Allt yr Esgair
Allt yr Esgair is a hill in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Brecknockshire. It is commonly referred to locally as simply 'The Allt'. The Welsh-language name signifies 'wooded slope of the ridge'. It takes the form of a north-west to south-east aligned ridge which rises to a height of 1,289 feet and which overlooks the valley of the River Usk to the west and south. To the north-east are panoramic views across Llangorse Lake to the Black Mountains There is a viewfinder on the summit erected as a monument to Eirene Lloyd White, Baroness White of Rhymney.[1] It is a Marilyn with a prominence of 672 feet.
Geology
The hill is formed from sandstones and mudstones of the Senni Beds Formation of the Old Red Sandstone laid down during the Devonian period. The lower slopes are formed from mudstones and sandstones of the slightly older St Maughans Formation. A number of small sandstone quarries, now disused, adorn the slopes. The hill probably stood out above the Usk Valley glacier ice during the ice age. At a late stage in de-glaciation, the cols at either end of the ridge at the villages of Pennorth and Bwlch are believed to have conveyed water from a greatly enlarged Llangorse Lake into the Usk catchment.[2]
Access
Several bridleways run along the length of the hill giving access to walkers, horse riders and mountain-bikers. The summit area and the woodland to the north-east are open-access for walkers. A car park off the A40 road immediately south of the hill provides a convenient starting point for many walkers.
Archaeology
Allt yr Esgair's summit is crowned by an Iron Age hillfort,[3] one of several in the Usk Valley.
The Roman road between the Roman fort of Cicucuim at Brecon and Gobannium at Abergavenny runs along the ridge and is followed by a modern-day bridleway.
References
- ↑ Ordnance Survey Explorer map OL13 'Brecon Beacons National Park: eastern area'
- ↑ British Geological Survey 1:50,000 map sheet 214 'Talgarth' & accompanying sheet explanation
- ↑ "Allt-yr-Esgair Hillfort, Llangors; Allt yr Esgair Hillfort". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. 2015. http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/92158/details/ALLT-YR-ESGAIR+HILLFORT%2C+LLANGORS%3BALLT+YR+ESGAIR+HILLFORT/. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
