River Hepste

From Wikishire
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Sgwd yr Eira, River Hepste

The River Hepste is a Brecknockshire river wholly within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Its headwaters, the Afon y Waun, Nant y Cwrier and Nant Hepste Fechan, rise on the Old Red Sandstone dip-slopes of Fforest Fawr and combine to form the Hepste near the farmstead of Hepste Fechan. It enters onto the Carboniferous Limestone outcrop near this point and sections of its course downstream remain dry in all but flood conditions as the flow disappears underground. The river flows over the Millstone Grit outcrop from some way beyond Hepste Bridge.[1][2]

The Hepste plunges over a band of resistant gritstone to form Sgwd yr Eira. A public footpath runs behind this fall, making it one of the most popular destinations in the Waterfall Country. One mile downstream of the fall, the river joins the River Mellte near to the village of Ystradfellte.

Outside links

References

  1. Ordnance Survey Explorer map sheet 12 'Brecon Beacons National Park: western area'
  2. British Geological Survey 1:50,000 map no 231 'Merthyr Tydfil' & accompanying memoir

This Brecknockshire article is a stub: help to improve Wikishire by building it up.