South Wales · Easy · Circular

Pontypool Park, the Shell Grotto and the Folly Tower

From Pontypool Park up through the woods to the Shell Grotto and on to the Folly Tower on the hill above the town, and down by Folly Road and the park's drives.

Distance
6.2 km (3.9 mi)
Ascent
195 m
Time
About 2 h
High point
293 m
Grade
Easy
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Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), drawn by Global Adventurer.

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Pontypool Park, the Shell Grotto and the Folly Tower
Stephen McKay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The walk

The walk starts from the Old Mill car park beside Pontypool Park. Park drives and a path lead through the park and up the hillside to the Shell Grotto, a small stone building from about 1830 with a shell-patterned ceiling and a floor of deer bones and teeth. A lane and a path climb on to the Folly Tower, a castellated tower on the summit at 292 m, rebuilt in the 1990s after it was demolished in 1940, with views over the town. The way down is by Folly Lane and Folly Road to the edge of Pontypool, then a path and the park's drives back to the car park.

It is 6.2 km with 195 m of ascent; allow about 2 hours. The grade is Easy, with a steady climb to the tower.

About 46% of the line is on lanes and park drives, much of it in the park. Torfaen says the Shell Grotto can be reached on foot only, up steep climbs over uneven ground. Its pages give no opening times for inside the Grotto or the Tower, so do not count on going in.

Torfaen's Pontypool car parks are free to use, according to the council, though some have a four-hour waiting limit.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • The Folly Tower, a castellated tower on the hill above Pontypool, was built in 1834 and demolished in 1940, then rebuilt in the 1990s
  • The Shell Grotto was built about 1830 on the hill above Pontypool Park, with a shell-patterned ceiling and a floor of deer bones and teeth
  • The Hanbury family bought land here in 1689, and Pontypool Park passed to public ownership in 1920
  • The National Eisteddfod of Wales was held in Pontypool Park in 1924

Getting there

Start: Old Mill car park, Pontypool · Free parking. 51.69903, -3.03659

Directions to the start

Google Maps Apple Maps

By train: Pontypool and New Inn station is 1.6 km from the start.

Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around Old Mill car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line is drawn along OpenStreetMap paths and the figures are worked out from it; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.