Aberdulais Falls facts for kids
The Aberdulais Falls are a beautiful waterfall in Wales, near the town of Neath. You can find them where the River Dulais plunges over hard rock before joining the River Neath. This special place is home to Europe's biggest waterwheel that makes electricity!
Where the Water Flows
The River Dulais starts high up on a mountain called Mynydd y Drum. It flows through the Dulais Valley, passing villages like Seven Sisters and Crynant. After about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles), it meets the River Neath. Here, the water drops over a ridge of strong sandstone rock. This rocky gorge was carved out by melting ice from a glacier about 20,000 years ago. The falls used to be closer to the sea, but the water has slowly worn away the rock over time. When there's a lot of rain, the River Dulais can have sudden floods.
A Long History of Power
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People have used the power from this waterfall since 1584. Back then, it helped make copper from ore brought in from Cornwall. The copper works stopped in the early 1600s. Later, the site was used to grind corn into flour. After that, it became a factory for making tinplate.
The weir (a small dam) and the waterwheel you see today were added in the 1800s. The current waterwheel is made of strong steel. It is the largest waterwheel in Europe that creates electricity. It measures about 8.2 meters (27 feet) across! It has 72 special buckets that catch the falling water. The wheel turns about five times every minute.
Visiting Aberdulais Falls Today
Today, the National Trust looks after the falls and the old factory buildings. They keep this important part of the area's history safe. You can visit the site and learn all about it. There is a car park for visitors right off the A465 road, which goes past the falls.
