Afon Brân facts for kids
The Afon Brân is a river in mid Wales. It flows into the River Towy, which is one of the longest rivers in Wales. The Afon Brân starts in the Irfon Forest in Carmarthenshire and flows through beautiful Welsh countryside.
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What is the Afon Brân?
The Afon Brân is a tributary, which means it's a smaller river or stream that flows into a larger river. For the Afon Brân, the larger river is the River Tywi.
Where Does the Afon Brân Start?
The river begins in the Irfon Forest, located in the northeastern part of Carmarthenshire. It actually starts as two smaller streams called the Cynnant Fawr and the Afon Lwynor. When these two streams meet near the village of Cynghordy, they form the Afon Brân.
Other Rivers Joining the Afon Brân
Many smaller rivers and streams flow into the Afon Brân along its journey. The biggest one is the Afon Gwydderig, which joins the Afon Brân near the town of Llandovery. Other streams that add to the river's flow include the Nant Bargod, Cynnant Fach, Afon Gwyddon, Nant Hirgwm, Nant Cwm-neuadd, Bawddwr, and the Afon Crychan. The Afon Crychan even has its own small tributary called the Afon Dulais!
What Does "Brân" Mean?
The name 'Brân' comes from the Welsh language. In Welsh, 'brân' means 'crow'. People think the river might have been named this because of the dark, crow-like colours of its water.
How the River Connects People
The valley of the Afon Brân is an important route for travel.
The Heart of Wales Railway
If you travel northeast from Llandovery, you'll see that the Heart of Wales Railway follows the river's valley. This railway line is famous for its scenic journey through the Welsh landscape.
The A483 Road
The A483 road, which goes towards Llanwrtyd Wells, also runs alongside the Afon Brân for a good part of its journey. This modern road actually follows some of the path of an ancient Roman Road.
Roman History by the River
Long ago, the Romans built a road here. This old Roman road led from a Roman fort called Llanfair Hill, also known as Alabum. This fort was built high up, overlooking the river near Llandovery. Imagine Roman soldiers marching along the same path you might drive on today!
The Cynghordy Viaduct
One of the most impressive structures along the Afon Brân is the Cynghordy Viaduct. This amazing bridge carries the railway line high above the river. It was built during the Victorian era, a time when many grand engineering projects were completed. The Cynghordy Viaduct is considered one of the most beautiful and important railway structures in all of Wales.
