Heads Of The Valley Road Part 3 (Summer 2013)

Here I am again with our last installment of out trip around Llyn Clywedog Reservoir high in the Cambrian Mountains. Parts one and two can be found here and here. 

The reservoir is owned by Severn Trent Water and really is set in some spectacular Welsh scenery.  Severn Trent's website lists what activities are avalable here.

There is some fantastic rare wildlife to be seen around this area with red kites and buzzards making this area there home.  We were luck enough to see a buzzard in flight on our trip around the reservoir but sadly my camera lens to no good at photographing wildlife in the distance and it looks just like a black blob that could be anything.  Perhaps its time to invest in another lens.  

The woodland and clear mountain streams that feed in to the reservoir are also fantastic places to walk along to admire the beauty all around.  I really do feel lucky to live here and to think all of this is just 25 miles from where we live.

The Dam itself is 72m high and holds back 50,000 mega litres of water.  After our stop at the visitor centre at the top of the Dam we made our way to the bottom where ruins of an old led mines can be seen.

We parked at the point that says You Are Here just below point 6 and walked through the woods until we got to a wooden bridge taking us over the river

Once over the bridge we went back to the carp park via a different path that followed the river for a while.

Down a little flight of steps and on to a viewing platform:

It really was so calm and peaceful down in the tress along the river bank.  From here we drove further round the reservoir until we reached another car park at point 7.

Here we had fantastic views across the reservoir to the Dam.

It really was a fantastic day out with such amazing scenery, none of which is done justice of n these photos.  It really does need to be seen firsthand.

Linking up with Coombe Mill for Country Kids.

Heads Of The Valley Road Part 2 (Summer 2013)

I had meant to have come back last Friday with this post but things had been a little icky n the house by the sea and I really was in no state to finish this post.  So here I am a week later than planned.  A fortnight a go we were at point 4 on the map below.

Here are a few more photos at point 4 which which stopped a couple of times along the road to take.

Then we came to the road right above the dam:

Then we went down to the layby right alongside the Dam where there is a lovely viewing platform and cafe.

We stayed here for nearly an hour taking in all the views.  Below is the old Lead Mine (point 6) right at the bottom of the Dam:

Well earned snack stop and amazing homemade cakes:

The Girl practiced her Welsh and left a message in the visitors book.  We then set off to the old Lead mines at the bottom of the Dam.

As this is quite a photo heavy post with all the stops we made, I have split our adventure in to 3 posts.  I will share the final installment next Friday.  The first installment can be found here.

Linking up with Coombe Mill for Country Kids.

Heads Of The Valley Road Part 1 (Summer 2013)

At the beginning of August I went down to Newport to visit my Brother and Nephew.  On the way back we came a different route over the mountains   We made a couple of stops but the battery went on my camera.  On a nice sunny day early last month we went back and this time when completely round Severn Trent Water's reservoir.

The journey to the reservoir (point 1):

First stop at a picnic area along side the reservoir (point 2):

Point 3:

Point 4:

It was a cloudy day and quite warm still with little wind.  We spent about 1/2 an hour at each of the stops so far on a journey and the kids and I both loved the scenery.  Lots of photos were taken at each point (far too many to put on here).  But there is more stops to come.  

As this is quite a photo heavy post with all the stops we made, I have split our adventure in to 3 posts where I will share the others on the next 2 Fridays.

Linking up with Coombe Mill for Country Kids.