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Mawr/Swansea Uplands

Mawr/Swansea Uplands: including Cefn Drum, Graig Fawr, Goppa Hill, Pentwyn Mawr, Mynydd Pysgodlyn, Mynydd Y Gwair, Land northwest of Clydach, Banc Darren Fawr.

This is an enormous area of common land in the north of Swansea. There are fabulous views from this high, open moorland. It is largely bracken dominated apart from Mynydd Pysgodlyn which has heather and bilberry.

There is a prehistoric funerary and ritual site adjacent to the road at the highest point. The area is extensively grazed by commoners' livestock. The highest point in Swansea, Penlle'r Castell which is 371m above sea level, lies in the northern most part of this area on Mynydd Y Gwair.

Goppa Hill, mainly a northwest facing slope has mixed habitats of woodland, open moorland and a stream running in the bottom of the valley on the northern edge of the site. Brynbach lies to the south of Goppa Hill and is open moorland with criss-crossing paths.

Highlights

This is predominantly an area of open moorland with fine views - a tonic for those seeking wilderness and space. Raven and kestrel.

Designations

  • Graig Fawr is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
  • This whole area is part of large Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC, Banc Darren Fawr)
  • Open Access Land
  • Scheduled Ancient Monument GM022 - Round Barrow

Access information

Grid Reference SNS655070
OS Explorer Map 165 Swansea

Footpaths

Rights of way are few aside from St Illtyd's Way which runs across Craig Fawr. However, all these commons are open access land and there are several roads and tracks crossing them.

Buses

Easiest access by bus to the Swansea Uplands from Swansea is via Pontarddulais.

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