River Garw
Encyclopedia
The River Garw runs for about 12 miles from its source in the hills north of Blaengarw
to the confluence
with the River Ogmore
and the River Llynfi
at Aberkenfig
. It is one of three main tributaries of the River Ogmore which runs through the town of Bridgend
.
s of Pontycymer
, Pantygog, Lluest/Braichycymer, Tylagwyn, Llangeinor
, Abergarw and finally the village of Brynmenyn
, where it joins the River Ogmore
.
to which its name is given, it collects a number of tributary streams along the way. These streams are listed in order of confluence
with the river from its uppermost point to its confluence with the River Ogmore.
in the valley, both from small family owned shafts and major pits alike, caused the river to become polluted and dirty with coal dust
and other chemicals to the point at which it was once entirely black in colour, earning it the mainly local nickname of the "Black River".
amongst other fish. Industrialisation of the valley resulted in their loss, but they are slowly being re-introduced as part of the valley's regeneration, after the closure of the coal mines in the 1980s and the recovery of the now useful shale through a brief period of restorative opencast mining in the 1990s.
It also runs through Bryngarw Country Park
- a managed and publicly-owned estate and nature reserve, where many types of birds can occasionally be seen.
playing fields/railway crossing, and in the lower regions of Bryngarw Country Park
(where it has become less of a problem due to the deepening off the river bed to these ends). Its tributary streams, one of which joins at the boundary of Pontycymer
and Pantygog, can turn from mere babbling brooks to raging torrents in a matter of a few minutes, and it is not unknown for this to occur very suddenly.
Blaengarw
Blaengarw is the uppermost village in the river valley of the River Garw, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales.-External links:* *...
to the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the River Ogmore
River Ogmore
The River Ogmore is a river in South Wales popular with anglers. It runs generally from north to south from the Ogmore Vale and Pentre, past Bridgend and Ogmore...
and the River Llynfi
River Llynfi
The River Llynfi, otherwise referred to as the Llynfi River or Afon Llynfi in Welsh , is one of three main tributaries of the River Ogmore or Afon Ogwr....
at Aberkenfig
Aberkenfig
Aberkenfig Aberkenfig Aberkenfig (Welsh Abercynffig, meaning mouth of the Kenfig (stream) is a village of around 2,000 people located in the County Borough of Bridgend, Wales to the north of Bridgend town.-Location:...
. It is one of three main tributaries of the River Ogmore which runs through the town of Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
.
Course
Originating in Blaengarw, it passes through the villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s of Pontycymer
Pontycymer
Pontycymer is a former mining village in Britain. It is situated in the Garw Valley, in Bridgend County Borough in south Wales. The name, sometimes spelled "Pontycymmer", is Welsh: pont signifies "bridge", while cymer signifies "confluence" of watercourses.Original signs for the village use the...
, Pantygog, Lluest/Braichycymer, Tylagwyn, Llangeinor
Llangeinor
Llangeinor is a small village located in the Garw Valley around 5 miles north of Bridgend in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. The entire village is now protected as part of a conservation area.-Transport:...
, Abergarw and finally the village of Brynmenyn
Brynmenyn
Brynmenyn is a small village located at the confluence of the Garw and Ogmore rivers in south Wales, around 4 miles north of Bridgend, and it also in the Bridgend County Borough council area. The village has its own primary school.-Transport:...
, where it joins the River Ogmore
River Ogmore
The River Ogmore is a river in South Wales popular with anglers. It runs generally from north to south from the Ogmore Vale and Pentre, past Bridgend and Ogmore...
.
Tributaries
With most of the River Garw's course running along the floor of the river valleyRiver Valley
River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...
to which its name is given, it collects a number of tributary streams along the way. These streams are listed in order of confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the river from its uppermost point to its confluence with the River Ogmore.
