Fan Nedd
Encyclopedia
Fan Nedd is a mountain
in the Fforest Fawr
area of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales
. In common with the rest of the Fforest Fawr uplands it is within the county of Powys
.
The hill is in the form of a broad flat-topped ridge whose summit lies at 663m / 2176 ft and is crowned by a trig point
. Its southern ridge is the least steep whereas its northern aspect is steep and craggy, having hosted a small glacier in the last ice age.
A prominent modern cairn marks the northern end of the plateau whilst a couple of ancient cairns are to be found on its eastern slopes. The hill is drained to the west by a number of streams running into the Nedd Fechan
river whilst to the east, rainwater spills into the upper reaches of the Afon Llia
. Both ultimately drain via the River Neath
to the sea at Swansea Bay
. Its northern face overlooks the deep glacial hollow of Blaen Senni drained by the Afon Senni
, a tributary of the River Usk
. The hill presumably takes its name from that of the river.
dating from the Devonian period. Sandstones of the overlying Plateau Beds Formation extend some way up the southern slopes of the hill though bedrock is for the most part concealed beneath a blanket of glacial till and hill peat
. Only on its northern face is rock exposed to any significant degree. The hill is within the Fforest Fawr Geopark
designated in 2005 in recognition of the area's geological heritage.
and Heol Senni to the east.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in the Fforest Fawr
Fforest Fawr
Fforest Fawr is the name given to an extensive upland area in the county of Powys, Wales. Formerly known as the 'Great Forest of Brecknock' in English, it was a royal hunting area for several centuries but is now used primarily for sheep grazing, forestry, water catchment and recreation...
area of the Brecon Beacons National Park in 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...
. In common with the rest of the Fforest Fawr uplands it is within the county of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
.
The hill is in the form of a broad flat-topped ridge whose summit lies at 663m / 2176 ft and is crowned by a trig point
Trig point
A triangulation station, also known as a triangulation pillar, trigonometrical station, trigonometrical point, trig station, trig beacon or trig point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity...
. Its southern ridge is the least steep whereas its northern aspect is steep and craggy, having hosted a small glacier in the last ice age.
A prominent modern cairn marks the northern end of the plateau whilst a couple of ancient cairns are to be found on its eastern slopes. The hill is drained to the west by a number of streams running into the Nedd Fechan
Nedd Fechan
The Nedd Fechan or 'Little Neath' is a river in the county of Powys, south Wales, Great Britain. It rises on the eastern slopes of Fan Gyhirych in the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park and flows south for 12km / 7 mi to join with the Afon Mellte at Pontneddfechan, their...
river whilst to the east, rainwater spills into the upper reaches of the Afon Llia
Afon Llia
The Afon Llia is a short river in Powys, Wales and which is wholly contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park.Several streams draining the eastern slopes of Fan Nedd and the western slopes of Fan Dringarth in the Fforest Fawr section of the national park meet to form the river which then...
. Both ultimately drain via the River Neath
River Neath
River Neath is a river in south Wales running south west from its source in the Brecon Beacons National Park to its mouth at Baglan Bay below Briton Ferry on the east side of Swansea Bay.Several minor rivers rise on the southern slopes of Fforest Fawr...
to the sea at Swansea Bay
Swansea Bay
Swansea Bay is a bay on the Bristol Channel on the South Wales coast. Places on the bay include Mumbles, Swansea and Port Talbot. The River Neath, River Tawe, River Afan and Blackpill stream flow into the bay....
. Its northern face overlooks the deep glacial hollow of Blaen Senni drained by the Afon Senni
Afon Senni
The Afon Senni is a river in Powys, Wales which rises in the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park and flows northwards for to a confluence with the River Usk at Sennybridge....
, a tributary of the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
. The hill presumably takes its name from that of the river.
Geology
The hill is formed largely from sandstones of the Brownstones Formation of the Old Red SandstoneOld Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
dating from the Devonian period. Sandstones of the overlying Plateau Beds Formation extend some way up the southern slopes of the hill though bedrock is for the most part concealed beneath a blanket of glacial till and hill peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
. Only on its northern face is rock exposed to any significant degree. The hill is within the Fforest Fawr Geopark
Fforest Fawr Geopark
Fforest Fawr Geopark was the first Geopark to be designated in Wales having gained membership of both the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO-assisted Global Network of National Geoparks in October 2005. The Geopark aims to promote and support sustainable tourism and other opportunities to...
designated in 2005 in recognition of the area's geological heritage.
Access
The entire hill is designated as open country so walkers may wander at will though most prefer to follow a path which skirts the rim of the steep northern face between Bwlch y Duwynt to the west and the minor road between the villages of YstradfellteYstradfellte
Ystradfellte is a small village in Powys, Wales, in the Fforest Fawr area of the Brecon Beacons National Park.Because of the geography and topography of the area the village of Ystradfellte is not visible from the nearest main road, the A4059 Hirwaun to A470 stretch.Ystradfellte comes under...
and Heol Senni to the east.