Tawe Uchaf
Tawe Uchaf is a parish in Brecknockshire. Situated north-east of Ystradgynlais in the upper valley of the River Tawe (hence the name), it includes the villages of Caehopkin, Coelbren, Glyntawe, Pen-y-cae, and Ynyswen. It had a population in 2001 of 1,516.
There are many caves in the area, the most famous of them being Dan-yr-Ogof, one of the largest cave systems in western Europe and a popular attraction for visitors.
A part of Tawe Uchaf lies within Fforest Fawr Geopark and the Brecon Beacons National Park.
A complex of Bronze Age monuments known as Cerrig Duon (the "black rocks") – consisting of a stone circle, avenue, and three-stone row – and Maen Mawr (the "great stone") can be seen near the source of the Tawe at the northern end of the parish.[1]
Tawe Uchaf is also home to Craig-y-Nos Castle, a country house built in 1841 and subsequently purchased and much extended by the renowned operatic singer Adelina Patti.
Opencast coal mining is an important activity in the area.
