Llyn y Fan Fach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llyn y Fan Fach |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
 Llyn y Fan Fach
Location in Carmarthenshire
|
|
| Location | Brecon Beacons National Park, Carmarthenshire: View from near Picws Du |
| Coordinates | 51°52′55″N 3°44′31″W / 51.88194°N 3.74194°W |
| Type | reservoir, natural lake |
| Primary outflows | River Sawdde |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
| Max. depth | 29 m (95 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 506 m (1,660 ft) |
Llyn y Fan Fach is a beautiful lake in South Wales. Its name means "little lake (near) the peak" in Welsh. It's located in Carmarthenshire, within the amazing Brecon Beacons National Park. This lake sits high up, about 506 meters (1,660 feet) above sea level. It's smaller than its nearby sister lake, Llyn y Fan Fawr, which is about 2 miles to the east. Llyn y Fan Fach is famous for a magical old story about a Lady of the Lake.
Contents
How Llyn y Fan Fach Was Formed
Llyn y Fan Fach is surrounded by tall mountains. These include Picws Du and Waun Lefrith. These mountains are made of old rocks called the Brownstones Formation. These rocks are a type of sandstone and mudstone. They were formed a very long time ago, during the Devonian period. This was a time when Earth's continents were very different.
The northern side of Waun Lefrith was once home to a huge glacier. This glacier slowly carved out a bowl-shaped valley. This valley is called a "cwm" (or cirque). Llyn y Fan Fach now sits in this cwm. Water from the lake flows out into the River Sawdde. This river then joins the River Tywi. You can also see large piles of rock and dirt near the lake. These are called moraines. They were left behind by the moving glacier.
The Legend of Llyn y Fan Fach
.jpg)
A famous folklore legend is connected to Llyn y Fan Fach. It's known as the Lady of the Lake. The story tells of a young man from a nearby village. He met a beautiful girl who appeared from the lake. She agreed to marry him, but only if he promised never to hit her three times.
They lived happily for many years. They built a house and had children. The girl also brought special cattle and other animals from the lake. These animals were said to be magical. Over time, the man accidentally broke his promise. He gently touched or "hit" his wife three times. The reasons for this vary in different versions of the story. For example, she might have laughed at a funeral or cried at a wedding.
Because of the broken promise, the Lady of the Lake had to return to the water. She took all her magical animals with her. Even a team of oxen pulling a plough followed her into the lake! People say you can still see a long furrow (a line in the ground) on the mountain. This furrow supposedly shows where the oxen pulled the plough back to the lake.
Even after she left, the mother sometimes came back. She helped and taught her sons. One of her sons, named Rhiwallon, became very famous. He and his brothers became well-known doctors. They are remembered as the Physicians of Myddfai. Many of their old medical recipes are still found in Welsh writings today.
Visiting Llyn y Fan Fach
You can reach Llyn y Fan Fach by walking along a road. This road leads to a small dam on the lake. There's a car park at the bottom of this road. It can be reached from Llanddeusant, Carmarthenshire village.
As you walk up, you'll pass some water treatment buildings. There's also a small rescue shelter near the dam. This shelter is usually unlocked. It has a fireplace, but no windows. It's a good place for hikers to find shelter in bad weather.
From the dam, a path goes up the slope to the cliff edge. Wooden barriers have been put in place to protect the ground. The path follows the top of the cliffs. It leads to the summits of Waun Lefrith and then Picws Du. Both of these peaks offer amazing views of the lake below. Be careful, as there are many deep gullies and rocky areas near the cliff top.
The Beacons Way is another path that follows the ridge from the summits. It offers a different way to get to or from the mountain. This path leads directly to Llanddeusant village. It also gives access to the Youth Hostel in the village.
Wildlife Around the Lake
The area around Llyn y Fan Fach is home to many different species of birds. You might see the beautiful red kite, common buzzard, kestrel, carrion crow, common raven, and skylark. These birds often fly high in the sky. They use the air currents near the cliffs or warm air rising from the valley.
The red kite was once very rare in Wales. It was mainly found in this area. Farmers and gamekeepers used to hunt them. They thought red kites ate game birds. But studies showed that red kites mostly eat carrion (dead animals). Now, people's attitudes have changed, and the red kite population is growing.
You can also find many mammals here. These include field voles, foxes, and badgers. Many songbirds also live in the area. The skylark is very common. This is because there are large areas of rough grassland. Skylarks like to build their nests on the ground in these areas. You might also see pied wagtails near the streams that flow down from the hills.
See also
In Spanish: Llyn y Fan Fach para niños
