| Waun Fach | |
|---|---|
 Waun Fach fromMynydd Llysiau | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 811 m (2,661 ft) |
| Prominence | 622 m (2,041 ft) |
| Parent peak | Pen y Fan |
| Listing | Marilyn,Hewitt,Nuttall |
| Naming | |
| English translation | small moor |
| Language of name | Welsh |
| Pronunciation | Welsh:[wai̯nˈvaːχ] |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Black Mountains,South Wales |
| OS grid | SO215300 |
| Topo map | OSLandranger 161 |
| Name | Grid ref | Height | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pen y Gadair Fawr | SN969193 | 800 metres (2,625 ft) | Hewitt,Nuttall |
| Pen Allt-mawr | SN969193 | 720 metres (2,362 ft) | Hewitt,Nuttall |
| Rhos Dirion | SN969193 | 713 metres (2,339 ft) | subHewitt,Nuttall |
| Pen Cerrig-calch | SN969193 | 701 metres (2,300 ft) | Hewitt,Nuttall |
| Twmpa | SN969193 | 690 metres (2,264 ft) | Hewitt,Nuttall |
| Chwarel y Fan | SN969193 | 679 metres (2,228 ft) | Hewitt,Nuttall |
| Mynydd Llysiau | SN969193 | 663 metres (2,175 ft) | Hewitt,Nuttall |
Waun Fach is, with a summit height of 811 metres (2,661 ft), the highestmountain in theBlack Mountains in south-easternWales. It is one of the threeMarilyns over 600 m that make up the range, the others beingBlack Mountain andMynydd Troed. To the northRhos Fawr and theRadnor Forest can be seen. It is the third highest mountain in Britain south ofSnowdonia (afterPen y Fan and its near neighbourCorn Du). It is situated at the head of theGrwyne Fechan valley, above and to the west of theGrwyne Fawr reservoir.[1] It has an undistinguished (and almost indistinguishable[2]) rounded summit.[3] The nearby tops on the ridge, Pen Trumau andPen y Gadair Fawr,[4] although lower, are very much more recognisable.[5]
The summit and upper slopes of Waun Fach are formed from theEarly Devonian Epochsandstones of the Brownstones Formation, a division of theOld Red Sandstone. Beneath these and forming the lower slopes are the sandstones of the Senni Formation (traditionally the Senni Beds).Mudstone layers within these sandstones are more readily eroded and have given rise to the stepped appearance of parts of the mountain. No rocks are exposed around its summit as this is covered by a thick layer ofpeat which has accumulated in the postglacial period, though is much reduced through erosion in recent decades.[6]
The hill is wholly within land mapped under theCountryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 as open country and hence is legally available to walkers despite there being no public rights of way leading to it. Mountain bikers and horseriders can follow thebridleways which lead to the 617m high col south of Pen Trumau but have no legal access to the hill itself. The paths approaching from the north and west have been repaired and improved by theBrecon Beacons National Park Authority, most recently through the Black Mountains Land Use Partnership in recent years, having previously become particularly damaged by use.[7]
51°57′47″N3°08′38″W / 51.96292°N 3.14392°W /51.96292; -3.14392
| Northern Highlands (20) |    | |
|---|---|---|
| Western Highlands (20) | ||
| Central and Eastern Highlands (13) | ||
| Southern Highlands (15) | ||
| Islands (13) | ||
| Scottish Lowlands, England and Wales (13) | ||
| Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland (25) | ||
