SGWD HENRHYD (HENRHYD WATERFALL), COELBREN, POWYS.

BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK

"The highest waterfall in south Wales"

Sgwd Henrhyd is the highest waterfall in south Wales at 90ft, (27 metres). The falls are on the Nant Llech (a tributary of the River Tawe) on the edge of the south Wales coalfield, the layer of sandstone rock at the top is known to miners as the Farewell Rock, when their pick hit this rock, they could say farewell to the coal seam on which they were working. 

The waterfall is famous as a film location, the final scene of the Batman film 'The Dark Knight Rises' was filmed here where the waterfall acts as the curtain of water in front of the batcave. The waterfall scene from the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was also filmed at this location. 

Robin standing outside the Batcave at the end of the film  'The Dark Knight Rises'  

Inside the Batcave as depicted in the film 'The Dark Knight Rises'  

THE VIDEO BELOW (LINK TO YOUTUBE) IS THE ENDING OF THE FILM WHICH INCLUDES THE WATERFALL

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William Logan was born in Montreal, Lower Canada (now Quebec), and educated at the High School in Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh (graduated 1817). He started teaching himself geology in 1831, when he took over the running of a copper works in Swansea. He produced a geological map of the south Wales coalfield based on this research. In 1840 he presented to the Geological Society of London his paper "On the character of the beds of clay lying immediately below the coal-seams of South Wales, and on the occurrence of coal-boulders in the Pennant Grit of that district." This paper suggested his opinion that the layer of clay under the coalfield was the old soil in which grew the plants from which the coal was formed.

After his retirement in 1869 he settled in Pembrokeshire in west Wales and died at Castell Malgwyn, the home of his sister, Elizabeth Gower. He was interred in the churchyard in the village of Cilgerran.

Logan surveyed the valley in 1838 and removed fossilised trees from the area. These fossils can now be seen outside Swansea Museum.

"These fossil trees were exposed by William Logan while excavating in the coal measures of Cwm Llech near Coelbren in 1838. He presented them to Swansea Museum, where they still stand, in the garden to the right of the building. It is said that if Mr Logan had the ability to speak Welsh it would have greatly helped him in conversing with miners and local people and there is some evidence that he at least tried to learn the language; he did own a Primer and may have gained a smattering
of knowledge but, although a talented linguist, he had difficulties with Welsh as a comment in his journal showed he found a Canadian Indian language 'nearly as unintelligible' as Welsh. While exploring the region of Cwm Llech, Coelbren, he discovered on 3 April 1833 four vertical fossil trees (Sigillariae). Two of these were donated to the Institution (Swansea Museum)"

Canada's highest mountain Mount Logan (5959mts 19,551ft) is named after William Logan

(Postcode SA10 9PG will get you close enough to the location to allow you to follow the signposts to the car park)

OS Grid ref: SN853121

By train: The nearest main line train station is Neath 18 miles (30km) and a bus can be caught direct to Coelbren from near there. Aberdare train station is 15 miles away and easiest if travelling with a cycle but avoid this route if your onward journey is to be by bus.

By Bus: The X58 service from Swansea and Neath runs every hour during daytime (except Sundays) to Coelbren (1/2 mile/0.75km walk).

By road: From the M4 - Junction 43 - A465 to Glynneath - A4109 signposted Onllwyn - head towards Abercarve on the A4221 follow the brown signposts.

By road: From the Swansea Valley (Swansea to Brecon A4067 road) Signposted from the A4067 at Abercrave and the A4221 by brown tourist signs.

There are no official picnic sites or toilet facilities at the location. 

Illustrated right the route map and overview of the area from the National Trust information board at the car park

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