Dyfi hills

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Map of the Dyfi Hills Dyfi Hills.svg
Map of the Dyfi Hills

The Dyfi hills (sometimes anglicised to Dovey hills) are a range situated in the southernmost area of Snowdonia, bounded by the River Dyfi on the east and south sides, by the Afon Dulas on the west and the Afon Cerist to the north. [1] They lie to the west of the Aran Fawddwy range, north-east of the Tarren y Gesail range and are a subgroup of the Cadair Idris group.

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The highest peaks of the Dyfi hills are Maesglase (2,218 feet (676 m)), Waun-oer (2,200 feet (670 m)) and Cribin Fawr (2,162 feet (659 m)) which lie at the north of the range. Further south the peaks are lower and the hills more gently rounded.

Slate quarrying

Two major veins of commercial quality slate run through the Dyfi hills, from Aberllefenni in the west, to Dinas Mawddwy in the north-east. Several commercial quarries worked these veins during the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. Major quarries in the area include Ratgoed on Mynydd Llwydiarth and Cymerau on Mynydd Cymerau in the west; Hendre Ddu on Mynydd Hendre-ddu, Gartheiniog on Mynydd Gartheiniog in the centre of the hills; and Minllyn on Foel Dinas just south of Dinas Mawddwy. [2]

Forestry

Felling activity in the Dyfi Forest Road in the Dyfi Forest - geograph.org.uk - 1454175.jpg
Felling activity in the Dyfi Forest

The majority of the area of the Dyfi Hills was planted with forests by the Forestry Commission. Planting started in 1926, and huge areas of land were purchased between the Wars and into the 1950s and 1960s. The trees planted were mainly Sitka Spruce and Japanese Larch, though a large number of other species were also tried. The trees are regularly felled for commercial use and replanted. [3] This forested area forms the major part of the Dyfi Forest. [4] [5]

Rallying

They were used as a special stage during the 2013 Wales Rally GB.

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Mynydd Dolgoed

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Nant Llwydiarth River in Wales

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Mynydd Hendre-ddu

Mynydd Hendre-ddu or Mynydd Hendreddu is a mountain in southern Snowdonia, Wales. It is one of a line of mountains running from Mynydd Dolgoed in the north, through Mynydd Llwydiarth to Mynydd Hendre-ddu and on to Mynydd y Foel, Y Grug, Mynydd Tri-Arglwyd and Mynydd Gwyn to the south of the village of Aberangell. It forms the watershed between Nant Llwydiarth, which flows to the south-west and into the Afon Dulas, and streams flowing into Afon Angell to the north, which flow east into the River Dyfi.

Mynydd Gartheiniog

Mynydd Gartheiniog is a mountain in southern Snowdonia, Wales. It is a long ridge running south from the cliff of Craig Portas above Dinas Mawddwy and parallel to Mynydd Dolgoed which lies to the west.

Broad Vein Mudstone Formation

The Broad Vein Mudstone Formation is an Ordovician lithostratigraphic group in Mid Wales. The rock of the formation is silty mudstone, intensely bioturbated in places. It varies in colour from a pale to a medium blue. This formation has been commercially quarried as slate in several locations along its length. The formation is between 400 metres (1,300 ft) and 560 metres (1,840 ft) thick and runs from Dinas Mawddwy south-west to Cardigan Bay at Tywyn.

Narrow Vein Mudstone Formation

The Narrow Vein Mudstone Formation is an Ordovician lithostratigraphic group in Mid Wales. The rock of the formation is silty, homogeneous or finely-laminated mudstone. It generally a medium blue colour. This formation has been commercially quarried as slate in several locations along its length. The formation is between 400 metres (1,300 ft) and 560 metres (1,840 ft) thick and runs from Dinas Mawddwy south-west to Cardigan Bay at Tywyn.

References

  1. Steve Plant (7 May 2014). A Wander Around the Coast of Wales. Fast-Print Publishing. pp. 128–. ISBN   978-1-78035-761-4.
  2. Richards, Alun John (1999). The Slate Regions of North and Mid Wales and Their Railways. Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. ISBN   978-0-86381-552-2.
  3. Best, F. C.; Hampson, J. R. (1961). "Forestry in West Central Wales". Forestry (34): 1–13. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.835.5754 .
  4. Carl I Cater; Brian Garrod; Tiffany Low (1 October 2015). The Encyclopedia of Sustainable Tourism. CABI. pp. 338–. ISBN   978-1-78064-143-0.
  5. Herbert Leeson Edlin (1 January 1975). Cambrian forests. H.M.S.O.