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Cwm Garw

It has been said, that Cwm Garw could be a derivation of Cwm Y Ceirw translated from Welsh to English , The Valley of The Deer, a section of the Swansea Valley has been named Cwm Rhyd Y Ceirw as far back as the recording of Welsh place names, translated from Welsh to English ,the ford in the valley crossed by the deer.

Personally I believe my grandfathers translation, Cwm Garw as The Rugged Valley, which begins at Brynmenin the base of the valley and climbs up to Bwlch Garw the head of the valley , encompassing twelve small valleys.

These small valleys with their , oaks ,elms, sycamore and ash trees , together with the rocky out crops add to the interesting landscape of our beautiful picturesque Garw Valley.

A specific feature of the Garw is that since its formation during the ice age ,it has remained a cul-de-sac valley because of the difficulty of traversing a roadway across the steep face of Bwlch y Garw.

Three hundred yards to the right of Cwm Gelli wern is a mound named Moel Garn consisting of large boulders and rocks , which were carried there from the Brecon Beacons and deposited during thawing of the glacial flows.This area known localy as the rocks.

T.Merlin Maddock.

Copyright T.Merlin Maddock 2002

View looking down the valley from Bwlch Y Garw

Copyright T.Merlin Maddock 2002

Arial View taken west of Pant y Gog.
(Photoraph taken by Ron Griffiths of Alexandria Road Pontycymer.)