Fan Fawr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fan Fawr |
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Fan Fawr from near Fan Llia
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 734 m (2,408 ft) |
| Prominence | 295 m (968 ft) |
| Parent peak | Pen y Fan |
| Listing | Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall |
| Naming | |
| English translation | great beacon |
| Language of name | Welsh |
| Geography | |
| Location | Powys, Wales |
| Parent range | Brecon Beacons |
| OS grid | SN969193 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 160 |
| Listed summits of Fan Fawr | ||||
| Name | Grid ref | Height | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fan Llia | SN969193 | 632 metres (2,073 ft) | Hewitt, Nuttall | |
| Fan Frynych | SN969193 | 629 metres (2,064 ft) | Hewitt, Nuttall | |
| Craig Cerrig-gleisiad | SN969193 | 629 metres (2,064 ft) | Hewitt, Nuttall | |
Fan Fawr is a tall mountain located in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh words meaning 'big peak'. Standing over 734 meters (2,408 feet) high, it's part of the beautiful Fforest Fawr area in Powys.
This mountain offers amazing views and is a popular spot for hikers. It's known for its unique features and interesting history, shaped by ancient rocks and ice.
Exploring Fan Fawr's Summit
The very top of Fan Fawr gives you a great view, especially looking over its steep eastern side. You'll find a pile of stones, called a cairn, marking the summit. Interestingly, the special marker used for mapping, called a trig point, isn't right at the top. It's about 600 meters southwest on a lower part of the mountain.
Water flows off Fan Fawr in different directions. To the west, streams feed into the Afon Dringarth. To the east, water goes into the Taf Fawr. Both of these rivers have dams that create reservoirs: Ystradfellte Reservoir to the west and Beacons Reservoir to the east. Water from the northeast flows into the Afon Tarell, which joins the River Usk. To the south, water from the Afon y Waun eventually reaches the River Neath.
Fan Fawr's Ancient Rocks and Ice Age Story
Fan Fawr is mostly made of rocks called the Brownstones Formation. These are a type of Old Red Sandstone that formed a very long time ago during the Devonian period. On the southern slopes, you can also find sandstones from the Plateau Beds Formation, which are even younger.
Just like other mountains in the Brecon Beacons, Fan Fawr was shaped by huge sheets of ice during the ice ages. On the western side, there's a cool feature called Cefn Bach, which is a pile of rocks and dirt left behind by a glacier. Fan Fawr is part of the Fforest Fawr Geopark, which was created in 2005 to celebrate the area's amazing geological history.
How to Visit Fan Fawr
The entire mountain is open for people to explore. This means you can walk almost anywhere you like! Most people choose to start their walk from the car parks located next to the A470 road. These popular starting points are at Storey Arms and Pont ar Daf. It's a great place for an adventure and to enjoy the outdoors.
