The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park has many areas of naturally or artificially exposed rock faces. Ice-carved slopes such as Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and Fan Brycheiniog are natural inland cliffs formed thousands of years ago. In other places the action of ice or subsequent weathering has created boulder and rock slopes. Other exposures are more recent and were created by quarrying and cuttings for roads and tracks.
These cliffs create a unique environment for wildlife. The cliffs are inaccessible to people and livestock, making perfect nesting sites for peregrine falcons. The north facing cliffs are cool and have allowed uncommon alpine plants like purple saxifrage to survive in the National Park, which in past colder times would have be much more widespread. The rock faces contain cracks and small caves, providing roost sites for bats and a number of different ferns and mosses cling on to undisturbed rock faces and ledges.
Use the navigation bar on the left to explore other rock habitats.