Waun Fach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waun Fach
Waun Fach from Mynydd Llysiau
Highest point
Elevation	811 m (2,661 ft)
Prominence	622 m (2,041 ft)
Parent peak	Pen y Fan
Listing	Marilyn, Hewitt, Nuttall
Naming
English translation	small moor
Language of name	Welsh
Geography
Location	Black Mountains, South Wales
OS grid	SO215300
Topo map	OS Landranger 161

Waun Fach is the highest mountain in the Black Mountains in south-eastern Wales. It stands tall at 811 meters (about 2,661 feet). This makes it one of the most important peaks in the area.

It is also the second highest mountain in Britain south of Snowdonia. Only Pen y Fan is taller in this part of the country. Waun Fach is located at the top of the Grwyne Fechan valley. It sits above and to the west of the Grwyne Fawr reservoir.

The top of Waun Fach is rounded and can be hard to spot from a distance. However, other nearby peaks like Pen Trumau and Pen y Gadair Fawr are easier to recognize.

What is Waun Fach Made Of?

The top parts of Waun Fach are made from a type of rock called sandstone. This sandstone comes from a very old time called the Early Devonian Epoch. It is part of a larger rock group known as the Brownstones Formation.

Below these rocks, the lower slopes are made of sandstones from the Senni Formation. There are also layers of mudstone mixed in. These mudstone layers wear away more easily. This is why parts of the mountain look like they have steps.

The very top of Waun Fach is covered by a thick layer of peat. Peat is a type of soil made from decayed plants. It has built up since the last ice age. However, some of this peat has worn away in recent years due to weather.

How to Visit Waun Fach

Waun Fach is a great place for walkers to explore. The entire hill is part of "open country" land. This means people can legally walk there, even if there isn't a marked public path.

If you enjoy mountain biking or horse riding, there are special paths called bridleways. These paths lead to a lower area south of Pen Trumau. However, these paths do not go directly to the very top of Waun Fach.

The paths leading to Waun Fach from the north and west have been fixed up. The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has worked to improve them. This helps protect the mountain and makes it easier for people to visit.

Images for kids

• Https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/135959

  Grwyne Fawr reservoir

• Https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/23972

  Waun Fach's summit from a distance

• Https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/23971

  The rounded summit of Waun Fach

• Https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/327184

  Pen y Gadair Fawr, a nearby peak