Fan Gyhirych facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fan Gyhirych |
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The north face of Fan Gyhirych with Crai reservoir beyond
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 725 m (2,379 ft) |
| Prominence | 280 m (920 ft) |
| Parent peak | Pen y Fan |
| Listing | Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall |
| Naming | |
| Language of name | Welsh |
| Geography | |
| Location | Powys, Wales |
| Parent range | Brecon Beacons |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 160 |
Fan Gyhirych is a mountain located in the Brecon Beacons National Park in south Wales. It's part of the Fforest Fawr area. This mountain is found in Powys, a county in Wales.
The highest point of Fan Gyhirych is 725 meters (2,379 feet) high. You can find a special marker called a trig point near the top. This marker helps people know the exact height of the mountain. Water from the mountain flows north into the Afon Crai river. It also flows south and west into the River Tawe. A nearby hill called Fan Fraith is sometimes seen as a smaller part of Fan Gyhirych.
What is Fan Gyhirych Made Of?
The mountain is mostly made of a type of rock called sandstone. This sandstone comes from the Brownstones Formation. These rocks were formed a very long time ago, during the Devonian period. The very top of the mountain has a different type of sandstone. This rock is called the Plateau Beds Formation. You can also find this rock on the nearby Fan Fraith hill.
There's a special area on the mountain called the Cribarth Disturbance. This area has many faults and folds in the rocks. It shows how the Earth's crust moved a long time ago. Fan Gyhirych also has a cool feature called a cwm. This is a bowl-shaped valley on the north-eastern side. A small glacier carved out this cwm during the ice ages. The mountain is part of the Fforest Fawr Geopark. This park was created in 2005 to protect the area's amazing geological history.
A Look at History
Long ago, in the early 1800s, a businessman named John Christie built a special track. It was called the Brecon Forest Tramroad. This track ran along the lower western side of Fan Gyhirych. You can still see where two parts of this track split off. They separated near a stream called Nant Gyhirych.
Later, a railway line was built. It was called the Neath and Brecon Railway. This railway followed some parts of the old tramroad. The railway was used for many years. However, it closed down in the 1960s.
How to Explore Fan Gyhirych
The entire Fan Gyhirych mountain is open for people to explore. This means walkers can go almost anywhere they like. Most people choose to follow a track that goes up the wide southern side of the mountain. This track goes around the top area. Then it heads down the wide eastern side of the hill. It's a great way to see the mountain and enjoy the views.
