River Gwendraeth

The River Gwendraeth (Welsh: Afon Gwendraeth) is a river in Carmarthenshire in West Wales.

It has two almost equal branches that have their confluence in their joint estuary at Carmarthen Bay. The Gwendraeth Fawr (Large Gwendraeth in Welsh) is surprisingly the smaller and has its source in a series of springs to the north of Cross Hands, the most northerly of which rises to the north of Gorslas in the Llyn Llech Owain Country Park, just above the 585-foot (180 m) contour. Below Cross Hands, it skirts the northern edge of Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park, and flows to the south of Drefach. It crosses the 160-foot (50 m) contour to pass through Pontyberem, Pont Henri and Pontyates, by which time it is less than 33 feet (10 m) above sea level. Finally, it passes to the south of Kidwelly, to enter the estuary.

The Gwendraeth Fach (small Gwendraeth in Welsh) flows further to the north having its source about 4 miles north of Cross Hands near the 190-metre (620 ft) contour at Penrhiwgoch. Passing under the A48 road, it is soon below the 160-foot (50 m) contour, flowing in a south-westerly direction to the south of Llanddarog, Cwmisfael and Llangyndeyrn, before turning southwards through Mynyddygarreg. It reaches the estuary to the west of Kidwelly after passing through the town centre.