Waterfall Country (Wales)
Encyclopedia
Waterfall Country is the name given to an area around the head of the Vale of Neath in South Wales
where an unusually large number of spectacular and publicly accessible falls are to be found. The area is loosely defined but generally includes the group of falls on the Nedd Fechan
, Pyrddin
, Hepste
and Mellte rivers, all of which lie in the country between the villages of Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte
in the southern part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. All of these falls lie within or on the boundary of the modern county of Powys
, former Brecknockshire
. A few miles further west are Henrhyd Falls on the Nant Llech
, a tributary of the Tawe and to the southwest are Melin Court Falls on the Melin Court Brook, a tributary of the River Neath
. These, along with Aberdulais Falls on the Dulais
, a further tributary of the Neath are also encompassed by the term 'Waterfall/s Country' by some writers.
Collectively the falls are one of the most popular natural attractions in South Wales
, a fact which has brought about problems of erosion in the vicinity of many of the falls. Most occupy locations designated as sites of special scientific interest
or as special areas of conservation
which aim to protect the biodiversity
and geodiversity
of these sites. The designations place a duty on the landowners and managers to protect the sites and so various erosion control measures have been put in place in an attempt to counter the worst problems.
of the Vale of Neath by glacier ice during the succession of ice age
s has resulted in these tributaries cutting down into their own beds as they adjust to a base level lower than in pre-glacial times. The underlying geology is a generally southerly dipping succession of Carboniferous
age sandstone
s and mudstone
s assigned by geologists to the Marros Group
and formerly referred to as the Millstone Grit
Series. Preferential erosion
whereby the less resistant mudstones have been more readily removed by the passage of water, often following various forms of weathering
has left sandstones forming the lips of the falls. The siting of individual falls is closely lnked in many cases to the presence of northwest-southeast aligned faults which have brought different lithologies
into proximity.
' or 'fall of the woollen washer' is the lowermost of the three celebrated falls on the Mellte.
, the Countryside Council for Wales
and the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority allowed the route to be re-opened later in 2008.
Coal Measures
. The falls are difficult of access with only a rough path reaching them from the vicinity of Sgwd Gwladus downstream and requiring several tricky crossings of the river.
are here confined between the rocky walls of Craig-y-Ddinas (Dinas Rock
) on the one hand and those of Bwa Maen (Stone Bow) on the other. Thought not a single fall, the tumbling of the river over a jumble of rocks in its bed at this spot is sometimes referred to as the Sychryd Cascade or Sgydau Sychryd. This rocky slot has been eroded by the river along the line of the Neath Disturbance
, a heavily faulted zone extending northeast to southwest. Tramways approach both from above and below and there was formerly a substantial metal ramp constructed over the cascades linking the two levels though this has long since been removed after it fell into disuse and became a safety hazard.
More falls occur in the section of the river above the cascade. These falls can be viewed from the north bank which is publicly accessible. A further small fall at Pwll y Crochan near where the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road crosses the river though this spot is not accessible to the public.
The Nant Llech
rises on the southern slopes of Carreg Cadno
and flows to the village of Coelbren
at which point it drops 90 ft / 27m over the lip of a faulted block of the Farewell Rock
- a hard sandstone. This spectacular site and section of the gorge below the falls is owned and managed by the National Trust
. The waterfall is referred to in Welsh as Sgwd Henryd or as Rhaeadr Henryd.
The Dulais
rises near the coalmining town of Aberdulais
/ Seven Sisters and flows for several miles to join the waters of the Tawe at Aberdulais
. The falls are set only 150m up the river from that confluence (at OS grid ref SS 772995) and are readily accessible from the A465 road
which runs the length of the Vale of Neath. Not only is this a spectacular fall but also an important industrial heritage
site which is now in the care of the National Trust
.
Melin Court Brook rises on the high ground to the southeast of Resolven
in the Vale of Neath. It drops from the plateau surface above 450m / 1500 ft above sea level to the floor of the Vale of Neath at around 30m / 100 ft in the space of just under 5 km / 3 miles. Several falls occur over its course but it is the single big drop of 80 ft / 25m at Melincourt
(OS grid ref SN 826016) which is the most spectacular and which has drawn visitors for over two hundred years since it was painted by Turner
in 1794.
The falls (otherwise known as Melincwrt Falls), can be viewed from above where a minor public road bridges the brook immediately upstream of the drop, and from below by means of a footpath which runs up beside the brook from the B4334 road between Melincourt village and Resolven.
The falls are contained within a 13 acre / 5 hectare nature reserve managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
provide car parking beside the road at the start of the path up the falls.