- Nant Cwm Gwyn
- Ffynon Daren Goch
- Nant Cwm gweinen
- Cwm Nant Hir
- Nant Gelli Wern: This brook is best known in the local area for its small waterfallWaterfallA waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
and now defunct reservoirReservoirA reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
above PontycymerPontycymerPontycymer is a former mining village in Britain. It is situated in the Garw Valley, in Bridgend County Borough in south Wales. The name, sometimes spelled "Pontycymmer", is Welsh: pont signifies "bridge", while cymer signifies "confluence" of watercourses.Original signs for the village use the...
s playing fields above Waun Bant. - Nant Forch Wen: This brook is known in the local area mainly for both its longstanding crossing point at Forch Las consisting of two railway sleepers stretching between its banks alongside a ford that leads between Forch Las and the highest area of Pantygog, and for the fact that it once filled the village of Pontycymer's own swimming baths (since demolished) which were closed in the 1970s to 1980s due to the polio scare of that time.
- Nant Garw Fechan: Best known for the minor valley to which it gives its name. This valley and its river now form a picturesque nature reserve above the village of Braichycymer
- Nant Lwyn cria
- Nant Y Cwrdu
- Nant Felin arw
- Cae Garw Drehir
Industrial Effects
The effects of coal miningCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
in the valley, both from small family owned shafts and major pits alike, caused the river to become polluted and dirty with coal dust
Coal dust
Coal dust is a fine powdered form of coal, which is created by the crushing, grinding, or pulverizing of coal. Because of the brittle nature of coal, coal dust can be created during mining, transportation, or by mechanically handling coal.-Explosions:...
and other chemicals to the point at which it was once entirely black in colour, earning it the mainly local nickname of the "Black River".
Wildlife
The River Garw once contained SalmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
amongst other fish. Industrialisation of the valley resulted in their loss, but they are slowly being re-introduced as part of the valley's regeneration, after the closure of the coal mines in the 1980s and the recovery of the now useful shale through a brief period of restorative opencast mining in the 1990s.
It also runs through Bryngarw Country Park
Bryngarw Country Park
Bryngarw Country Park is made up of 48 hectares and is situated on the west bank of the Afon Garw, at the mouth of the Garw Valley in the Bridgend County Borough, Wales, UK....
- a managed and publicly-owned estate and nature reserve, where many types of birds can occasionally be seen.
Flood Risks
During periods of prolonged heavy rain, the River Garw quite commonly bursts its shallow banks, causing minor flooding in all villages along its length. As the villages are mostly up on the valley sides, this doesn't have any significant effect, save for a few places; a house that once stood next to what is now a small footbridge across the river near the children's playground on the valley floor at Pantygog was demolished some years ago due to constant flooding from the river. The river has also been known to flood the playground area at Braichycymmer, and sometimes becomes hazardous near the LlangeinorLlangeinor
Llangeinor is a small village located in the Garw Valley around 5 miles north of Bridgend in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. The entire village is now protected as part of a conservation area.-Transport:...
playing fields/railway crossing, and in the lower regions of Bryngarw Country Park
Bryngarw Country Park
Bryngarw Country Park is made up of 48 hectares and is situated on the west bank of the Afon Garw, at the mouth of the Garw Valley in the Bridgend County Borough, Wales, UK....
(where it has become less of a problem due to the deepening off the river bed to these ends). Its tributary streams, one of which joins at the boundary of Pontycymer
Pontycymer
Pontycymer is a former mining village in Britain. It is situated in the Garw Valley, in Bridgend County Borough in south Wales. The name, sometimes spelled "Pontycymmer", is Welsh: pont signifies "bridge", while cymer signifies "confluence" of watercourses.Original signs for the village use the...
and Pantygog, can turn from mere babbling brooks to raging torrents in a matter of a few minutes, and it is not unknown for this to occur very suddenly.
External links
- BARS - knotweed problem
- http://www.garwvalley.co.uk/
- http://www.merlin-the-wizard.freeserve.co.uk/cwmgarw/cwmgarw.html
- http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commondata/acrobat/ogmoresap__e_827821.pdf#search=%22River%20Garw%22
- http://www.changingplaces.org.uk/index.asp?page=64
- http://www.cambridge.org/resources/0521614899/3033_2553_Ch18Exts.doc
- Photos of the River Garw on geograph.org.uk