Flows
Rising below the slopes of Mynydd y Drum in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, the River Dulais is a flash flood river, which has been the driving force for over 400 years of industrial innovation.
The torrent flows down the Dulais valley for approximately 13 kilometres (8 miles), south-west through the villages of Seven Sisters and Crynant before cascading over the Aberdulais waterfall – the source of this image.
Here it joins the River Neath close to the tidal reaches near Tonna.
The gorge in which the river and waterfall now lie was formed about 20,000 years ago. As a glacier further up the valley melted, the resulting melt water slowly cut its way down through the 300-million-year-old rock. This can be seen on the west side of the gorge today.
The rock is Pennant sandstone, which is a very severely compressed bed of sand. Beneath it is a layer of coal, that has been gradually eroded by the flowing water allowing the rock above to collapse and form the Falls as we see them today.
In wet weather, and in winter, when the river is in full spate, it's a truly awesome - and noisy - spectacle. My image ‘Flow,’ tries to reflect that experience.
Flows
Rising below the slopes of Mynydd y Drum in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, the River Dulais is a flash flood river, which has been the driving force for over 400 years of industrial innovation.
The torrent flows down the Dulais valley for approximately 13 kilometres (8 miles), south-west through the villages of Seven Sisters and Crynant before cascading over the Aberdulais waterfall – the source of this image.
Here it joins the River Neath close to the tidal reaches near Tonna.
The gorge in which the river and waterfall now lie was formed about 20,000 years ago. As a glacier further up the valley melted, the resulting melt water slowly cut its way down through the 300-million-year-old rock. This can be seen on the west side of the gorge today.
The rock is Pennant sandstone, which is a very severely compressed bed of sand. Beneath it is a layer of coal, that has been gradually eroded by the flowing water allowing the rock above to collapse and form the Falls as we see them today.
In wet weather, and in winter, when the river is in full spate, it's a truly awesome - and noisy - spectacle. My image ‘Flow,’ tries to reflect that experience.