Top 13 Natural Monuments around Ystalyfera

Path to falls currently closed due to a landslide. Can see the falls from a distance from the top path

Cribarth or otherwise known as the sleeping giant as it resembles a sleeping giant.

Known as The sleeping giant The summit lies on the broken ridge at an elevation of 428 m. To its west is a 426-metre-high (1,398 ft) rounded top at SN 829144 which lies just to the northwest of a mile-long ridge that forms the main bulk of the hill. The ridge attains a height of 423 m (1,388 ft) at its southwest end and this spot is marked by a trig point

Garreg Las (Twyn-Swnd) is on the west side of the Black Mountain range, and it is visited far less often than many peaks in the Brecon Beacons. Its remoteness is its draw for me; rarely will you be unindated with a host of other walkers here. It is also hansomely topped by a pair of substansive, rocky ancient cairns. You can come across from the car park on the A4069 Brynaman Road or come up from Llanddeusant; both are equally as appealing, but the Llanddeusant route takes the top slot if you go back via Llyn y Fan Fach; this route has the best views. The views from the summit itself are like the location: raw and remote, but I love the place. It is a good area for a bit of navigation practice. At 635 metres high, it is a UK-listed Nuttall and Hewitt. Tip: Any Welsh place name with Llan in it means it has a church. In this case, Llanddeusant means the church with two saints.

Henrhyd Falls in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, is the tallest waterfall in southern Wales with a drop of 90 feet. It lies on National Trust land, in the traditional county of Brecknockshire. The nearest settlement to it is Coelbren, on the road between Glynneath and Abercraf.

Herbert’s Quarry is part of the Black Mountain and Mynydd Myddfai Registered Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest in Wales. Unlike in other lime producing areas where canals and tramroads could be built, the industry at Herbert’s Quarry was served solely by road transport. The lime trade was a factor in the development of Turnpike roads, and the network of tracks and roads over the mountain is closely associated with the activity at Herbert’s Quarry. As you walk through the site you are taking a journey through time, and walking in the footsteps of many hundreds and thousands of people before you, people whose hard work, sweat and drudgery shaped this landscape and left a rich industrial legacy.

I approached to realise the trig point for surprise as I’d made a Bee line for the giants head!! Absolutely stunning hike!!

Melincourt Falls (Sgwd Rhyd Yr Hesg in Welsh) seemed to be one of the unsung waterfalls in an area of South Wales known as Waterfall Country. I suspect the reason why this falls wasn’t as well known as the others was that it was not part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Actually, it was in its own reserve managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales towards the head of the Vale of Neath. So I’d imagine it kind of fell off the radar for most of the literature let alone tourist itineraries! When I saw the 80ft (24m) waterfall in person, I was quite surprised at how similar looked to the nearby Sgwd Henrhyd!! One that you can also walk behind unknown to most.