Devil’s Bridge
Devil’s Bridge is a village 12 miles east of Aberystwyth, at the point where the River Mynach drops nearly 300 feet through a deep wooded gorge before joining the River Rheidol. The main draw is a remarkable piece of engineering: three stone bridges built on top of each other across the gorge, spanning centuries. It is reachable by the Vale of Rheidol steam railway from Aberystwyth — the journey through the valley is part of the point.
The Three Bridges
Three bridges span the gorge at the same point, each built over its predecessor rather than replacing it. Looking down into the gorge, the oldest is at the bottom.
The lowest bridge dates from the 12th century, built by the monks of Strata Florida Abbey — the great Cistercian monastery 9 miles to the south-east — on the route between the abbey and its outlying properties. It is one of the oldest bridges in Wales. The monks’ river route explains why the Mynach is named as it is: mynach is Welsh for monk.
The middle bridge was built in 1753, when the original had become too narrow for wheeled traffic. Rather than demolish the medieval structure, the new bridge was built directly over it. The top bridge was added in 1901 — an iron structure built by Ceredigion County Council when the 1753 bridge in turn became inadequate for the increasing traffic of the Victorian tourist trade.
The result is a vertical sandwich of infrastructure across the same gap, each generation building on the last, and all three still standing.
The Legend
The name comes from a story that the first bridge was built by the Devil. According to the legend, an old woman’s cow had crossed to the other side of the gorge and she could not retrieve it. The Devil appeared and offered to build a bridge — in exchange for the soul of the first living creature to cross it. She agreed, then outwitted him: she threw a crust of bread across the completed bridge, her dog ran after it and became the first to cross. The Devil got a dog’s soul rather than a human one and disappeared in fury.
Versions of this legend appear at several bridges across Wales and beyond — the Devil as bridge-builder appears frequently in medieval European folklore — but the Aberystwyth version is one of the best known.
The Falls and Walks
The Devil’s Bridge Falls are owned and managed as a visitor attraction, with a charge for entry to the gorge walks. Two main paths descend into the gorge: the shorter route includes Jacob’s Ladder, a steep series of steps cut into the gorge wall, and gives close views of the falls as the Mynach plunges 300 feet through the chasm. The longer route follows the river further through the wooded gorge. Both are uneven underfoot and involve significant climbing — this is a gorge walk, not a flat path.
The falls are at their most dramatic after heavy rain, when the Mynach carries full volume. In dry summer conditions the flow is reduced, though the gorge and the bridge structure are compelling regardless of water level.
Above the gorge, the bridges and the village are freely accessible. The view down into the gorge from the top bridge is striking even without paying for the falls walk.
Getting There
The most atmospheric approach is the Vale of Rheidol steam railway from Aberystwyth — an hour’s journey through the Rheidol valley on a narrow-gauge steam train, with the gorge and falls as the destination. The return trip including time at Devil’s Bridge fills a full day comfortably. Book the railway in advance in summer; check timetables at vor.wales.
By car, Devil’s Bridge is on the A4120 about 12 miles east of Aberystwyth — around 25 minutes. There is a car park in the village. The drive through the Rheidol valley is good, though it does not follow the gorge as closely as the railway.
Check current falls admission prices and opening hours at devilsbridgewaterfalls.co.uk before travelling.
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