This road forms part of the celebrated `Monks Trod' an ancient road across the Cambrian Mountains, from the Teifi Basin to the upper Wye Valley. It seems to have linked the great medieval religious centres of Abbey Cwmhir (NPRN 96529) in Radnorshire to the east to Strata Florida Abbey (NPRN 95764) in the west. Its course runs generally west from Abbey Cwmhir, crossing Moel Hywel (from Cwm-hir Bank NPRN 410213) and descending to St Harmon (SN 9870), before crossing the River Wye at Pont Marteg (NPRN 303273) and rising up towards Pont ar Elan (SN 9071), north of the Elan Valley Reservoirs. At this point it routes south-west, passing north of the western point of the Claerwen Reservoir (at SN 8268), before passing the Teifi Pools and descending through Troed y Rhiw (NPRN 405562) to Strata Florida. New (2007-8) research and fieldwork by Professor Andrew Fleming has clarified much of its route. In many places the Monks? Trod survives as a well-built, terraced road, the product of a `cut and fill' method of construction. It was published by Professor Andrew Fleming in 2009 (See British Archaeology 109, Nov-Dec 2009).

T. Driver, RCAHMW, 11th September 2008, with information from Andrew Fleming and Louise Barker.