River Taff

River Taff (Afon Taf)
River
The Taff flowing through Llandaff. Llandaff Rowing Club and a large weir lie in the distance
Countries	United Kingdom, Wales
Region	South Wales
County	Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cardiff
Tributaries
- left	Afon Bargoed Taf
- right	Afon Cynon, Rhondda River
Cities	Merthyr Tydfil, Treharris, Pontypridd, Cardiff
Source
- location	Cefn-Coed-y-Cymer, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Length	64.0 km (40 mi)

Part of the River Taff, running through Cardiff

A weir and footbridge over the River Taff (Cardiff)

Waterfall on the Taff

Not to be confused with the River Tâf in Pembrokeshire.

The River Taff (Welsh: Afon Taf) is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan (Little Taff) and the Taf Fawr (Big Taff) — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil. The river supports a number of migratory fish, including salmon, sea trout, and eel.

Course

From its confluence at Cefn-Coed-y-Cymer, the river flows south, passing several towns. It picks up a few tributaries, such as the River Cynon, River Rhondda, Bargoed Taf and Nant Clydach. It flows underneath the M4 Motorway, before turning southeastward and flowing through the Cardiff suburbs of Radyr, Whitchurch, Llandaff, Pontcanna, the city centre and Grangetown, before emptying into Cardiff Bay, near to the mouth of the River Ely.

Taf Fawr

The Taf Fawr rises below Corn Du, south-west of Pen y Fan and flows south through Beacons Reservoir, Cantref Reservoir and Llwyn-on Reservoir.

Taff Fechan

The Taff Fechan rises immediately to the south of Pen y Fan and runs southwards through the two Neuadd Reservoirs, Pentwyn Reservoir and finally Pontsticill reservoir before descending into a wooded gorge and flowing south-westwards around the Gurnos estate. To the south of Cefn-coed-y-cymmer, the Taf Fechan and Taf Fawr merge at the wooded confluence that gives Cefn-coed-y-cymmer its name.

Tributaries

Nant Ffrwd

Underneath Cefn Viaduct, the Nant Ffrwd, a tributary that runs eastward in a deep wooded gorge before flowing into the Taf Faw above the confluence with the Taf Fechan , emerges into the river from a deep, narrow gorge.

Nant Morlais and Nant Rhydycar

The Taff continues south through the centre of Merthyr Tydfil, where it is joined by the Nant Morlais which emerges at Abermorlais from a culvert in the east bank. Just south of Merthyr weir, the Nant Rhydycar joins.

Taff Bargoed, Cynon, Nant Clydach and Rhondda

South of Merthyr, the Taff begins to meander its way between Pentrebach and Abercanaid and through Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Vale and Aberfan towards Quakers Yard. Here, the Taff Bargoed and then down into Abercynon in the Cynon Valley where the Afon Cynon merge with the Taff and, slightly further downstream the Nant Clydach joins.^[1] At Pontypridd it is joined by the Afon Rhondda. From Pontypridd, it runs roughly south, through Taff's Well and Radyr, before arriving at the northern boundary of the city of Cardiff in Llandaff.

Mouth of the Taff

Frozen River in Dec 2010

In Cardiff, the natural course of the river was changed during the 19th century; from Cardiff Castle it now follows an artificial riverbed west of where it previously flowed, now following a path through Bute Park and next to the Cardiff Arms Park and the former National Stadium, now the Millennium Stadium, and into Cardiff Bay, which has now become an artificial lake due to the construction of a barrage across the mouth of this river and the River Ely It then flows out into the Severn estuary.

Taffy as nickname

The term "Taffy", used as a nickname for people from Cardiff and by extension from anywhere in Wales, is sometimes thought to originate from the name of the river. It may be seen as slightly derogatory. Alternatively, however, the term may have originated from "Dafydd" (David) which is a popular Welsh first name.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Pont-y-Cafnau, world's earliest surviving iron railway bridge

References

1. ^ River Taff Corridor Action Plan April 2007, page 7

External links

• Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Merthyr Tydfil Features

Coordinates: 51°28′N 3°11′W / 51.467°N 3.183°W / 51.467; -3.183