Cefn Cil Sanws facts for kids
Cefn Cil Sanws is a hill located in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales. It's found in the area known as Merthyr Tydfil. The very top of the hill is 460 meters (about 1,509 feet) above sea level and has a special marker called a trig point.
On its western side, Cefn Cil Sanws has steep cliffs named Darren Fawr and Darren Fach. These cliffs drop down into a valley called Cwm Taf. You might also notice a large limestone quarry on the southeastern part of the hill. Surprisingly, a golf course, the Merthyr Tydfil Golf Course, stretches high up onto the eastern and southern slopes of the hill!
The Rocks of Cefn Cil Sanws
This hill is made up of different layers of rocks, like a giant cake! These rocks formed during a time called the Carboniferous Period, which was millions of years ago. All these rock layers are gently tilted towards the south.
The very top of Cefn Cil Sanws is made of a type of rock called Carboniferous Limestone. As you look around, especially to the north and on the steep western sides, you can see other rocks like Twrch Sandstone.
You might also spot areas called limestone pavements. These are flat, exposed sections of limestone with natural cracks. There are also smaller rocky areas made of gritstone. If you look closely at these gritstone rocks, you might see long scratches. These are called glacial striations. They are like ancient scratch marks left by huge sheets of ice that moved over the hill during the Ice Ages, pushing south from the center of the Brecon Beacons.
Amazing Plants and Wildlife
Much of Cefn Cil Sanws is a special place managed by the Brecknock Wildlife Trust. They look after it as a nature reserve, which means it's protected for its plants and animals.
The steep cliffs of Darren Fach on the western side are home to one of Britain's rarest trees: Ley's Whitebeam (Sorbus leyana). Most of these rare trees in the entire country grow right here on this one cliff! Another interesting and rare plant found clinging to the loose rocky slopes on this western side is the rigid buckler fern.
Exploring the Hill
Most of Cefn Cil Sanws is open for people to explore. There's a public footpath and a bridleway (a path for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders) at the southern end. These paths make it easy to reach the hill from the A470 road and from the nearby village of Cefn-coed-y-cymmer.
