View source for Waun Fach

{{Short description|Mountain in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Waun Fach
| photo = Waunfach.JPG
| photo_caption = Waun Fach from [[Mynydd Llysiau]]
| elevation_m = 811
| elevation_ref = 
| prominence_m = 622
| prominence_ref = 
| parent_peak = [[Pen y Fan]]
| listing = [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]], [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]
| translation = small moor
| language = [[Welsh language|Welsh]]
| pronunciation = {{IPA|cy|wai̯n ˈvaːχ|lang}}
| location = [[Black Mountains, Wales|Black Mountains]], [[South Wales]]
| range = 
| coordinates = 
| grid_ref_UK = SO215300
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 161
| type = 
| age = 
| last_eruption = 
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = 
}}

{{GB summits start}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Pen y Gadair Fawr]]|Height={{convert|800|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Pen Allt-mawr]]|Height={{convert|720|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Rhos Dirion]]|Height={{convert|713|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= sub [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Pen Cerrig-calch]]|Height={{convert|701|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Twmpa]]|Height={{convert|690|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Chwarel y Fan]]|Height={{convert|679|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{GB summits entry|Name=[[Mynydd Llysiau]]|Height={{convert|663|m|ft|0}}|Gridref=SN969193|Status= [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]], [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]}}
{{end}}

'''Waun Fach''' is, with a summit height of {{convert|811|m|ft|0}}, the highest [[mountain]] in the [[Black Mountains, Wales|Black Mountains]] in south-eastern [[Wales]]. It is one of the three [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyns]] over 600&nbsp;m that make up the range, the others being [[Black Mountain (hill)|Black Mountain]] and [[Mynydd Troed]]. To the north [[Rhos Fawr]] and the [[Radnor Forest]] can be seen. It is the third highest mountain in Britain south of [[Snowdonia]] (after [[Pen y Fan]] and its near neighbour [[Corn Du]]). It is situated at the head of the [[Grwyne Fechan]] valley, above and to the west of the [[Grwyne Fawr]] reservoir.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/135959|title=Geograph:: Grwyne Fawr Reservoir dam © Martin Wilson|website=www.geograph.org.uk}}</ref> It has an undistinguished (and almost indistinguishable<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/23972|title=Geograph:: Summit of Waun Fach © Nigel Davies cc-by-sa/2.0|website=www.geograph.org.uk}}</ref>) rounded summit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/23971|title=Geograph:: Path from Pen y Gadair Fawr to Waun Fach © Nigel Davies|website=www.geograph.org.uk}}</ref> The nearby tops on the ridge, Pen Trumau and [[Pen y Gadair Fawr]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/327184|title=Geograph:: Twyn Talycefn Cairn © David Neale cc-by-sa/2.0|website=www.geograph.org.uk}}</ref> although lower, are very much more recognisable.<ref>Nuttall, John & Anne (1999). The Mountains of England & Wales - Volume 1: Wales (2nd edition ed.). Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Cicerone. {{ISBN|1-85284-304-7}}.</ref>

== Geology ==
The summit and upper slopes of Waun Fach are formed from the [[Devonian#Subdivisions|Early Devonian Epoch]] [[sandstone]]s of the Brownstones Formation, a division of the [[Old 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 of [[peat]] which has accumulated in the postglacial period, though is much reduced through erosion in recent decades.<ref>{{cite web |title=England and Wales sheet 214 'Talgarth' |url=http://www.largeimages.bgs.ac.uk/iip/mapsportal.html?id=1001707 |website=Maps portal |publisher=British Geological Survey |access-date=17 May 2020}}</ref>

==Access==
The hill is wholly within land mapped under the [[Countryside 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 the [[bridleway]]s 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 the [[Brecon Beacons National Park Authority]], most recently through the Black Mountains Land Use Partnership in recent years, having previously become particularly damaged by use.<ref>{{cite web |title=Autumn airlifts |url=http://www.blackmountains.wales/autumn-airlifts-and-mending-mountains/ |website=Black Mountains Land use Partnership |publisher=BMLUP |access-date=17 May 2020}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* Computer generated summit panoramas:
** [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/WAL/WaunFach.gif Waun Fach] 
** [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas.html Index]
** [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3454287 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Waun Fach and surrounding area]

{{coord|51.96292|N|3.14392|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SO215300)|display=title}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref -->

{{British hills}}

[[Category:Marilyns of Wales]]
[[Category:Hewitts of Wales]]
[[Category:Nuttalls]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Wales]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of Powys]]
[[Category:Black Mountains, Wales]]
[[Category:Talgarth]]