and passionfruit and I had a blood orange Crème Brulee with berry coulis. We think we might go back another night, it was so good! The meals were of a standard I would expect to find in a good quality restaurant, not a small country pub.

After dinner we were all very tired, and we are planning a big day tomorrow, so we had an earlyish night (if you can call 9.30pm early!)