Radnor Forest

Radnor Forest (Welsh: Fforest Clud) is a rock dome in Mid Wales, and a forest only in the mediaeval sense of an unenclosed area used for hunting.[1]

Great Rhos summit with trig point in foreground
The waterfall Water break-its-neck

The area lies to the north of the Black Mountains, Wales and to the east of the Cambrian mountains. Hergest Ridge is immediately to the south-east of the area, near the small town of Kington. The highest point in the area is Rhos Fawr or Great Rhos, a broad featureless plateau which reaches 660 metres (2,165 ft), and is equipped with a trig point to mark the summit. A similar plateau adjoining to the east, Black Mixen is the only Nuttall to have a communications mast (a radio transmitter) on its summit.[2]

There is a famous waterfall on the eastern side of the mountain, called Water Break-its-neck. It can be reached via a short road from the A44 main road from Kington to Aberystwyth, shortly after New Radnor, and there is a small car park for visitors.

Legends

According to a legend, the local people built four churches in a circle around the Radnor Forest in order to contain the last dragon in Wales, who lay sleeping in the area. The churches, at Llanfihangel Cefnllys, Llanfihangel Rhydithon (Dolau), Llanfihangel Nant Melan and Llanfihangel Cascob, were all dedicated to St Michael (Welsh: Mihangel) victor over the dragon. Some people believed that the dragon would awaken if any of the four churches were destroyed.[3]

Nearby towns

There are several small market towns at the feet of the hills, including Kington, Herefordshire and Presteigne. The latter town is in Powys and was formerly the county town of Radnorshire. The village of New Radnor sits at the southern base of the hills, and there are several other villages nearby, such as Gladestry and Cascob.


Radnor Forest from the south
Postal delivery in Radnor Forest

References

  1. ↑ "Radnor Forest, Mid Wales". Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  2. ↑ "Pumlumon". Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  3. ↑ "St Michael and the Dragon of Radnor Forest". Church in Wales, Diocese of Swansea and Brecon.

Coordinates: 52°16′N 3°10′W / 52.27°N 3.17°W / 52.27; -3.17


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