River Sawdde facts for kids
The Afon Sawdde is a lovely river located in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It flows through some amazing places. Most of its journey takes it through the Brecon Beacons National Park. It also passes through the Fforest Fawr Geopark. This area is famous for its unique rocks and landscapes.
Where the Afon Sawdde Begins: Llyn y Fan Fach
The Afon Sawdde river starts high up on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain. It flows about 18 kilometers (11 miles) in different directions. First north, then west, then northwest. Finally, it joins the River Towy near Llangadog.
The very beginning of the river is a lake called Llyn y Fan Fach. This lake was formed a long time ago during the Ice Age. It sits in a deep, bowl-shaped valley called a cwm. This cwm is right below a mountain peak named Bannau Sir Gaer.
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Llyn y Fan Fach is famous for a special reason. It is linked to the legend of the Lady of the Lake. This is a very old Welsh story from the Middle Ages. It tells tales of magic and mystery connected to the lake.
River Friends: Tributaries and Geology
The Afon Sawdde has several smaller rivers that join it. These are called tributaries. On its right side, it gets water from the Nant Crynfe and the Afon Llechach. On its left side, it is joined by the Afon Meilwch, Afon Clydach, and Sawdde Fechan.
Part of the river's path is very interesting for scientists. The A4069 road follows the river closely for a few kilometers. Especially where the river goes into a wooded gorge. This is between Rhyd-y-saint and Pont Newydd.
In this part, you can see many rocks from the Devonian and Silurian periods. These rocks are very old. They are exposed in the riverbed and along its sides. Because of these special rocks, this area is protected. It is known as a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's a really important place for studying Earth's history.
What's in a Name? The River's Meaning
The name of the river, Afon Sawdde, might come from a Welsh word. The word 'sawdd' means 'sinking'. It could also be named after a person.
One of its tributaries is called the Clydach. There are many rivers named Clydach in South Wales. This name probably comes from an old Celtic word. It might be 'klou' or 'kleu', with an Irish ending '-ach'. This suggests a 'strong-flowing' or 'stony' river. It could also mean a 'washing' river.