County Borough Council as a tourist information centre. Re-named as the Waterfalls Centre, it is staffed throughout the year top provide information for visitors to Waterfall Country, the wider national park and the Fforest Fawr Geopark
.
The National Trust
operate a centre at Aberdulais Falls which performs a similar role.
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
where an unusually large number of spectacular and publicly accessible falls are to be found. The area is loosely defined but generally includes the group of falls on 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...
, Pyrddin
Afon Pyrddin
The Afon Pyrddin is a river forming the boundary between the county of Powys and the county borough of Neath Port Talbot in south Wales, Great Britain. It also forms a part of the boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park...
, Hepste
Afon Hepste
The Afon Hepste is a river in Powys, Wales and wholly within the Brecon Beacons National Park.Its headwaters, the Afon y Waun, Nant y Cwrier and Nant Hepste Fechan, rise on the Old Red Sandstone dip-slopes of Fforest Fawr and combine to form the Afon Hepste near the farmstead of Hepste Fechan...
and Mellte rivers, all of which lie in the country between the villages of Pontneddfechan and Ystradfellte
Ystradfellte
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...
in the southern part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. All of these falls lie within or on the boundary of the modern 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...
, former Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
. A few miles further west are Henrhyd Falls on the Nant Llech
Nant Llech
The Nant Llech is a minor river in Powys, Wales and which lies wholly within the Brecon Beacons National Park. The name means 'slab stream', presumably in reference to the sandstones across which it runs...
, a tributary of the Tawe and to the southwest are Melin Court Falls on the Melin Court Brook, a tributary of 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...
. These, along with Aberdulais Falls on the Dulais
River Dulais
River Dulais is a river of Wales which has its source at Mynydd y Drum. It joins the River Neath after flowing over Aberdulais Falls.-External links:*...
, a further tributary of the Neath are also encompassed by the term 'Waterfall/s Country' by some writers.
Collectively the falls are one of the most popular natural attractions in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, a fact which has brought about problems of erosion in the vicinity of many of the falls. Most occupy locations designated as sites of special scientific interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
or as special areas of conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
which aim to protect the biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
and geodiversity
Geodiversity
Geodiversity is the variety of earth materials, forms and processes that constitute and shape the Earth, either the whole or a specific part of it. Relevant materials include minerals, rocks, sediments, fossils, soils and water. Forms may comprise folds, faults, landforms and other expressions of...
of these sites. The designations place a duty on the landowners and managers to protect the sites and so various erosion control measures have been put in place in an attempt to counter the worst problems.
Origins
Virtually all of the falls occur on tributaries of the River Neath which occupy valleys that have been deeply incised into the landscape. It is suggested that overdeepeningOverdeepening
Overdeepening is a characteristic of basins and valleys eroded by glaciers. An overdeepened valley profile is often eroded to depths which are hundreds of metres below the deepest continuous line along a valley or watercourse...
of the Vale of Neath by glacier ice during the succession of ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
s has resulted in these tributaries cutting down into their own beds as they adjust to a base level lower than in pre-glacial times. The underlying geology is a generally southerly dipping succession of Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
age sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
s and mudstone
Mudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
s assigned by geologists to the Marros Group
Marros Group
The Marros Group is the name given to a suite of rocks of Namurian age laid down during the Carboniferous period in South Wales. These rocks were formerly known as the Millstone Grit Series but are now distinguished from the similar but geographically separate rock sequences of the Pennines and...
and formerly referred to as the Millstone Grit
Millstone Grit
Millstone Grit is the name given to any of a number of coarse-grained sandstones of Carboniferous age which occur in the Northern England. The name derives from its use in earlier times as a source of millstones for use principally in watermills...
Series. Preferential erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
whereby the less resistant mudstones have been more readily removed by the passage of water, often following various forms of weathering
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
has left sandstones forming the lips of the falls. The siting of individual falls is closely lnked in many cases to the presence of northwest-southeast aligned faults which have brought different lithologies
Lithology
The lithology of a rock unit is a description of its physical characteristics visible at outcrop, in hand or core samples or with low magnification microscopy, such as colour, texture, grain size, or composition. It may be either a detailed description of these characteristics or be a summary of...
into proximity.
On the Afon Mellte
Sgwd Clun-gwyn
The 'fall of the white meadow' is the uppermost of the three celebrated falls on the Mellte. It is formed where a north-northwest to south-southeast trending fault brings hard sandstone up against softer mudstone.Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn
The 'lower fall of the white meadow' is the middle of three falls.Sgwd y Pannwr
The 'fall of the fullerFulling
Fulling or tucking or walking is a step in woolen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. The worker who does the job is a fuller, tucker, or walker...
