Gwaunceste Hill facts for kids

Gwaunceste Hill (which is Bryn Gwaun-cest in Welsh) is a hill in Powys, eastern Wales. It stands 542 metres (about 1,778 feet) high. This makes it a significant landmark in the area.

The hill is located about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) east of a village called Hundred House. It is also about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) north of the small village of Glascwm. The hill is part of the local areas known as Gladestry and Glascwm.

The River Arrow starts its journey on the eastern side of Gwaunceste Hill. Water from the western slopes flows into the River Edw. The River Edw is a smaller river that eventually joins the River Wye. There are also two smaller hills nearby. Both of these are known as 'Little Hill'. They are located to the southeast and southwest of the main summit.

What Gwaunceste Hill is Made Of

Gwaunceste Hill is formed from different types of rock. These rocks are called mudstones, siltstones, and sandstones. They were formed a very long time ago, during a period known as the Silurian age.

A large crack in the Earth's crust, called the Church Stretton Fault Zone, passes by the hill to its southeast. This shows that the area has seen a lot of geological activity.

During the last ice age, huge sheets of ice covered the land. As these glaciers melted, they left behind a mix of dirt and rocks. This material is called glacial till. You can find it covering the valleys and some of the hill's slopes. In the lowest parts of the valleys, there is also alluvium. This is a type of soil left by flowing water. In wet, hollow areas, like at Beilibedw Mawn Pool, you can find peat. Peat is made from plants that have partly decayed over thousands of years.

How to Visit Gwaunceste Hill

You can explore Gwaunceste Hill easily. Many public paths, known as public bridleways, cross the entire hill. These paths are open for people to walk, ride horses, or cycle on.

A large part of the hill is also marked as 'open country'. This means that under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, walkers are allowed to explore these areas freely. You can walk off the marked paths in these sections. This gives you a great chance to discover the hill's natural beauty.