Clcyhau'r Gog a Dwr, Cwm Clydach

Cwm Clydach is a small valley lying between the valleys of the Rivers Cynon and Rhondda Fach, being a tributary of the River Taff. Although virtually in the middle of the South Wales coalfield and sitting on top of the highly prized Aberdare dry steamcoal seams this relatively shallow valleys was virtually untouched as these valuable coal seams were too deep. There was one major colliery at the lower end of the valley in the village of Ynysybwl that being the Lady Windsor Colliery. Sinking of the this colliery started in 1884 and it closed in 1988. The only other attempt at raising coal was at the Llanwonno Drift situated at the northern end of the valley which was abandoned by 1905.

In 1886 the Taff Vale Railway company, the the expectation of yet another coal bonanza opened a branch line to serve the Lady Windsor colliery and the line terminated at the Llanwonno Drift. The metal was taken up north of Lady Windsor in 1938 and a green and beautiful oasis was left between the highly industrial valleys of the Cynon and Rhonddas.