Waun Lefrith
| Waun Lefrith | |
|---|---|
 Waun Lefrith from Picws Du | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 677 m (2,221 ft) |
| Prominence | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Parent peak | Picws Du |
| Listing | Nuttall |
| Coordinates | 51°52′47″N 3°44′57″W / 51.8796°N 3.7492°W |
| Naming | |
| English translation | milk bog |
| Language of name | Welsh |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Parent range | Brecon Beacons |
| OS grid | SN825217 |
Waun Lefrith is a top of Picws Du and is also the westernmost of the Carmarthen Fans or Bannau Sir Gaer, a group of peaks within the Black Mountain of the Brecon Beacons National Park. It lies within the county of Carmarthenshire. The summit plateau of the mountain reaches a height of 2221 feet above sea level. Picws Du is the other, higher summit of the Bannau Sir Gaer / Carmarthen Fans.[1] The glacial lake of Llyn y Fan Fach dominates the panorama to the north of the peak. Beyond the lake to the north lies the Usk Reservoir and then the Cambrian Mountains on the horizon.
Geology
Waun Lefrith is formed from the sandstones and mudstones of the Brownstones Formation of the Old Red Sandstone laid down during the Devonian period. Its southern slopes are formed from the hard-wearing sandstones of the overlying Plateau Beds Formation which are of upper/late Devonian age. It is those rocks which form vertical crags along the top edge of the scarp. The northern face of Waun Lefrith was home to a glacier during the ice ages which gouged out the cwm in which Llyn y Fan Fach now sits. This empties via the Afon Sawdde into the River Towy. The southern slopes drain via the Twrch Fechan, the Nant Menyn and Nant Lluestau into the Afon Twrch and so into the River Tawe.[2] Large moraines occur to the east of the summit at the base of the scarp, and below the prominent peak of Picws Du as well as those damming the Lake.
Access
The entire mountain is open country and so freely accessible to walkers. The most popular path of ascent is that from the car park at the foot of the water board road running steeply up to Llyn y Fan Fach and over which lake the mountain looms. It lies to the east of the small village of Llanddeusant. However, the road is in very bad condition for car travel, and poorly signposted. The ridge running up to the peak starts at the dam on the lake (where there is a small refuge hut) and rises west up the hill before turning along the edge of the cliff above the lake.
The high level route of the Beacons Way from Llangadog to Abergavenny runs over Waun Lefrith whilst the low level route runs along the foot of its northern escarpment to the small glacial lake of Llyn y Fan Fach. Most of the upper part of the mountain is covered with peat bogs, but the footpath is protected at some points by stone pavements. The footpath from Llanddeusant avoids the parallel tarmacked road to the dam, rising along the ridge which leads directly to the summit.
Wildlife
There are numerous different species of bird in the area, and they include the red kite, common buzzard, kestrel, carrion crow, common raven and skylark to name a few of the most obvious residents. The red kite was previously restricted to this and adjoining areas in South Wales such as Mynydd Mallaen, but has since been introduced widely in southern Britain, such as the Chilterns. It is now present in many parts of the country as a result of the reintroduction project. The kestrel and buzzard are widely distributed, but the raven is restricted to the higher mountains.