Mynydd Merthyr is a broad ridge of high ground between Taff Vale (Welsh Cwm Taf) and the Cwm Cynon in the Valleys region of South Wales. It forms the boundary between the unitary authorities of Rhondda Cynon Taff to the west and Merthyr Tydfil to the east.
The high point of 493m is at Mynydd Gethin (OS grid reference SO 044025) (though the summit trig point is at the lower height of 491m) is the culmination of a long ridge which extends northwestwards from the confluence of the Afon Cynon and the River Taff at Abercynon. The ridge includes the subsidiary summits of Twyn Brynbychan and Twyn Sych. To the northwest lies Mynydd Aberdâr.
Much of the hill has been planted with coniferous forest. Its flanks are heavily scarred by mining. The village of Aberfan sits at the foot of its eastern slopes, the scene of a tragedy on 21 October 1966 when a coal tip above the village slipped and engulfed the village school killing 144 people of whom 116 were children.
The entire hill is composed of sandstones and mudstones dating from the Carboniferous Period. There are also numerous coal seams within the sequence, most of which have been worked. The upper part of the hill including the summit plateau is formed from the Pennant Sandstone, a rock assigned to the Carboniferous Upper Coal Measures. [1] The flanks of the hill owe their steepness in part to the action of glacial ice during the succession of ice ages.
Virtually all of the afforested areas and some adjoining areas of moorland are classed as open country under the CRoW Act giving a right of access to walkers. In addition there is a limited network of public footpaths and other public rights of way which give access to parts of the hill. [2]
The River Rhondda is a river in South Wales with two major tributaries, Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach.
Craig y Llyn is a mountain situated to the south of the village of Rhigos in the Cynon Valley on the south side of the upper Vale of Neath and north of the Rhondda Valleys in South Wales; it is the highest point in the traditional county of Glamorgan (Morgannwg), and the South Wales Valleys.
Coity Mountain is a flat-topped mountain in the South Wales Valleys, between Blaenavon and Abertillery. The highest points of both Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent unitary authorities are at the summit of Coity Mountain. The summit is also known as Twyn Ffynhonnau Goerion. Some 2 km (1 mi) to the southeast lies a major subsidiary top of the hill, Mynydd Varteg Fawr (549m) at the southeastern end of whose broad ridge is a trig point at 544m. A few hundred metres to the southeast of this summit is a memorial known as the "Dog Stone" which commemorates Carlo the Red Setter, a dog shot accidentally by his master while hunting on the 12 August 1864. Co-ordinates for the Dog Stone 51.45'15.58N 3.05'08.81W. Other notable tops include those of Mulfran (524m) which overlooks the town of Brynmawr and Mynydd James immediately east of the town of Blaina.
Moel Penderyn is a hill on the edge of Penderyn village, in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales. It also appeared on older maps as 'Y Foel Penderyn'. Its summit at 371m is marked by a trig point.
Cadair Fawr is a hill in the northern corner of the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. The 485m high summit at OS grid ref SN 978123 is marked by a trig point. Cadair Fawr is the highest point of a broad ridge known as Cefn Cadlan which forms the northern edge of Cwm Cadlan, a valley which itself runs east-northeastwards from the village of Penderyn. The name Cadair Fawr signifies the 'big chair' whilst Cefn Cadlan signifies the 'ridge of the battlefield'.
Mynydd-y-glog is a hill just east of the village of Penderyn in the northern corner of the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff in south Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. Its summit plateau rises to a height of 389m / 1277 ft at OS grid ref SN 982088, a spot marked by a trig point. To its north lies the partly dry valley of Pant Sychbant which forms the eastern extension of Cwm Cadlan. Its southern slopes are drained by various streams which feed into the Afon Cynon.
Penmoelallt or Onllwyn is a hill in the northern part of the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff in south Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park and Fforest Fawr Geopark. To its east lies the deep valley of Cwm Taf and to its north a rather shallower valley in which the Nant Cadlan originates. To the west is the hill known as Mynydd-y-glog and to the south are slopes draining into the River Taff and the Afon Cynon. The hill culminates in a broken plateau with several knolls rising above the 420m contour. Its afforested nature makes it difficult to determine the precise location of its highest point but this probably lies somewhere around OS grid ref SO 003096. Older maps indicate a spot height of 1376 ft above sea level at SO 000090.
