River Giedd facts for kids
The River Giedd (in Welsh: Afon Giedd) is an important river in Wales. It flows into the River Tawe. Most of the Giedd is found within the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog) in Powys county.
What makes the River Giedd special is that there are actually two separate rivers with the same name! They flow in the same valley but their waters never mix. It's quite unusual to find this in the British Isles.
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Discovering the Two Giedd Rivers
The upper Giedd starts high up on the southern side of a mountain called Fan Brycheiniog. This mountain is part of the Black Mountain (Y Mynydd Du). The upper Giedd flows south for about 3 kilometers (2 miles).
Where Does the Upper Giedd Go?
As the upper Giedd reaches an area of limestone rock, it suddenly disappears into the ground! The valley continues, but without the river. This dry part of the valley then crosses a different type of rock called gritstone. Here, a new stream begins to form. Other small streams join it, and this becomes the lower Giedd.
The Lower Giedd's Journey
The lower Giedd flows for about 6 kilometers (4 miles). It passes by a small village called Cwmgiedd. Finally, it joins the River Tawe at a place called Ystradgynlais in the Swansea Valley.
Uncovering the River's Secret Path
In 1970, scientists did a special test called dye tracing. They put a safe dye into the water of the upper Giedd where it disappeared into the ground. This test showed that the water from the upper Giedd actually comes out at a famous cave system called Dan-yr-Ogof. This means the water from the upper Giedd does not flow into the lower Giedd at all! They are truly separate rivers.
Meet the Giedd's Tributaries
The main stream that flows into the River Giedd is called the Nant Cyw. Its name means 'chick stream' in Welsh. The Nant Cyw itself has two smaller streams that feed into it. These are the Nant Iar, which means 'hen stream', and the Nant Ceiliog, meaning 'cockerel stream'. It's fun how their names are all about chickens!
