The Afon Brân is a tributary of the River Towy (or Welsh

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

 Afon Tywi) in mid Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

. Its headwaters rise in Irfon Forest in the northeastern corner of Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...

 as the Cynnant Fawr and Afon Lwynor and the river assumes the name of Afon Brân at their confluence to the north of the village of Cynghordy

Cynghordy

Cynghordy is a rural community near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales.It is served by Cynghordy railway station....

. Its major tributary is the Afon Gwydderig

Afon Gwydderig

The River Gwydderig or Afon Gwydderig in Welsh is a tributary of the River Bran . It rises as the Nant Gwydderig on the southern slopes of Mynydd Bwlch-y-groes, about 3 miles North of the small village of Llywel, Powys...

 which joins it at Llandovery

Llandovery

Llandovery is a market town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the River Tywi and the A40 road.The town is served by Llandovery railway station, where there is a park and ride to Llanelli and Shrewsbury via the Heart of Wales Line...

. Other tributaries include the Nant Bargod, Cynnant Fach, Afon Gwyddon, Nant Hirgwm, Nant Cwm-neuadd, Bawddwr and Afon Crychan with its own minor tributary the Afon Dulais.

The word 'brân' in Welsh means 'crow', an association which may be allude to the colours of its waters.

Northeastwards from Llandovery the valley of the Afon Brân is followed to just beyond Cynghordy by the Heart of Wales Railway

Heart of Wales Line

The Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...

 and the A483 road

A483 road

The A483 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England, although the official title is the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road.-Swansea:...

 to Llanwrtyd Wells

Llanwrtyd Wells

Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town in the parish of Llanwrtyd in Powys, mid Wales, lying on the River Irfon.With a population of 601 people , it claims to be the smallest town in Britain, although Fordwich in Kent has a smaller population...

. The modern road follows in part the line of the old Roman Road

Roman road

The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...

 from the Roman fort at Llanfair Hill (Alabum

Alabum

Alabum was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia Superior, of which Roman Wales was a part.- Location :Its remains are located at Llanfair-ar-y-bryn in the north of Llandovery in the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire.- History :...

) which overlooks the river above Llandovery. The railway crosses the Afon Brân by means of the Cynghordy Viaduct, a Victorian

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

structure which is considered one of the finest of its kind in Wales.