Blaen Bran Community Woodland is one of Cwmbran’s hidden gems. Take a look at the video to see what you have been missing. It’s in a lovely location in Upper Cwmbran, high above the town, where the views change through the seasons.
If you build up a thirst or hunger while out walking it’s close to the Queen Inn and Bush Inn.
What is Blaen Bran Community Woodland?
This is from the trust’s website.
The woodland is a privately owned area of 100 acres of woodland above Upper Cwmbran which is run and maintained by the Blaen Bran Community Woodland trust. The woodland has a long term lease which has over 900 years to go! As long as the trust maintain the area in accordance with the lease agreement, it will remain a community woodland.
Its location backing onto Mynydd Maen common land allows it to be part of walking trails linking to Twmbarlum Mountain, Cwmcarn Forest Drive and across to Pontymoile.
Where is Blaen Bran Community Woodland?
The woods are in Upper Cwmbran. Use this Google Map is you are driving and it will take you into the car park.
Volunteer for Blaen Bran Community Woodland Trust
Read this page on the trust’s website to find out how to volunteer. The trust called taking part like being a member of a ‘mountain gym’. This from the volunteering section on their website.
It’s amazing what muscles you find digging gutters, planting trees, bracken bashing, laying roads, building fences, collecting and burning brash and all the other activities that need doing.
A quote from a volunteer who joined in 2015 – “There was a tree planting event in 2015 which me, my mrs, 2 children and 3 grandchildren all went along to as volunteers and all of us helped plant some of the 500 trees over the two days. All ages were involved and learned lots about trees and why they’re important to the wildlife. Now we have an area of the woodland our family can say we helped to build and can watch it grow.”