Craig y Llyn

Craig y Llyn stands in the upper Vale of Neath, south of Rhigos village. It is the highest point in the old county of Glamorgan and the southern Welsh coalfield plateau. The summit lies in Neath Port Talbot while the eastern slopes belong to Rhondda Cynon Taf. A sandstone cliff drops steeply to a small lake on the northern side. The hill is mostly covered by forest, with open rock faces on the north and northeast. The site is recognised for two special habitats and a rare plant called water lobelia. Standing water supports aquatic plants that grow in low-nutrient lakes, some of which are not found further south in the UK. Dry heath grows on the slopes above the lakes. Two glacial tarns, Llyn Fach and Llyn Fawr, lie in cwms on the northern flanks. These are the southernmost glacial tarns in Great Britain. A trig point marks the summit of Craig y Llyn. Several footpaths cross near the top, including the Coed Morgannwg Way. The mountain is often called Rhigos Mountain after the village on its northern side. The lakes and slopes form part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.