Editing River Neath (section)

==Course==
===Upper tributaries===
The rivers [[Nedd Fechan]], [[Afon Mellte|Mellte]] and [[Afon Hepste|Hepste]] rise in south Powys on the southern slopes of [[Fforest Fawr]]. This headwater area is formed from [[Old Red Sandstone]]. Each then crosses a band of [[Carboniferous Limestone]] before traversing country formed by interlayered [[sandstone]]s and [[shale]]s traditionally referred to as the [[Millstone Grit]]. Within the limestone belt, short sections of each river [[cave|flow underground]], though that of the Hepste also flows at the surface during periods of particularly wet weather.

The steep descent of these rivers towards the [[Vale of Neath]], and also of the [[Afon Pyrddin]] and [[Afon Sychryd]], tributaries of the Nedd Fechan and Afon Mellte respectively, involves the development of a number of waterfalls over resistant bands of sandstone within the [[Millstone Grit]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=North |first1=F.J. |title=The River Scenery at the Head of the Vale of Neath |date=1962 |publisher=National Museum of Wales |location=Cardiff |pages=101 |edition=Fourth}}</ref> This is the core of an area which has come to be known as [[Waterfall Country (Wales)|Waterfall Country]] ({{langx|cy|Bro'r Sgydau}}).

===Main river===
The Mellte and the Nedd Fechan converge at [[Pontneddfechan]], from which point the combined waters are known as the River Neath. It flows past [[Glynneath]] and on through the [[Vale of Neath]], a long straight valley excavated along the [[Neath Disturbance]] by a [[glacier]] into [[South Wales Coal Measures Group|Coal Measures rocks]] during a series of ice ages.  Downstream of Pontneddfechan the river has few significant tributaries; the largest is the [[River Dulais]] which has its source north of [[Seven Sisters, Wales|Seven Sisters]]. As the Dulais nears the Neath it descends the [[Aberdulais Falls]], a popular tourist attraction owned and managed by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] and the site of an old [[tinplate|tinworks]]. Close by the river flows past the once grand estate of [[Ynysygerwn]]. A smaller tributary, the [[River Clydach (Neath)|River Clydach]], flows southward through the village of Bryncoch to join the Neath at [[Neath Abbey]]. Other tributaries include the Melincwrt Brook and the Clydach Brook.

The River Neath provides water to two canals, the [[Neath Canal]] and the [[Tennant Canal]]. At [[Aberdulais]] basin, both canals meet, the Tennant Canal crossing the River Neath by means of an aqueduct. Also crossing the river here is the Vale of Neath Railway line and the [[A465 road]]. As it approaches the town of Neath the river passes the ancient church of [[Saint Illtud]] at Llantwit. Further on it loops around the former workhouse at Llety Nedd and skirts [[Penydre]]. Here it passes close to the Norman castle, visited by [[Henry II of England|King Henry II]], [[John, King of England|King John]] and [[King Edward I]].

As it meanders around the town of Neath it passes the remains of the Roman fort [[Nidum]] at [[Cwrt Herbert]] and the [[Cistercian]] monastic foundation of Neath Abbey. Its monks used their access to the river to challenge the trading rights of the [[Burgess (title)|burgesses]] of the town of [[Neath]].

The estuary of the River Neath extends from [[Neath]] town down past [[Briton Ferry]] to the sea next to [[Jersey Marine Beach]]. The estuary is partly industrialised with a [[ship breaking]] yard, a large local authority waste disposal site and [[wharf|wharves]] at [[Melincryddan]], Briton Ferry and Neath Abbey. Where it remains undisturbed, there are areas of [[salt marsh]] stretching from Neath to [[Baglan Bay]] and [[Crymlyn Burrows]] which are of great ecological value.