Torrent Walk runs about 1.5 miles (0.75 miles each way) along the Afon (River) Clywedog. The lowest point is 150 feet and the highest is 500 feet.

It was created by the Richards family of the Caerynwch estate in the late 1800s. It has been a popular walk with locals and visitors since Victorian times.

The walk was designed and engineered by Thomas Payne who was also responsible for the embankment at Porthmadog, known as “The Cob” (he died in Dolgellau in 1934 aged 73). The walk originally ran both sides of the river, but in later years the western side had been closed. This was re-opened again in recent years, so you can now walk the full route, rather than using the quiet road.

While it is nicer to start from the bottom (northern) end, there is a lay-by at the top near the village of Brithdir, so it is more convenient to start from there. Go through the gate by the lay-by and follow the path down to the road, turn left along the road and past the cottages and over the bridge and go through the ‘official’ entrance to the original old walk which winds its way up and gives much better views (all the Victorian and Edwardian postcards were taken from this side).

The walk should take around an hour and twenty minutes.