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Geological Walk at Pontneddfechan: The Afon Nedd and Sgwd Gwladus

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This is some additional information and pictures to support the geology walk at Pontneddfechan. Take a look at the descriptions under each picture to see more information

The Localities mentioned on this post relate to the map which is included in the leaflet PDF and is repeated here to make this page easier to read. For more information and descriptions of all the localities and the start point, parking etc. please see the leaflet

To download and print this walk, please open / download the PDF version here

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The Quartzite Bed in the Bishopston Mudstone Formation at Locality 3
A block that has been drilled and as used as a sleeper to hold the railway tracks on an old small mining railway that once used the valley floor as a track The lenscap is to show the scale (its about 75mm across) putting an object in a picture to give scale is something that geologists do so that they can measure things later if needed

Fossil bivalve Carbonicola at Locality 4. These are small and not easy to spot as you can tell from the scale. They would break up if collected so you are much better to take a picture and leave them for other people to see when they visit
An entrance to old mine workings at Locality 7. IT IS NOT SAFE TO ENTER!
However if you look through with a torch or take a picture you can seen the wonderfully crafted brickwork that makes up this tunnel. This tunnel is too small for regular use by people and was probably a drainage tunnel
The top of the Twrch Sandstone Formation described at Locality 9
The fossil burrows described at Locality 12

A useful addition to your walk is the BGS Geology Viewer which is a free smartphone app to view geological maps of Britain wherever you go https://www.bgs.ac.uk/technologies/apps/igeology-app/

We hope you enjoyed this short tour at Pontneddfechan. If you’d like to learn more about our local geology, take a look at other pages on the South Wales Geologists’ Association website: www.swga.org.uk