Afon Llia
Encyclopedia
The Afon Llia is a short river
in Powys
, Wales
and which is wholly contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Several streams draining the eastern slopes of Fan Nedd
and the western slopes of Fan Dringarth in the Fforest Fawr
section of the national park meet to form the river which then flows southwards for 5km / 3mi to its confluence
with the Afon Dringarth
, the combined waters continuing south as the Afon Mellte.
The origin of the river name is obscure but may derive from a Welsh
word 'llai' or 'lleiaf' for 'less' or 'least' but also be connected with 'llyfu' or 'llyo' - to 'lick' or 'lap'.
The river flows over ground formed from Old Red Sandstone
rocks laid down during the Devonian period. The valley was inundated by ice during the last glacial period as evidenced by the low mounds of moraine
present in the valley and through which the river has since cut.
escarpment which stretches from Llandeilo
east to Abergavenny
. The presence of a standing stone
, Maen Llia
, presumed to date from the Bronze Age
near the valley head suggests that it has been used as an ancient trackway
route for several thousand years. The Romans
constructed a Roman road
, Sarn Helen
, between Neath
and Brecon
through this valley and the Swansea
to Brecon turnpike
was pushed through here in the 19th century. The remains of 'Castell Coch' - the 'red castle' - sit in the fork between the Llia and the neighbouring Afon Dringarth.
There is a car park and picnic area provided by the Forestry Commission
at Blaen Llia beside the river which provides a useful base for walkers wanting to explore the river, its valley and the adjacent peaks.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and which is wholly contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Several streams draining the eastern slopes of Fan Nedd
Fan Nedd
Fan Nedd is a mountain in the Fforest Fawr area of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. In common with the rest of the Fforest Fawr uplands it is within the county of Powys....
and the western slopes of Fan Dringarth in the Fforest Fawr
Fforest Fawr
Fforest Fawr is the name given to an extensive upland area in the county of Powys, Wales. Formerly known as the 'Great Forest of Brecknock' in English, it was a royal hunting area for several centuries but is now used primarily for sheep grazing, forestry, water catchment and recreation...
section of the national park meet to form the river which then flows southwards for 5km / 3mi to its confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the Afon Dringarth
Afon Dringarth
The Afon Dringarth is a river in Powys, Wales and wholly contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park. Its headwater streams drain the eastern slopes of Fan Dringarth, the southern slopes of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and the western slopes of Fan Fawr...
, the combined waters continuing south as the Afon Mellte.
The origin of the river name is obscure but may derive from a Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
word 'llai' or 'lleiaf' for 'less' or 'least' but also be connected with 'llyfu' or 'llyo' - to 'lick' or 'lap'.
The river flows over ground formed from Old Red Sandstone
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
rocks laid down during the Devonian period. The valley was inundated by ice during the last glacial period as evidenced by the low mounds of moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
present in the valley and through which the river has since cut.
Historical route
The valley of the Llia provides one of the lower passes (summit height 446m) through the Old Red SandstoneOld Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
escarpment which stretches from Llandeilo
Llandeilo
Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th century stone bridge. Its population is 1,731.The town is served by Llandeilo railway station on the Heart of Wales Line.- Early history :...
east to Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
. The presence of a standing stone
Standing stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
, Maen Llia
Maen Llia
Maen Llia is a standing stone which sits on moorland at OS grid reference SN 924192 in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the county of Powys in South Wales. The stone which is composed of Old Red Sandstone measures 3.7m high by 2.8m wide by 0.6m . It is roughly diamond-shaped and is partly...
, presumed to date from the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
near the valley head suggests that it has been used as an ancient trackway
Ancient trackway
Ancient trackway can refer to any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity. Such paths existed from the earliest prehistoric times and in every inhabited part of the globe...
route for several thousand years. The Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
constructed a Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
, Sarn Helen
Sarn Helen
right|thumb|250px|A section of Sarn Helen near Betws-y-coed.Sarn Helen was a Roman road in Wales, running from Aberconwy in the north to Carmarthen in the south.It was some 160 miles in length...
, between Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
and Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
through this valley and the Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
to Brecon turnpike
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
was pushed through here in the 19th century. The remains of 'Castell Coch' - the 'red castle' - sit in the fork between the Llia and the neighbouring Afon Dringarth.
There is a car park and picnic area provided by the Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
at Blaen Llia beside the river which provides a useful base for walkers wanting to explore the river, its valley and the adjacent peaks.