Chwarel y Fan is a peak in the Black Mountains in south-eastern

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. It is the highest rise on the long ridge which extends southeastwards from Rhos Dirion. The ridge continues southeastwards to the lesser summit of Bal-Mawr whose top is adorned by a

trig point A triangulation station, also known as a trigonometrical point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity. The station is usually set up by a map ...

at above sea level. About southeast along the ridge is the lesser top of Bal-Bach at a height of just over . Chwarel y Fan is the

county top The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation. These lists are used for peak bagging, whereby hillwalkers attempt ...

of the historic county of

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

, and is also the highest point in the current local government area of

. The summit is on a thin ridge and is crowned by a

cairn A cairn is a human-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound. The word ''cairn'' comes from the (plural ). Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehistory, t ...

. On the other sides of the valleys: to the west is Pen Twyn Mawr and to the east is Black Mountain.Nuttall, John & Anne (1999). The Mountains of England & Wales - Volume 1: Wales (2nd edition ed.). Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Cicerone. .

References

External links

www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Waun Fach and surrounding area
Black Mountains, Wales Mountains and hills of Powys Hewitts of Wales Nuttalls Highest points of Welsh counties