 | |
| Formation | 1960 |
|---|---|
| Website | www |
The South Wales Geologists' Association (SWGA) is an affiliated local group of the Geologists' Association. [1] It was founded in 1960 (Douglas Bassett and T. R. Owen being amongst the co-founders) and registered as a charity in 1996 (no. 1054303). [2]
The SWGA's aims are the study and promotion of geology in South Wales. Anyone with an interest in geology and the earth sciences is welcome, professional or amateur. Activities include field trips during the summer season, and lectures at Swansea or Cardiff University's geology departments during the winter season, as well as support for Rockwatch activities for young people and geological events for the public.
In addition, the South Wales Geologists' Association maintains close links with like-minded organisations such as the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, [3] the Fforest Fawr Geopark, [4] the Southern Wales regional group of the Geological Society, [5] the Wales & West branch of the Russell Society, [6] and the Cardiff Naturalists' Society. [7]
The SWGA is also supportive of initiatives in geoconservation and geodiversity, in particular through their involvement in the creation of the South East Wales RIGS group. [8]
The group was headed by a chairman during the period 1959–1996, and by a president from 1996 onwards.
Source : Group of Chairmen 1959–1992, from "GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION, SOUTH WALES GROUP, A GEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 1960–1992", p. 24–25, Compiled by ALUN J. THOMAS, [9] supplemented from SWGA archives and minutes.
| Chairman | Period |
|---|---|
| Douglas A. Bassett | 1959–1962 |
| David E. Morgan | 1962–1964 |
| David J. W. Thomas | 1964–1966 |
| T. Richard Owen | 1966–1968 |
| John C. W. Baker | 1968–1970 |
| Trevor M. Thomas | 1970–1972 |
| Michael Brooks | 1972–1974 |
| D. Emlyn Evans | 1974–1976 |
| Rodney A. Gayer | 1976–1978 |
| Derek V. Ager | 1978–1980 |
| John W. Perkins | 1980–1982 |
| John C. W. Cope | 1982–1984 |
| Alan G. Thomas | 1984–1986 |
| Anthony T. S. Ramsay | 1986–1988 |
| R. Alan Stephens | 1988–1990 |
| Alun J. Thomas | 1990–1992 |
| Michael G. Bassett | 1992–1994 |
| Peter Hodges | 1994–1996 |
| President | Period |
|---|---|
| Lynda Garfield | 1996–1998 |
| W. R. Gareth Davies | 1998–2000 |
| Steven G. Howe | 2000–2002 |
| Allan Cuthbertson | 2002–2004 |
| Lynfa Lewis | 2004–2006 |
| Tom Sharpe | 2006–2008 |
| Nigel McGaw | 2008–2010 |
| Malcolm Shaw | 2010–2012 |
| Geraint Owen | 2012–2014 |
| Rhian Kendall | 2014–2016 |
| John Davies | 2016–2018 |
| Lesley Cherns | 2018–2020 |
| Christopher Lee | 2020-2022 |
| John Nudds | 2022-2024 |
| Chris Berry | 2024- |
Publications cater for a range of geological ability and include field guides, geological booklets and guided walks leaflets to areas of interest in South Wales. Amongst them are:
Dyfed is a preserved county in southwestern Wales. It is a mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel.
The Brecon Beacons are a mountain range in Wales. The range includes South Wales's highest mountain, Pen y Fan, its twin summit Corn Du, and Craig Gwaun Taf, which are the three highest peaks in the range. The Brecon Beacons have given their name to the larger Brecon Beacons National Park, and the range itself is therefore sometimes known as the Central Beacons to differentiate the two.
The Preseli Mountains, also known as the Preseli Hills, or just the Preselis, is a range of hills in western Wales, mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and entirely within the county of Pembrokeshire.
Brecon Beacons National Park, officially named Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, is a national park in Wales. It is named after the Brecon Beacons, the mountain range at its centre. The national park includes the highest mountain in South Wales, Pen y Fan, which has an elevation of 886 metres (2,907 ft).
The national parks of Wales are managed areas of outstanding landscape in Wales, United Kingdom where some forms of development are restricted to preserve the landscape and natural environment. Together, they cover 20% of the land surface of Wales and have a resident population of over 80,000 people. Each National Park Authority is a free-standing body within the local government framework.
The Black Mountain is a mountain range in South, Mid and West Wales, straddling the administrative boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys and forming the westernmost range of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Its highest point is Fan Brycheiniog at 802 metres or 2,631 ft. The Black Mountain also forms a part of the Fforest Fawr Geopark.
