Mynydd Bach Trecastell facts for kids
Mynydd Bach Trecastell is a hill located in southwest Wales. It sits right on the border between two counties: Carmarthenshire and Powys. This hill is part of the Black Mountain (range), which is a mountain range within the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park. It is also part of the Fforest Fawr Geopark, an area known for its important geology.
The top of Mynydd Bach Trecastell is quite flat, like a plateau. It reaches a height of 412 meters (about 1,352 feet) at a spot called Y Pigwn. The name "Mynydd Bach Trecastell" means 'the little hill of castle town'.
What is Mynydd Bach Trecastell Made Of?
The rocks at the top of Mynydd Bach Trecastell are mostly sandstone and siltstone. These are types of rock formed from sand and mud that have been pressed together over millions of years. These rocks belong to something called the Cae'r Mynach Formation.
All the rocks here are tilted steeply towards the southeast. This is because of a special geological feature called the Myddfai Steep Belt. Think of it like a stack of books that got pushed over at an angle.
Right above these rocks are thin layers of sandstone from the Tilestones Formation. After that, you find thick layers of mudstone from the Raglan Mudstone Formation. These two rock layers are the oldest parts of the Old Red Sandstone, and they formed during the Silurian period, which was a very long time ago!
To the northwest of the hill, there are other types of sandstone, mudstone, and siltstone layers. These are from different formations like Aberedw and Hafod Fawr. The area also has several faults, which are cracks in the Earth's crust. These faults create small changes in the landscape.
Ancient History and Roman Camps
Mynydd Bach Trecastell has a lot of history! People lived here a very long time ago, during the Bronze Age. You can still find several ancient burial mounds called round barrows on the hill. There is also a stone circle, which is a mysterious ring of standing stones.
Later, the Romans came to Wales. Their important Roman roads crossed over this hill. One road connected CICVCIVM (Y Gaer) to MORIDVNVM (Moridunum, Carmarthen) by way of Llandovery. You can still see signs of Roman activity on the hill, including two Roman marching camps (called castras) and a small Roman fortlet. These were temporary camps where Roman soldiers would stay while on the move.
How to Visit Mynydd Bach Trecastell
Most of Mynydd Bach Trecastell is open country. This means that people are free to walk and explore it. An old Roman road is still used today and provides a way to get onto the hill from the nearby village of Trecastle. It's a great place for a walk and to imagine the ancient people and Roman soldiers who once walked the same paths.
