Paranormal Places
The Devil’s Bridge: Legend, Engineering, and Enduring Mystery in Wales
Nestled deep in the rugged hills of Ceredigion, mid-Wales, where the Afon Mynach plunges 300 feet into a dark, narrow gorge, stands one of the most atmospheric and storied landmarks in Britain:
Devil’s Bridge (Pontarfynach in Welsh). Three bridges, built one on top of the other across centuries, span the chasm in a remarkable feat of historical layering. Yet what truly sets this place apart is not merely the engineering, but the ancient legend that claims the lowest and oldest bridge was constructed by the Devil himself.
The tale, still told to visitors today, dates back to at least the medieval period and exists in several variants. In the most common version, an old woman from the nearby hamlet lost her cow when it strayed across the steep gorge. Distraught and unable to retrieve it, she stood lamenting on the bank when a monk-like figure appeared—none other than the Devil in disguise. He offered to build a bridge overnight so she could fetch her cow, but on one condition: the first living creature to cross the new bridge would belong to him. The bargain was struck.
At dawn the bridge stood complete, a marvel of stone spanning the roaring waterfall. The Devil waited eagerly for his prize. But the clever old woman outwitted him: she pulled a crust of bread from her apron and tossed it across the bridge. Her hungry dog bounded after it, becoming the first creature to cross. Enraged and humiliated at being cheated out of a human soul for a mere mongrel, the Devil vanished in a puff of smoke, never to return to Wales. The bridge, the story concludes, has stood firm ever since—proof that Welsh cunning can triumph even over Satan.
Whether the legend grew to explain the bridge’s seemingly impossible position or was simply medieval entertainment, it has proved remarkably durable. It was already well-known by the 18th century when artists and early tourists on the “Picturesque” tour flocked to the site. William Wordsworth visited in 1824 and mentioned the “hoary pile” in a sonnet; J. M. W. Turner sketched the falls and bridges in 1798.
The reality behind the legend is almost as impressive as the myth. There are, in fact, three distinct bridges:
The lowest bridge (c. 1075–1188) – probably built by the monks of Strata Florida Abbey, it is a single pointed stone arch of remarkable steepness. Medieval packhorse bridges rarely survive in such dramatic locations; this one has endured almost a thousand years of floodwater.
The middle bridge (1753) – as road traffic increased in the 18th century, a new, higher arch was constructed directly on top of the medieval one to create a flatter crossing for carriages. The original arch can still be seen underneath like a dark mouth.
The topmost bridge (1901) – a modern iron roadway supported by stone piers, built when Victorian tourism boomed and the narrow middle bridge could no longer cope with charabancs and crowds.
The result is a unique vertical stack: if you descend the steep “Jacob’s Ladder” steps into the gorge (the famous Punchbowl walk), you pass under all three bridges in succession—an experience that feels almost geological in its layering of time.
Below the bridges, the Mynach Falls themselves are spectacular. The river drops in a series of punchbowl pools and cataracts, including the famous “Devil’s Punchbowl” and the thunderous final plunge through a natural rock tunnel. In wet weather the roar is deafening; in drought the black rock glistens like obsidian. George Borrow, in Wild Wales (1854), described it as “the most remarkable cataract in Britain after Niagara.”
Devil’s Bridge (Pontarfynach) has a persistent reputation for paranormal activity, and it is widely regarded as one of the most actively “haunted” spots in Wales. Locals, staff, and visitors have reported strange phenomena for at least 150 years, and the stories continue right up to the present day.
Here are the most commonly reported paranormal experiences at the site:
The Black Monk / Hooded Figure
The most frequently seen apparition is a tall figure in a dark or black monk’s robe, often described as having no visible face, just deep shadow under the hood. It is seen on the lowest (medieval) bridge, on the stone steps, or standing motionless at the edge of the gorge. Multiple independent witnesses, including railway staff and dog-walkers at dawn, have reported the same figure since the 1890s. In 2023 a tourist’s photograph that went viral on Welsh social media appeared to show the monk standing under the arches.
Disembodied Footsteps and Voices
On quiet days, people walking the Jacob’s Ladder steps or the lower path regularly report hearing heavy boots walking either just above or just below them, yet no one is there when they look. Welsh phrases and muttering (sometimes sounding like medieval Welsh or Latin chanting) are heard near the lowest bridge.
The Screaming Woman / Old Woman’s Cry
A blood-curdling female scream or wail is occasionally heard echoing up the gorge, usually at twilight. Some link it to the old woman from the legend; others think it is something older and unrelated.
Dogs Refusing to Cross or Acting Terrified
One of the most consistent reports: dogs freeze, growl, or flatly refuse to cross the lowest bridge or go down certain parts of the path. Some bolt back up the steps with tails between legs. This has been noted so often that local guides now warn owners in advance.
Cold Spots and Sudden Battery Drain
Even on warm summer days, people describe sudden icy patches on the lower path. Phones and cameras frequently die or malfunction only when pointed toward the medieval arch, then work again once the person retreats.
The “Devil’s Handprint”
On the underside of the 1753 middle bridge there is a very clear handprint burnt or etched into the stone that has defied every attempt to clean it off since it was first noticed in the 19th century. Some years it looks darker than others.
Recent documented cases (2018–2025)
• 2019: BBC Wales ran a short segment after several Vale of Rheidol Railway drivers refused to be alone in the station at night because of a black figure seen on the platform.
• 2021: A Most Haunted–style YouTube investigation captured what sounds like a low growl and a clear child’s voice saying “croeso” (Welsh for “welcome”) on an EVP.
• 2024: Staff at the Hafod Hotel reported cutlery flying off shelves in the closed bar at 3 a.m.; CCTV showed nothing physical moving them.
Most Welsh people treat the stories with a mixture of amusement and genuine respect — you’ll rarely hear anyone say it’s “all nonsense.” Even sceptical locals tend to say “something goes on down there.”
So while the original legend is about the Devil being outwitted and leaving in a huff, the persistent activity suggests that whatever is experienced at Devil’s Bridge never entirely left.
Today Devil’s Bridge remains a popular destination. The narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway terminates here, steaming in from Aberystwyth with carriages full of visitors who come for the legend, the walks, the Hafod Hotel’s Welsh rarebit, and the sheer vertigo of standing on a bridge supposedly raised by infernal hands. The nearby Mynach Primary School children still learn the story in Welsh; local storytellers perform it during summer evenings.
In the end, Devil’s Bridge is more than an architectural curiosity or a picturesque ruin. It is a place where geology, medieval engineering, and folklore converge—where the landscape itself seems to conspire with human imagination. The Devil may have been cheated of a soul, but he left behind one of the most hauntingly beautiful corners of Wales, and a story that refuses to die. As the old Welsh saying goes: “Yr then diafol a adeiladodd y bont, ond y Cymry a’i cadwodd hi” — The old devil built the bridge, but the Welsh kept it standing.
Devil’s Bridge
Pontarfynach
SY23 3JW
