A part of Tawe Uchaf lies within the Geopark.  Comprising the settlements of Pen-y-cae, Ynyswen, Glyntawe, Cae Hopkin and Coelbren, it falls within the county of Powys.

The lie of the land

The Community ranges in height from about 120m near Aber-craf (SN 815124) to 538m north of Carreg Cadno (SN 874161). Other notable summits include Cribarth (426m) (SN 829144). 

It is drained by the Afon Tawe and its tributary Nant Llech.

Solid rocks

The area is underlain by a variety of rocks from the Plateau Beds of the Old Red Sandstone in the north through Carboniferous Limestone and the Twrch Sandstone to the Coal Measures in the south.

Legacy of the Ice Ages

A glacier flowed down the Tawe valley and has deposited a moraine in the vicinity of Craig-y-nos.  Much of the lower ground is plastered with glacial till.

Archaeology

There is considerable evidence on Cribarth of former working of limestone and of rottenstone to its northwest.

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 the Community.  Two versions are available – one showing the bedrock (or ‘solid’) geology and the other showing the superficial deposits (or drift’ geology) which overlie the solid rocks.  BGS publishes a 'memoir' to accompany these maps.

Classic Areas - 'Craig-y-nos and the Upper Swansea Valley' - BGS is currently putting together the latest sheet in its 'Classic Areas' series of 1:25,000 scale maps which covers some of the most interesting bits of geology in Great Britain.  Watch out for this sheet in late 2009.

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 A4067 road through the upper Swansea Valley.  The nearest stations are at Neath and Merthyr Tydfil.

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

Links

The Sleeping Giant Foundation