Pistyll Rhaeadr
Encyclopedia
Pistyll Rhaeadr is a waterfall
, located a few miles from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
in Powys
, Wales
, twelve miles west of Oswestry
.
cliff-face, after which the river is known as the Afon Rhaeadr. The tallest stage is estimated at about 40 metres. It is counted as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
. The 19th-century author George Borrow
, in his book Wild Wales
, remarked of the waterfall: "What shall I liken it to? I scarcely know, unless it is to an immense skein of silk agitated and disturbed by tempestuous blasts, or to the long tail of a grey courser at furious speed. I never saw water falling so gracefully, so much like thin, beautiful threads as here."
There is car parking space at the foot of the waterfall for people who want to explore the waterfall, with a café and a B&B
alongside.
The waterfall is often referred to by the media, government sources, and other sources as the tallest in Wales or the tallest single drop in the United Kingdom
. However, it is not a single drop, and both its single drop height and total height are surpassed by both the Devil's Appendix
and Pistyll y Llyn
, as well as several other waterfalls.
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
, located a few miles from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant is a village in Powys, mid Wales. Population 1,470 , Welsh-speaking 65% .The village is best known as the former parish of William Morgan, then a vicar who first translated the Bible into Welsh and later rose to become a Bishop at Llandaff Cathedral and St...
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...
, twelve miles west of Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
.
Description
Pistyll Rhaeadr is formed by the Afon Disgynfa's falling, in three stages, over a 240 feet (73.2 m) SilurianSilurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
cliff-face, after which the river is known as the Afon Rhaeadr. The tallest stage is estimated at about 40 metres. It is counted as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
Seven Wonders of Wales
The Seven Wonders of Wales is a traditional list of notable landmarks in North Wales, commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:The seven wonders comprise:...
and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. The 19th-century author George Borrow
George Borrow
George Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
, in his book Wild Wales
Wild Wales
Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery is a travel book by the English Victorian gentleman writer George Borrow, , first published in 1862....
, remarked of the waterfall: "What shall I liken it to? I scarcely know, unless it is to an immense skein of silk agitated and disturbed by tempestuous blasts, or to the long tail of a grey courser at furious speed. I never saw water falling so gracefully, so much like thin, beautiful threads as here."
There is car parking space at the foot of the waterfall for people who want to explore the waterfall, with a café and a B&B
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
alongside.
The waterfall is often referred to by the media, government sources, and other sources as the tallest in Wales or the tallest single drop in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. However, it is not a single drop, and both its single drop height and total height are surpassed by both the Devil's Appendix
Devil's Appendix (waterfall)
The Devil's Appendix is the tallest single-drop waterfall in Wales and one of the tallest in the United Kingdom. It is a plunge style waterfall located on the Clogwyn y Geifr cliffs beside the Devil's Kitchen in Cwm Idwal, Snowdonia, Wales....
and Pistyll y Llyn
Pistyll y Llyn
Pistyll y Llyn is one of the tallest waterfalls in Wales and the United Kingdom. It is a horsetail style set of falls which are located in the Cambrian Mountains about 4 km from Glaspwll in Powys, Wales....
, as well as several other waterfalls.