Hiker 'lucky to be alive' after 30ft fall where others have died

A woman who survived a 30ft (9m) fall at a waterfall beauty spot where several people have died says action should be taken to improve safety.

Suzie Dyer, 50, was left with severe injuries to her hip, back and pelvis after falling during a hike in Waterfall Country in Bannau Brycheiniog, also known as the Brecon Beacons, on New Year's Day.

Both Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Association (BNPA) said there had been significant improvements made to the area, including to signage, footpaths and steps.

Ownership and land management of the area is shared between the BNPA, NRW and three local authorities.

Dyer, who is currently unable to move from her sofa and faces a long recovery, says her memory of the fall - "the moment that changed everything" - is very clear.

"I know when I was lying there, all I could think of is, 'I'm not ready to leave my daughter'," Dyer said, recalling how she woke up after falling 30ft down the sheer drop.

"I am lucky to be alive. I don't think anyone thought I would survive it and get to hospital and survive, but I did for some reason."

Warning: This article contains a graphic image of an arm injury

Dyer, a gardener from Hereford, had travelled with a friend for a hike on the Four Waterfalls Walk, a circular route which leads past the Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd y Pannwr, and Sgwd yr Eira waterfalls.

She had visited twice before, and after seeing the first waterfall on the trail, went on to a path which she quickly realised was narrow and badly eroded.

"The next minute, I was over the edge," she said.

"My friend was shouting and screaming - an absolutely horrific experience, not just for me."

NRW said it believed the accident happened on a path that was not part of the official trail and said clear warnings signs were in place.

The BNPA said it was possible for visitors to leave the promoted route at the Clun-Gwyn waterfall, but said "clear signage" was in place which stated that the forward path was closed due to dangerous conditions.

But Dyer said she did not see any warnings.

"No-one warned me, there were no barriers, there was no tape to say it was shut," she said. "I would never break the rules."

Three men, fellow walkers, came to help Dyer - strangers who she thanked for saving her life - alongside members of the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team and the emergency services.

Her call for help on 1 January was not even the first of the year for the rescue team, but it was complex, taking four hours to make her stable enough to be moved to the waiting air ambulance.

Huw Jones, who has been part of the Central Beacons team for four decades, said the area was like an "upside down mountain" for rescuers and a "remote, wilderness area".

"There's no doubt over the year the landowners have put in a massive amount of work to improve the steps, the handrails. But we are working with nature - it's an ongoing task," he said.

"And as human beings we are inquisitive.

"We like to go off and do our exploring and that's when you run the risk of being on the not-so-well maintained paths and increasing the risk of something unfortunate happening."

'You hear sirens every Saturday'

Safety in Waterfall Country is under the spotlight more than ever.

The assistant coroner, who held three inquests into their deaths as one due to the similarities, said she would ask for clearer signage and improvements to mobile phone signal in the area.

But that followed a previous report which had already raised concerns about signage in the area, after the 2022 death of Akeem Rhoden, 22, who drowned after jumping into the water at Sgwd Y Pannwr.

The area has seen a huge rise in tourists post-Covid, with 300,000 people now visiting every year.

Helping people who are lost is a regular occurrence for local residents who know the trail well, according to Clyde Baker who has lived in Pontneddfechan all his life.

"You'll hear sirens every Saturday, every Sunday, because mountain rescue were being called out. It's pretty much like New York on the weekend," he said.

"I've said for many a year now that it needs a full-time warden there and appropriate signage - that's a massive thing that's missing."

Andrew Lamb, a walking guide, said he wrote to NRW and the BNPA asking for a section of path around Sgwd Clun-Gwyn to be closed back in August 2024, a route that has been set up as a diversion.

"There's no reason for it and it leads people unsuspectingly on to a dangerous footpath, which is the path that Suzie fell from," he said.

Lamb believes clear, regular signage and a return to a circular route would be safest, otherwise he fears more deaths and accidents.

He added: "People need to be handheld around the route, otherwise it's a very, very complicated area to navigate, even if you know what you're doing."

'Naturally challenging landscape'

NRW said it offered its "sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in Waterfall Country".

"We have made, and continue to make, improvements across Waterfall Country. This includes maintaining and improving signage and footpaths, monitoring high‑risk areas, and encouraging people to stay on the waymarked trails. This work is informed by an independent safety review we commissioned in 2023," a spokesperson said.

"We are committed to reducing risks wherever possible, recognising that Waterfall Country is a beautiful but wild and rugged place to visit and there are inherent risks.

"We strongly urge people, even experienced swimmers, not to enter the water, to come prepared for the terrain, and to keep to waymarked trails during their visit."

Regarding Suzie Dyer's fall, the NRW added: "We would like to reassure people that clear warnings are in place at the point where visitors leave the Four Falls Trail at Clun‑Gwyn Uchaf Waterfall.

"This includes prominent signage explaining that there is a closed path ahead that is dangerous, with unstable and narrow sections, falling rocks and unprotected steep drops. The sign also shares that fatal and serious accidents have occurred along this path recently."

The BNPA sent its "sincere sympathies to everyone affected by past incidents in Waterfall Country".

"We are aware of the concerns raised in relation to safety on the Four Waterfalls Walk, including the incident on New Year's Day and earlier concerns highlighted by members of the public," it added.

"Waterfall Country is a naturally challenging landscape with steep, uneven terrain and paths that can be affected by weather, erosion, and high visitor pressure."

The BNPA said it worked jointly with NRW and local authorities "to maintain paths, improve signage, and provide accurate, safety-focused visitor information. We also recognise the vital work of the dedicated mountain rescue volunteers, who respond to incidents, assist injured individuals and often operate in extremely challenging and hazardous conditions".

It added: "We are actively reviewing safety information and signage following the recent inquests and will consider any recommendations from the coroner once received."