' or 'fall of the woollen washer' is the lowermost of the three celebrated falls on the Mellte.
On the Afon Hepste
Sgwd yr Eira
Famous for being the falls behind which you can walk, the 'falls of snow' plunge over a hard band of sandstone whose overhang protects the walker from the full force of the water. The closure of the path behind this most popular of falls during much of 2007 and 2008 on safety grounds was controversial. Stabilisation works agreed between the landowners, the Forestry CommissionForestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
, the Countryside Council for Wales
Countryside Council for Wales
The Countryside Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body. It is the Welsh Assembly Government's wildlife conservation authority for Wales...
and the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority allowed the route to be re-opened later in 2008.
Sgwd Ddwli Uchaf
The 'upper gushing falls' are spectacular.Sgwd Ddwli Isaf
The 'lower gushing falls' are also spectacular.Sgwd y Bedol
The 'horseshoe falls' which are in fact a series of three or four falls in quick succession.Sgwd Gwladus
The 'Lady's Falls' are formed where the Afon Pyrddin drops 20 ft (6.1 m) over a lip of the 'Twelve Foot Sandstone' The lady concerned was one of the many daughters of Brychan, the 5th Century King of Brycheinog. The sandstone tilts gently to the south so forcing the waters of the Pyrddin up against the foot of a high cliff of mudstone and over the left hand side of the rock lip (when viewed from below). In higher water conditions the fall gradually extends further to the right. The upper surface of the sandstone is roughly patterned with the fossil roots of trees. A rocking stone (now dislodged) sits on this bench some 50m to the north of the falls.Sgwd Einion Gam
Associated in legend with the 'lady' of Sgwd Gwladus, the 'fall of crooked Einion' is one of the most spectacular though least accessible of the falls of the area. The river drops 70 ft (21.3 m) into a plunge pool encircled by dark moss and liverwort covered cliffs. The falls have been created where the Pyrddin drops off the faulted edge of the Farewell Rock, a hard sandstone marking the base of the CarboniferousCarboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
Coal Measures
Coal Measures
The Coal Measures is a lithostratigraphical term for the coal-bearing part of the Upper Carboniferous System. It represents the remains of fluvio-deltaic sediment, and consists mainly of clastic rocks interstratified with the beds of coal...
. The falls are difficult of access with only a rough path reaching them from the vicinity of Sgwd Gwladus downstream and requiring several tricky crossings of the river.
Sychryd Cascade
The waters of SychrydSychryd
Sychryd or Afon Sychryd Starts just below Graig y Llyn and is know localy as the Nant Gwrangon it flows past the village of Rhigos and through Cwm Wyrfa on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in south Wales...
are here confined between the rocky walls of Craig-y-Ddinas (Dinas Rock
Dinas rock
Dinas Rock is a high promontory of carboniferous limestone which rises between the Afon Mellte and its left-bank tributary, the Afon Sychryd on the border between the county of Powys and the county borough of Neath Port Talbot in south Wales. It can be found near the village of Pontneddfechan near...
) on the one hand and those of Bwa Maen (Stone Bow) on the other. Thought not a single fall, the tumbling of the river over a jumble of rocks in its bed at this spot is sometimes referred to as the Sychryd Cascade or Sgydau Sychryd. This rocky slot has been eroded by the river along the line of the Neath Disturbance
Neath Disturbance
The Neath Disturbance is a geological structure which stretches across south Wales from Swansea Bay northeastwards as far as Hereford in western England. It comprises a series of both faults and associated folds which were active during the mountain-building period known as the Variscan orogeny...
, a heavily faulted zone extending northeast to southwest. Tramways approach both from above and below and there was formerly a substantial metal ramp constructed over the cascades linking the two levels though this has long since been removed after it fell into disuse and became a safety hazard.
More falls occur in the section of the river above the cascade. These falls can be viewed from the north bank which is publicly accessible. A further small fall at Pwll y Crochan near where the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road crosses the river though this spot is not accessible to the public.
Henrhyd Falls
See also main article on Henrhyd FallsThe Nant Llech
Nant Llech
The Nant Llech is a minor river in Powys, Wales and which lies wholly within the Brecon Beacons National Park. The name means 'slab stream', presumably in reference to the sandstones across which it runs...
rises on the southern slopes of Carreg Cadno
Carreg Cadno
Carreg Cadno is a hill five miles northeast of Abercraf in the county of Powys, south Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. Its summit at OS grid ref SN 874161 reaches a height of 538m / 1763 ft above sea level...
and flows to the village of Coelbren
Coelbren, Powys
Coelbren is a small rural village just south of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Powys, Wales. It lies some six miles north-east of Ystradgynlais, close to Sgwd Henrhyd, a high waterfall on the Nant Llech...
at which point it drops 90 ft / 27m over the lip of a faulted block of the Farewell Rock
Farewell Rock
The Farewell Rock is the name given to a series of sandstones which lie at the boundary of the Coal Measures with the underlying Marros Group in South Wales. Once thought to be a single sandstone, it is now accepted that the same name has been applied to several different sandstones of similar age...
