The community of Brecon (Welsh: Aberhonddu) covers a relatively small area though contains a large population in Brecon itself and in Llanfaes.

The lie of the land

The Community ranges in height from around 125m above sea level beside the Usk at Brynich to 283m on the eastern flanks of Pen-y-crug.  It includes the ground which rises steeply towards Cefn Cantref to the south of the Usk. The most notable hill entirely within the area is Slwch Tump at 246m.

It is drained by the Usk, its north bank tributary the Honddu and its south bank tributary the Tarrell.  The smaller Brynich stream drains the eastern margins of the Community.

The Old Red Sandstone

The underlying rocks are sandstones and mudstones which were laid down during the Devonian Period.  These rocks can be seen in the bed of the River Usk towards Fenni-fach and in the sides of the Honddu gorge.

The hills of Cefn Cantref to the south and Pen-y-crug to the west are formed from sandstones of the St Maughan’s Formation as too is Slwch Tump behind the town.

A major geological fault – the Cribarth Fault runs SW to NE through the area.

Legacies of the Ice Ages

Surrounding hillsides are plastered with glacial till and moraine together with glacio-fluvial sands and gravels. These deposits relate to the presence of the major Usk Valley Glacier during the ice ages.

The present-day course of the Usk is in a gorge above Fenni-fach and opens into a wide floodplain through Brecon.  It is thought that the river formerly flowed to the north of Brecon around the back of both Pen-y-crug and Slwch Tump but that glacial action diverted it onto its present course.  Distinct river terraces can be seen in the Usk valley.

Archaeology

The Iron Age forts of Pen-y-crug and Slwch Tump are pre-eminent.  There is much of historical interest within the town itself including Norman elements within Brecon Castle (now part of the Castle Hotel).

Maps

Geology

Sheet 213 ‘Brecon’ of the British Geological Survey’s 1:50,000 map series of England and Wales gives full coverage of both the bedrock geology and superficial deposits of the Community area.  BGS publishes a 'sheet explanation' to accompany the map.

General

The following Ordnance Survey maps cover the Community:

• Landranger sheet 160 'Brecon Beacons' (1:50,000 scale)
• Explorer sheet OL12 'Brecon Beacons National Park/Western area' (1:25,000 scale)

Public transport

A variety of bus services serve the town, focussing on the new bus station. The nearest railway stations are at Abergavenny and Llandovery about 20 miles distant to east and west.

See Traveline Cymru for bus and train services including stops, timetables and route-planning information.