River Ely

The River Ely rises in the hills south of Tonypandy and flows southeast for about thirty-nine kilometres to Cardiff Bay. It begins near Mynydd Penygraig and Mynydd y Gilfach, then passes through Tonyrefail and the grounds of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. The river follows the A4119 through a valley between Mynydd Garthmaelwg and Llantrisant. Near Talbot Green it is joined by the Afon Clun, its only large tributary. After crossing farmland it reaches St Fagans National History Museum before entering Cardiff Bay at Penarth Marina. The river once suffered severe pollution from untreated sewage and industrial waste, especially from Coedely coke ovens and a paper mill. Large volumes of effluent made parts of the estuary anoxic and blocked migrating fish. Clean-up efforts by the National Rivers Authority, Environment Agency Wales and Dŵr Cymru / Welsh Water have allowed fish to return. Roach, brown trout, perch, chub, eel, grayling, sea trout, salmon and barbel now live in the river. A cycleway called the Ely Trail runs beside the river, giving city dwellers access to the countryside. The trail links western Cardiff with rural areas and offers a commuting route into the city centre. The river passes villages such as Peterston-super-Ely and St Fagans, then flows through Fairwater, Caerau and Grangetown. Near the mouth, the old Ely Subway once carried dock workers under the river before it closed in 1965.