Pistyll Rhaeadr (, meaning "spring of the waterfall") is a
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...
from the village of
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant () is a village, community and an ecclesiastical parish in the extreme north of Powys, Wales; about 9 miles west of Oswestry and 12 miles south of Llangollen, on the B4580. It lies near the foothills of the Berwyn mountains ...
in
Powys
Powys (; ) is a county and preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh successor state, petty kingdom and principality that emerged during the Middle Ages following the end of Roman rule in Britain.
Geog ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, and west of
Oswestry.
Description
Pistyll Rhaeadr is formed by the
Afon Disgynfa falling, in three stages, over a
Silurian cliff-face, below which the river is known as the
Afon Rhaeadr. The tallest stage is estimated at about 40 metres. 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
George Henry Borrow (5 July 1803 – 26 July 1881) was an English writer of novels and of travel based on personal experiences in Europe. His travels gave him a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe, who figure strongly in his work. Hi ...
, in his book ''
Wild Wales
''Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery'' is a travel book by the English Victorian gentleman writer George Borrow (1803–1881), first published in 1862.
The book recounts Borrow's personal experiences and insights while touring 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, government sources, and other sources as the tallest in Wales or the tallest single drop in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. 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.
See also
*
List of waterfalls of the United Kingdom
References
External links
www.pistyllrhaeadr.co.ukBBC NE Wales Seven Wonders of WalesPhotos of Pistyll Rhaeadr on geograph
{{Seven Wonders of Wales
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Clwyd
Landmarks in Wales
Tourist attractions in Powys
Waterfalls of Powys
Natural arches of Wales
WRhaeadr