Allt yr Esgair
A dramatic ridge
This prominent hill, though relatively modest at 393m,
offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Brecon Beacons and Black
Mountains. Esgair means ridge in Welsh and the hill is a 2km long sandstone
ridge left by glaciers that gouged out the Llangors basin to the east and the
Usk Valley to the west.
Wooded slopes
After the retreat of the ice about 11,000 years ago,
woodland quickly became established. The Welsh word ‘allt’ refers to the wooded
slopes of the ridge and a lot of trees remain today. There is a mixture of
mature and new broadleaf woodland on the western slopes. Forestry Commission
plantation on the east as well as birch and hawthorn scrub. At the summit
is a memorial (in English and in Welsh – one on each side of the wall) to
Eirene, Baroness White of Rhymney, who was the President of the Council for the
Protection of Rural Wales from 1973 – 1989.
Ancient remains
Allt yr Esgair was important to our ancestors too. A
Bronze Age burial cairn was placed on the summit, a fitting last resting place
for an important local chief. During the Iron Age some 2500 years ago extensive
fortifications were constructed around the summit.
The 17th century poet, Henry Vaughan, grew up on the
western slopes of ‘The Allt’ and no doubt drew inspiration from its beauty. In
the early 19th century the enigmatic ‘Paragon Tower’ was constructed. This was
probably a hunting lodge for the Buckland Estate and said to be the location for
‘wild parties’!
