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The Association of British Counties

Gazetteer of
British Place Names

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Blaenau Morganwg, Glamorgan   (Traditional Area)

Blaneau Morganwg (the Glamorgan uplands) is one of the three traditional areas which the county of Glamorgan comprises - along with Gower and the Vale of Glamorgan. The mountains of Blaenau Morganwg rise like a wall round the northern edge of the Vale of Glamorgan. Everywhere the hills are furrowed with deep and secluded valleys. The industrial revolution saw this landscape become one vast workshop. Though the heavy industry has gone, the valleys remains a densely populated area with a proud industrial and mining heritage.

Type: Traditional Area
Alternative name(s): Glamorgan Uplands
Historic County : Glamorgan
Lat, Long: 51.664,-3.514
Grid Reference: SS953972
Police Area: South Wales
Council Area: Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil
Country: Wales
 Peruse Glamorgan on Wikishire

Craig-y-llyn
Craig-y-Llyn

The Glamorgan hills are buttresses to the still higher mountains of Brecknockshire. Roughly, these highlands fall into three three principal groups which may be termed eastern, western and central ranges. The central block forms a wedge-shaped mass of hills enclosed between the Neath and Cynon Rivers. At the north of this stands the county top Craig-y-Llyn (2,000 feet). Fanning out southward from this are a number of almost equally high spurs including Mynydd William Meyrick (1,755 feet), Craig-Fawr (1,824 feet) and Mynydd Caerau (1,821 feet). On either side of this central cluster are a number of parallel ridges forming the eastern and western systems. Beyond the Cynon in the east the peaks include Cefn Y Brithdir (1,460 feet), Cefn Gelligaer (1,570 feet) and Mynydd Aberdare (1,346 feet). In the west, on the other side of the River Neath is the Craig-lwyd group which at Hir Fynydd attains a height of 1578 feet. Peaks include Mynydd March-Hywel (1,371 feet) and Farteg Hill (1,155 feet). Many other hills lie outside these three broad groups. Two eminences are very conspicuous from the lowlands: The Garth (1,007 feet), north-west of Cardiff; and Mynydd Margam (1,409 feet), rising immediately behind the village.


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