Pistyll Rhaeadr
Waterfall in Powys, Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pistyll Rhaeadr (Welsh pronunciation: [pɪstɨ̞ɬ r̥eɨ̯adr], meaning "waterfall (of) Rhaeadr"[Note 1]) is a waterfall 4 miles (6 kilometres) from the village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in Powys, Wales, and 16 miles (26 kilometres) west of Oswestry.
| Pistyll Rhaeadr | |
|---|---|
| Llanrhaeadr Waterfall | |
Pistyll Rhaeadr. Note the natural arch in the middle. | |
  | |
| Location | Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys, Wales |
| OS grid | SJ 0726 2951 |
| Coordinates | 52°51′17.97″N 3°22′42.74″W |
| Type | Plunge |
| Total height | 240 ft (73 m) |
Description
Pistyll Rhaeadr is formed by the Afon Disgynfa (disgynfa also means "waterfall") falling, in three stages, over a 240-foot (73 m)[1] cliff-face formed from Ordovician mudstones and tuffs,[2] below which the river is known as the Afon Rhaeadr. The tallest stage is estimated at 40 metres (130 ft).[3] It is counted as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The 19th-century author George Borrow, in his book Wild Wales, remarked of the waterfall: "What shall I liken it to? I scarcely know, unless it is to an immense skein of silk agitated and disturbed by tempestuous blasts, or to the long tail of a grey courser at furious speed. I never saw water falling so gracefully, so much like thin, beautiful threads as here."
There is car-parking space near the foot of the waterfall for people who want to explore the waterfall, with a café and a B&B alongside.
The waterfall is often referred to by the media,[4][5] government sources,[6] and other sources[7] as the tallest in Wales or the tallest single drop in the United Kingdom.[8] However, it is not a single drop, and both its single drop height and its total height are surpassed by both the Devil's Appendix and Pistyll y Llyn, as well as several other waterfalls.[9][10]
See also
Notes
- i.e. the waterfall at the head of the Rhaeadr. The river name itself is from rhaeadr = "waterfall".