- a hard sandstone. This spectacular site and section of the gorge below the falls is owned and managed by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. The waterfall is referred to in Welsh as Sgwd Henryd or as Rhaeadr Henryd.
Aberdulais Falls
See also main article on Aberdulais FallsAberdulais Falls
The Aberdulais Falls are found on the River Dulais at Aberdulais, near Neath in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, South Wales. The falls are formed as the river plunges over beds of hard Lower Pennant Sandstone just before meeting the River Neath flowing down the Vale of Neath...
The Dulais
River Dulais
River Dulais is a river of Wales which has its source at Mynydd y Drum. It joins the River Neath after flowing over Aberdulais Falls.-External links:*...
rises near the coalmining town of Aberdulais
Aberdulais
Aberdulais or mouth & Dulais) is a village in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, lying on the River Neath.- History, amenities & attractions:...
/ Seven Sisters and flows for several miles to join the waters of the Tawe at Aberdulais
Aberdulais
Aberdulais or mouth & Dulais) is a village in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, lying on the River Neath.- History, amenities & attractions:...
. The falls are set only 150m up the river from that confluence (at OS grid ref SS 772995) and are readily accessible from the A465 road
A465 road
The A465 is a major road in south Wales. It is more commonly known as the Heads of the Valleys Road because it joins together the north ends of the South Wales Valleys...
which runs the length of the Vale of Neath. Not only is this a spectacular fall but also an important industrial heritage
Industrial heritage
Industrial heritage is an aspect of cultural heritage dealing specifically with the buildings and artifacts of industry which are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations, often forming a significant attraction for tourism.The...
site which is now in the care of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Melincourt Falls
See also main article on Melincourt FallsMelincourt Falls
Melincourt Falls is a spectacular high waterfall on Melin Court Brook, a left-bank tributary of the Neath River, located south of Resolven in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, south Wales. It is formed where the brook plunges over a resistant band of 'Lower Pennant Sandstone' in a 13 acre...
Melin Court Brook rises on the high ground to the southeast of Resolven
Resolven
Resolven is a small village in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. It is located in the heart of the Vale of Neath.- Location :The village is situated in the Vale of Neath, next to the A465 Heads of Valleys Road, and is the main settlement in the community of Resolven...
in the Vale of Neath. It drops from the plateau surface above 450m / 1500 ft above sea level to the floor of the Vale of Neath at around 30m / 100 ft in the space of just under 5 km / 3 miles. Several falls occur over its course but it is the single big drop of 80 ft / 25m at Melincourt
Melincourt Falls
Melincourt Falls is a spectacular high waterfall on Melin Court Brook, a left-bank tributary of the Neath River, located south of Resolven in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, south Wales. It is formed where the brook plunges over a resistant band of 'Lower Pennant Sandstone' in a 13 acre...
(OS grid ref SN 826016) which is the most spectacular and which has drawn visitors for over two hundred years since it was painted by Turner
Turner
Turner is a common surname of English 12th Century origin, meaning "one who works with a lathe". Turner is the 28th-most common surname in the United Kingdom.-List of people with surname Turner:...
in 1794.
The falls (otherwise known as Melincwrt Falls), can be viewed from above where a minor public road bridges the brook immediately upstream of the drop, and from below by means of a footpath which runs up beside the brook from the B4334 road between Melincourt village and Resolven.
The falls are contained within a 13 acre / 5 hectare nature reserve managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council is the local governing body for Neath Port Talbot. It is currently controlled by the Labour party, under the leadership of Councillor Alun Thomas, who succeeded Derek Vaughan when he became an MEP in May 2009....
provide car parking beside the road at the start of the path up the falls.
Information and interpretation for visitors
The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority established a visitor centre at Pontneddfechan in 2008 making use of a building previously used by Neath Port TalbotNeath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
County Borough Council as a tourist information centre. Re-named as the Waterfalls Centre, it is staffed throughout the year top provide information for visitors to Waterfall Country, the wider national park and 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...
.
The National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
operate a centre at Aberdulais Falls which performs a similar role.