Summer in March - walk around the Garreg Ddu Reservoir in the Elan Valley

 

This wonderful hot spell, lasting just two days here in our part of Wales, was a little glimpse of what summer might be like here, in our new home.  Yesterday Tam and I made the most of it and decided to drive to Rhayader and the Elan Valley (about 15 miles from here) to do a walk.  You may remember, it was Rhayader I had to go to for my Covid test a few weeks ago.  It was much nicer yesterday!

    We stopped briefly at Gaban Coch Reservoir, full to the brim with water, which supplies the residents of Birmingham, some 75 miles East.  The pressure water jetting out of the bottom would knock you into next week!!

The path down the hillside leads to the bridge over the river, and there is a long circular walk around the reservoir (one for the future) or you can cross it and climb steeply up  to Allt Goch and on to Carn Gafallt.

Here is the Reservoir.  The City of Birmingham purchased 71 square miles of land which, strange to tell, mirrored almost exactly the tract of land granted by the Lord Rhys (Rhys ap Gruffydd, 1132 - 1197, ruler of the Kingdom of Deheubarth - where WE came from: he lived in Dynevor Castle, where I used to volunteer) to the Cistertian monastery of Strata Florida in 1184.

Scattered through the valleys to be flooded were 18 homes, farmsteads, a church, a chapel and a schoolhouse.  Of course, the inhabitants had no option but to leave as their homes would disappear beneath the water.

I couldn't stand back far enough/be high enough to take all of this plaque, but you get the idea . . .

Then we drove another mile or so and crossed the bridge to the next Reservoir, Garreg Ddu.  Here is the Foel Tower - built in a style referred to as Birmingham Baroque, and which also applied to the houses of the Elan village.  This tower housed the engineering works of valves and cylinders which drew the water to begin its long journey to Birmingham.

 

Above and below: the start of our walk.  We had to walk for a little over 1/4 mile to reach the point where the stream joins the reservoir.  We then walked through the woodland - beautiful now, imagine how it will be in a few weeks when leaves are on the trees.  We passed an area of densely-packed Silver Birch trees - I've never seen so many in one place before.

The farm track we began our walk along, then, below, off through the woods.

Looking back from that first headland towards the bridge across the reservoir.

Ramifications!  Two stout lads out on a jolly!  We later on met what we thought were the same two rams again, only on our return journey on the far side of the reservoir - then noticed they were a different pair as one was missing a horn.

We sat and ate our picnic lunch near here.  To the left were some very solidly-built drystone walls - at angles and another similar a little lower down the slope.  No idea of what they were used for, unless it was funnelling sheep to be washed!  But they were a bit too substantial for that, being 8 or 10 feet high.  There were Box shrubs around them, which normally accompany a cottage. 

The view of the rocks across the water.  Graig Dolfaenog I believe.

Our path led us away from the woodland by the water, and up through this boggy field with knee-deep Tussock grass.  Fortunately the boggiest bit had a wooden causeway built across it for us walkers.

We finally reached the top reservoir - the walk was MUCH longer than I had anticipated - I thought it was about 3 miles round, but it was actually more than 7, because of all the loops on the side we'd walked.  This is Penygarreg Reservoir, and we will do the - shorter - walk around that one another time.  The view below is where we crossed the bridge and began to head back to the car.

Looking back - the car was parked several headlands away! Fortunately the left hand side of the Reservoir follows the road and is much straighter and we walked back at top speed along that and made very good time.

Nantgwyllt Church, looking rather lonely and abandoned, although - probably in normal times, which these aren't - it is open every day.  Next time we go we will see if it is, as there are things of interest inside.  This church was built to replace the Medieval church which disappeared beneath the waters of Caban Coch dam. Work started here in 1898 and finished in 1903.  It was designed by Stephen W Williams, who also designed the houses in Elan village, which housed the dam workers. 

The oil lamps which once lit the Medieval church were rescued and are now in use here.  More information on the church is HERE. 

If you would like to check out the history of the dams, there is a brilliant website HERE, which will give many links to the history of the area, accompanied by old photos.  Find out the Shelley connection . . .