Coed Tal y Fan

Craig Tal-y-fan (Tal-y-fan mountainside) and the extensive ancient woodlands on it is Coed Tal-y-Fan (Tal y Fan woods), can be found south east of Melin Ifan Ddu (Blackmill).

Pre-16th century historic boundaries of Cymru were called ‘Cantrefi’, (derived from the Welsh “Cant” meaning a hundred); it was a unit of land made up of 100 small villages or settlements known as a cwmwd (commot in English) meaning ‘community’ ultimately deriving from the same root as Cymru—comrad.

Melin Ifan Ddu lies in the old cantref of Gorfynydd and the cwmwd of Glynogwr in the ancient kingdom of Morganwg also known as Glamorgan. Interestingly Glamorgan derives from Gladforgan meaning Gwlad Morgan, ‘land of Morgan’. Morganwg derives from Morgan ei wg, where ‘ei’ his and “wg” was a common Welsh termination for land meaning ‘Morgan’s land’.

Coed Tal-y-Fan is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) as an example of an old sessile oak woodland. Quercus petraea, in Cymraeg – Derw Digoes ( Sessile or durmast oak ) is one of two Oaks that are native to the UK, petraea meaning “of rocky places”.  It has been designated as the Welsh national tree, hence referred to as the Welsh Oak! The Sessile Oak leaves are broad with evenly lobed leaves that are stalked and acorns that are stalk-less (sessile) hence the common name.

The ground flora is restricted by the relative dryness of the site and the acidic ground. The woodlands have a long cultural history of management, reflected in the distinctive gnarled appearance of many of the trees.

There is a public right of way through the woodlands, a route i have walked through regularly, this art piece reflects my winter walks throughout 2020 and the Covid lockdown.

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