Llwydcoed comprises the villages of Llwydcoed and Tre-Gibbon.  No part of the community lies within the Geopark  but it shares a 1.5km border with it along the Nant Hir. Locations beyond the Geopark are denoted by an asterisk(*).

The lie of the land

The community ranges in height from about 140m beside the Afon Cynon* in the south to over 440m at Mynydd Aberdar*.  Bryn y Gwyddel* is another prominent hill which reaches 384m.

The area is drained by the Nant Hir and Nant y Gwyddel* which flow south and west into the Afon Cynon*.

Solid rocks

The area is underlain by mudstones of the Lower and Middle Coal Measures including numerous coal seams, most of which have been worked in the past.  A small area of Upper Coal Measures sandstone occurs beneath the old settlement at SO 013053

The rocks dip generally south and south-eastwards.  Several geological faults run from NW to SE through the area.

Legacy of the Ice Ages

The area is largely blanketed with a cover of glacial till.

Archaeology

There are the remains of an old settlement on the western slopes of Mynydd Aberdar*.

Maps

Geology

Sheet 231 'Merthyr Tydfil' 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.  It is available in two editions.  BGS publishes a 'memoir' to accompany these maps.

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

Bus services operate along the road.

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