The geology of Wales is complex and varied; its study has been of considerable historical significance in the development of geology as a science. All geological periods from the Cryogenian to the Jurassic are represented at outcrop, whilst younger sedimentary rocks occur beneath the seas immediately off the Welsh coast. The effects of two mountain-building episodes have left their mark in the faulting and folding of much of the Palaeozoic rock sequence. Superficial deposits and landforms created during the present Quaternary period by water and ice are also plentiful and contribute to a remarkably diverse landscape of mountains, hills and coastal plains.
Fan Fawr is a mountain in the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park, in Powys, Wales and over 734 m (2,408 ft) high.
Fforest Fawr is an extensive upland area in the county of Powys, Wales. Formerly known as the Great Forest of Brecknock in English, it was a royal hunting area for several centuries but is now used primarily for sheep grazing, forestry, water catchment and recreation. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Fan Llia is a subsidiary summit of Fan Fawr in the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales. In common with other peaks in the Fforest Fawr uplands it lies within the county of Powys.
Fan Gyhirych is a mountain in the Fforest Fawr section of Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales. It lies within the county of Breconshire, and administered as part of the unitary authority of Powys.
Fan Hir is a peak at the eastern end of the Black Mountain in the Brecon Beacons National Park in southern Wales. It is a subsidiary summit of Fan Brycheiniog. It falls within the county of Powys and is also a part of the traditional area of Fforest Fawr. Its Welsh name means "long peak", a fitting description, particularly if seen from the east when its steep eastern face is seen to advantage. It is about 2.5 miles or 4 km long and faces east. Its summit is 2490 feet above sea level. Fan Hir is separated from its higher neighbour to the north-west, Fan Brycheiniog by a col known as Bwlch Giedd, where a path rises from Llyn y Fan Fawr via a stone staircase.
Fforest Fawr Geopark is a Geopark in the Brecon Beacons National Park, south Wales. It is the first designated Geopark in Wales having gained membership of both the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO-assisted Global Network of National Geoparks in October 2005. The Geopark aims to promote and support sustainable tourism and other opportunities to improve the economy of the area whilst safeguarding the natural environment. Its aims largely coincide with the statutory duties and purpose of the National Park within which it sits.
Fforest Fach is a small area of unenclosed land within Brecon Beacons National Park southwest of Sennybridge in the county of Powys, Wales. Translating from Welsh as 'little forest', it is named in opposition to the much larger area of unenclosed land to the south which is known as Fforest Fawr or the 'great forest'. Whilst Fforest Fawr and Fforest Fach have been distinct areas for many centuries, the odd situation now arises where Fforest Fach now finds itself within Fforest Fawr Geopark, the boundaries of which are drawn rather more widely than those of the traditional royal hunting forest.
The hill possesses two indistinct summits, the higher of which at 382m is in the south whilst that to the north at 381m is crowned by a trig point. There was formerly a rifle range at the north-western corner of the hill.
Y Garn Goch is a hill in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the east of Carmarthenshire, Wales. The name means the 'red cairn'. It lies near the village of Bethlehem, three miles southwest of Llangadog and four miles east of Llandeilo on the southern side of the broad Towy Valley. It is also commonly known as either Garn Goch or Carn Goch. Current owners and land managers are the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.
Fan Fraith is a top of Fan Gyhirych in the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park in the county of Powys, south Wales. Its summit is at a height of 2192 feet or 668 m. It lies within Fforest Fawr Geopark.
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.
Wales, a country that is part of the United Kingdom, contains protected areas under various designations. The largest designation by land area is Wales' three national parks, followed by the five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
This article describes the geology of the Brecon Beacons National Park in mid/south Wales. The area gained national park status in 1957 with the designated area of 1,344 km2 (519 sq mi) including mountain massifs to both the east and west of the Brecon Beacons proper. The geology of the national park consists of a thick succession of sedimentary rocks laid down from the late Ordovician through the Silurian and Devonian to the late Carboniferous period. The rock sequence most closely associated with the park is the Old Red Sandstone from which most of its mountains are formed. The older parts of the succession, in the northwest, were folded and faulted during the Caledonian orogeny. Further faulting and folding, particularly in the south of the park is associated with the Variscan orogeny.
The bedrock geology of Carmarthenshire in west Wales consists largely of Palaeozoic age sedimentary rocks. Unconsolidated deposits of Quaternary age in Carmarthenshire include a dissected cover of glacial till, valley floor alluvium and some scattered peat deposits in both upland and lowland settings. There are extensive beach and tidal flat deposits along the Carmarthenshire coast. The exploitation of the county's mineral riches, particularly coal and limestone, was a key part of the local economy through much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.