Mynydd Carn-y-cefn is the name given to the broad ridge of high ground between the Ebbw Vale and the valley of the Ebbw Fach in the Valleys region of South Wales. It lies within the unitary area of Blaenau Gwent, formerly Monmouthshire.
Cefn Manmoel is the name given to the broad ridge of high ground between the Sirhowy Valley and Ebbw Vale in the Valleys region of South Wales. It straddles the boundary between the unitary areas of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.
Mynydd Cilfach-yr-encil attains a height of 445m at OS grid reference SO 079033 making it the high point of the broad ridge of high ground between Taff Vale and Cwm Bargod in the Valleys region of South Wales. It lies within the unitary area of Merthyr Tydfil.
Mynydd Bedwellte is the name given to the broad ridge of high ground between the Rhymney Valley and the Sirhowy Valley in the Valleys region of South Wales. It straddles the boundary of the unitary areas of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.
Cefn y Brithdir is the name given to the broad ridge of high ground between the Rhymney Valley and Cwm Darran in the Valleys region of South Wales. It lies within the unitary area of Caerphilly.
Mynydd Meio is a 322-metre-high hill in the county borough of Caerphilly in South Wales. Parts of its western slopes fall within Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough. Its eastern slopes drop away to Cwm yr Aber between Caerphilly and Abertridwr and its western slopes to the valley of the Taf. The high point is just over 200 m north of the trig point which sits at 322 metres (1,056 ft) above sea-level.
Cefn Eglwysilan is a hill in South Wales, the twin 382m summits of which lie 2 km east of Pontypridd in Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough. Its eastern side lies within the community of Aber Valley in Caerphilly county borough. Like neighbouring Mynydd Eglwysilan, the hill is named after the hamlet of Eglwysilan, the church here being dedicated to an obscure saint Ilan. A wireless transmission station is sited on the more northerly of the two summits. The southerly one is crowned by a trig point.
Mynydd y Gaer is a 295-metre-high hill in Bridgend County Borough in South Wales. The summit is crowned by a trig point.
Cefn Gwyngul is a long broad ridge to the east of the Rhondda Fach valley in Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough in South Wales. Its 470m high summit is marked by an ancient cairn known as Carn-y-Pigwn, on which is a more recent trig point. Much of the hill is cloaked by modern forestry plantations though its southwestern flank between Porth and Ferndale has not been coniferised. The earthworks of a Roman camp remain on the ridge at OS grid ref ST 002982.
Mynydd Twyn-glas is a sprawling 472-metre-high mountain extending into Caerphilly and Torfaen county boroughs in South Wales. It lies southwest of Pontypool, west of Cwmbran and east of Newbridge and taking the form of a rolling plateau the margins of which are defined by steep slopes, many of which are cloaked with conifer plantations. A broad shoulder extending south from the summit is known as Mynydd Maen whilst to the north is Mynydd Llwyd. The thickly afforested northern slopes of the hill drop down steeply into Cwm y Glyn.
Mynydd y Lan is a 381-metre-high flat-topped hill in Caerphilly county borough in South Wales. It falls largely within the community of Ynysddu but its northern and eastern margins are within Crosskeys community. Its largely wooded southern and eastern flanks rise steeply from the Sirhowy and Ebbw valleys respectively. A wireless transmission station is located towards the northern end of the summit plateau.
Mynydd y Grug is a hill lying just west of the village of Cwmfelinfach and about 4 km to the northeast of Caerphilly in Caerphilly county borough in South Wales. Its summit was formerly at a height of around 358 m, but since the top has been covered by a large spoil heap and landscaped its height has now increased to 375 m, though some authorities take other values for the summit height. A number of ancient cairns are found along its edge overlooking the Sirhowy Valley, the slopes up from which are largely wooded.
Mynydd William Meyrick is a 535-metre-high hill straddling the boundary of Bridgend and Rhondda Cynon Taf county boroughs between the valley of the Rhondda Fawr and Ogmore Valley in South Wales. It takes the form of a broad northwest-southeast ridge with numerous broad shoulders extending to the east, south and west, each of which have different names and some of which constitute minor tops. Listed clockwise from the north these are; Mynydd Maendy, Mynydd Ton, Mynydd Bwllfa, Mynydd Pwllyrhebog, Mynydd Maes-teg, Mynydd y Gwair and Mynydd yr Aber. The summit of the entire massif is often referred to as Mynydd Ton. Its western sides are open moorland whilst its eastern sides have been afforested by the Forestry Commission.