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Gateway feature, Henrhyd Falls and The Nant Llech Waterfalls Trail, near Craig-y-nos Country park, BRECON BEACONS

The carved Oak Gateway feature is situated adjacent to the metal bridge on the western side of the river Tawe where it meets the Llech at the junction of the Ynyswen/Abercraf access paths. Working with www.nononsense-interpretation.co.uk, www.thinkgraphic.co.uk and the Tawe Uchaf Community Project to interprate the waterfall walk with a Gateway feature and sound boxes. Water shaped the steep-sides of the Nant Llech creating falls, whirlpools and landslides. The impressive Henrhyd Falls crowns this gorge, at over 90ft it is the highest waterfall in South Wales.

The waterfalls of the gorge were formed near the end of the last Ice Age. Billions of gallons of glacial melt water carved out the valley, wearing away the softer mudstones and shales and leaving steps where it met harder, more durable 'Farewell Rock'. The River Llech still erodes the valley revealing the fossils of the Earth's first trees. Their study put young Victorian geologist William Logan on the path to fame. His ideas concerning the formation of these rocks helped him to be the first to map the South Wales Coal Fields. One of the leading geologists of the 19th century, Canada's highest mountain, 'Mount Logan' is named after him. The valley has a story to tell, follow the Trail to find six hidden symbols to fit the shapes cut out of this gateway.

FISH ICON The dark water of the Llech flows down the stepped valley to reach the Tawe to the right of the bridge. In late summer look for spawning 'sewin' or sea trout in the clear water. Sewin - to be used at the confluence of the two rivers, highlighting the possibility (at the right time of year) of seeing spawning salmon and sea trout. Also to highlight the meeting of the two rivers, the darker peaty waters of the Llech and cloudier pale waters of the Tawe and their close proximity to the sea.

MILL WHEEL ICON 'Y Ffactri' once worked to spin fleeces to cloth, powered by the Llech. Look for the cobbles in the path as you pass the ruins of this once busy watermill. Manual sheep shears and a mill wheel – representing the use of water power at the mill, washing, carding, spinning and cloth making.

Woodsmen clearing the valley's trees for timber would mark the passing of time by the whistles of the steam engines carrying the slate from Coelbren Quarry.

SHEARS ICON Sheep grazed under the trees of the valley, the bright shears cutting the fleeces from their backs, flashed like the scales of sewin and salmon.

FERN ICON Under the tall trees, in the shady, moist ground, grow a remarkable variety of rare ferns and mosses. In the rocks beneath, fossils of the earliest trees have lain for million so years. Celtic Rain Forest The fossil-rich rocks and rare plants of the Nant Llech make this a very special place. A rich variety of plants cloak this narrow gorge. The lack of light at the valley floor causes the trees to grow tall and thin, creating a high canopy similar to the rainforests of the Amazon basin. Beneath this canopy in an almost perpetual shade grow a variety of rare ferns and mosses. This unusual diversity of plants and fascinating geology means the Nant Llech has been recognised as a site of Special Scientific Interest. Tread quietly in the valley and you can see woodland birds like woodpeckers, warblers, wrens and tree-creepers. Dippers and wagtails are a commonly seen hunting for insects along the river.

WATERFALL ICON Water shaped the steep-sides of the Nant Llech creating stepped falls, whirlpools and landslides. Farewell Rock forms the hard lip of the waterfall – coal miners digging down to this sandstone would say 'farewell' to any mining there as no coal is found below it. ' Nant Llech' means 'slate' or 'slab gorge' in Welsh

OAK LEAF ICON The lack of light at the valley floor causes the trees to grow tall and thin, creating a high canopy similar to the rainforests of the Amazon basin. Woodsmen clearing the valley's trees for timber would mark the passing of time by the whistles of the steam engines carrying the slate from Coelbren Quarry.

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