Pen y Cymoedd

Llyn Fawr ('large lake' in Welsh) is a reservoir that occupies one of a series glacial cirques that form the northern escarpment of the South Wales Coalfield uplands, overlooking the heads of the Vale of Neath and the Cynon Valley, South Wales. It is known as the site of an important hoard of weapons and tools from the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. It lies on the northern flanks of Craig-y-Llyn, a mountain that is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The western cirque contains Llyn Fach ('small lake'). While in government terms, it falls in the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf, in geographic terms it is actually in the Vale of Neath and its excess waters (all its water before conversion) flow into Nant Gwrelych, which flows into the River Neath at Pont Walby near Glynneath. Less than 1 km to the southeast and south lie the headwaters of the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach rivers, while 1.5 km to the southwest lie the headwaters of River Corrwg.

Tower Colliery (Welsh: Glofa'r Tŵr) was the oldest continuously working deep-coal mine in the United Kingdom, and possibly the world, until its closure in 2008. It was the last mine of its kind to remain in the South Wales Valleys. It was located near the villages of Hirwaun and Rhigos, north of the town of Aberdare in the Cynon Valley of South Wales.

Blaenrhondda Road Cutting is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Glamorgan, south Wales. Located along the A4061 road above the village of Blaenrhondda, Rhondda, the Blaenrhondda Road Cutting is of special interest for its rock exposures showing sediments that formed on the flood plain of a river delta during the Carboniferous period, approximately 310 million years ago.

Rhigos () is a small village on the saddle of higher ground between the Vale of Neath and the Cynon Valley. It was part of the old Neath Rural district Council under Glamorgan until 1974. The village then came under the jurisdiction of The Cynon Valley Borough which subsequently became Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales in 1996. It lies just off the old Aberdare road that was the main link between Aberdare and Glynneath, before the A465 road was extended in the 1960s. The hamlets of Cefn Rhigos and Cwm-Hwnt lie to the west of the main village. The population of the community in the 2011 census was noted as 894. For postal purposes it comes under the town of Aberdare, although it is some 7 miles (11 km) from Aberdare town centre, and 2 miles (3.2 km) from Glynneath. It was noted as a township in the parish of Ystradyfodwg in several historical references and people moved to this rural area to work in local industries. Today, the village is a quiet place to live with views of the Brecon Beacons National Park to the north and is within walking distance of Waterfall Country.

Craig y Llyn (Welsh, 'rock/cliff of the lake') is a mountain situated to the south of the village of Rhigos in the Cynon Valley on the south side of the upper Vale of Neath and north of the Rhondda Valleys in South Wales; it is the highest point in the ancient kingdom and, later, county of Glamorgan (Morgannwg), and the southern Welsh coalfield plateau.

Blaenrhondda is a village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, lying at the head the Rhondda Fawr valley. Blaenrhondda is a village and is part of the community of Treherbert.

Cwm-Hwnt is a tiny hamlet to the west of Rhigos and south of Cefn Rhigos in the Cynon Valley, one of the South Wales Valleys. It is the farthest named settlement from the town of Aberdare that for postal reasons comes under that town. The name of Cwm-Hwnt comes from the English meaning "Valley Beyond" There was previously a through road to the geographically neighbouring villages of Cwmgwraech and Blaengwraech in The Vale of Neath which was referred to as "the Parish Road". However this road was closed in the late '90s due to the Sellar Opencast mine being dug, and the only routes to these villages are now via Cefn Rhigos and the main roads through Glyn Neath

Tynewydd is a village located in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales. With Treherbert, Blaencwm, Blaenrhondda and Pen-yr-englyn it is part of a community of Treherbert. The village lies in the former industrial coal mining area at the head of Rhondda Fawr, the larger of the Rhondda Valleys.

Blaencwm (Welsh: Blaen-y-Cwm) is a village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, lying at the head the Rhondda Fawr valley. Two collieries were opened here during the Industrial Revolution, the Dunraven Colliery in 1865 and the Glenrhondda Colliery in 1911. Both had closed by 1966 and the sites have since been landscaped, leaving little trace of their industrial past. It is in the historic county of Glamorgan.

Blaenrhondda railway station served the village of Blaenrhondda, in the historical county of Glamorganshire, Wales, from 1890 to 1968 on the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway.

Dolarddyn Crossing railway station served the village of Castle Caereinion, in the historical county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, from 1929 to 1931 on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.

Foel Chwern is a Round cairn on the edge of the high plateau east of the Neath valley, and near the summit of Craig y Llyn. The headwaters of the River Rhondda are to the south-west. It is a burial monument dating to the Bronze Age, and is sited on the edge of a steep scarp slope, with a wide field of view to the north. The long distance footpath Coed Morgannwg Way runs close by the cairn. Conifer plantations of the Rheola Forest surround the site.