Lakes & Pools
Explore The Waters
The Wye basin is home to some truly far out Lakes & Pools known UK wide and further afield. As a tributary of the Wye Llangorse Lake in the Brecon Beacons in South Wales is home to integral wildlife and is a walkers, climbers and water sports paradise as is the Elan Valley further North, which the Wye's right bank tributary the Elan is named after. Here we explore some of the Wye's lakes and pools.
Llangorse Lake
Llangorse Lake is the largest natural lake in South Wales. A remnant of the last glacial period it's a Wye tributary playing host to the River Llynfi, which flows into the lake on it's South Eastern shore and out the other end to eventually discharge into the Wye at Glasbury. The setting is dramatic with the central Brecon Beacons looming over to the South West. Looking East is the Western Fringe of the Black Mountains with Mynydd Troed and Mynydd Llangorse staring down.
Tributaries of the Wye in the most unexpected place
Map LLangorse
Llangorse Wildlife
Llangorse Lake is a major stopping off point for migrating birds. Little Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank as well as the rare Bittern and Brent Geese. It's like a superstore.
There's a bird hide on the Southern shore of the lake, which makes for a good walk to. Here's a good list of what you may find.
The shores of Llangorse are inhabited by large reed beds, which are home to the Golden Ringed Dragonfly and the rare Two-tone Reed Beetle. Previously more well known it disappeared from sites in Wales over the last 100 years. 50 years ago was the last record from a site near Neath. However, in 2006 it was discovered for the first time at Llangorse lake making it the only known site for the beetle in Wales.
In 2009 the Environment Agency started reintroducing water voles into the lakes surroundings. Encompassing the water courses which flowed into the lake it's said that numbers are recovering due to river water quality. However, in recent years rivers have been put under stress. So, it remains to be seen what the long term prospects are. For more click for link.
Llangorse Activities Walking
Llangorse Lake is known for its outdoor activities. From open water swimming, horse riding, camping, climbing, fishing, waterskiing, sailing, boating on the water through to walking (see best walks) it has a plethora of things going on. This isn't a blog (we will do one at some point) but is merely a page to let you know of Llangorse as a Wye tributary. For more walking options nearby - especially the high ground see Mynydd Troed and Mynydd Llangorse.
Interconnecting habitats are vital for wildlife!
Other Pools/Lakes
Llangorse Lake is the boss of all the natural lakes in the Wye basin but there are a few other cool pools and lakes to check out. There is of course the Elan Valley Reservoirs known as the lakes of Wales but these are reservoirs. Here for the moment we deal with smaller pools and lakes with a direct relationship with the Wye and are open to the public. There are no syndicate pools as such in this list. If there are public rights of way then they're in.
Herefordshire
Belmont pool is a city Pool that drains into the Wye at Hereford, Bodenham Lake is the largest body of water in Herefordshire and an interconnecting habitat with the river Lugg, Brockhall Quarry Sugwas Pool lies within the Wye Valley less than 1KM from the Wye just outside of Hereford and is an interconnecting habitat, Titley Pool is an old ice age pool and feeds the River Arrow (for more see Ice Age Pools), Berrington Pool is worth mentioning for its amazing Heronry, Hartleton Waters is a manmade lake that's home to a fishery and some outdoor activities on the lake and is a feeder to Rudhall Brook, Fishpond Valley is a spring fed series of pools that are home to brown trout, dragonflies, bats, freshwater shrimps and the rare native white-clawed crayfish. It's part of the Lugg catchment.
Click here for more about pools in Herefordshire such as 'Lawn Pool' at Moccas, which does not have public access.
Other Pools Lakes
Mid Wales List
Llyn Carw is in the Cambrian Mountains at an altitude of 540 meters. It's a small fresh water lake in the Wye basin just South of the Claerwen Reservoir, Llyn Gynon is a relatively large lake 70 acres in size in the Cambrian Mountains. It holds abundant, free rising wild brown trout, averaging about 8oz, although fish to 1lb have been recorded. As a Wye feeder lake it's fairly significant. Llan Bwch-llyn Lake is a natural lake situated at the base of Llandeilo and Llanbedr hills just off the Wye Valley. It's edged with reed bed, lush fen vegetation that aids breeding reed warbler and great crested grebe. Mentioned before Brechfa Pool is a valuable eco system in the Wye Valley. Pant Y Llyn is situated a few miles South of Builth Wells and is home to some hard fighting carp. It's truly a remote mountain lake on the Eastern fringe of the Epynt Mountain.
For Additional Pools see Marsh's Pool, Dolymynach and Abbeycwmhir
We are water through & through
Other Pools/Lakes
Monmouthshire List
Monmouthshire hasn't got anything in the way of lakes but it has a plethora of pools, springs and fisheries. In the Lower Wye valley at Redbrook, for example, entire valleys are peppered with pools as a result of its industrial heritage. See here for an article. So, lets take a look at Valley Brook.
Valley Brook starts up near Clearwell and heads for the Wye via a meandering course at the very base of a valley that reaches to a height of 160/70 meters. Along the way you will pass by a series of pools that served various industries. They are now natural havens. See Photo one Photo two Photo three. We've passed through here and can vouch for its splendor. For mid point in what could be a loop walk see Grid Ref SO 543083.
Immediately to the West is a real gem of a pool, which you can swim in with Angela Jones if you book via the Old Lands Estate. Farmed and run using slower land management principles it's a place for wild life and wild meadows. There are walks through the estate and beside the pool. For the path through the estate and nearby the pool see Grid Ref SO 455097.
Ravens Nest Fishery River Angiddy. This is a trout fishery made up of a series of 3 pools amid the Angiddy valley and thick woodland. It's simply a nice spot to sit and chat with the anglers if walking the solitary valley. Grid Ref SO 504000. In fact, the whole walk is punctuated by pools and weirs.
There are others and we'll be adding decent pools as we come across them. But if you have any suggestions please contact us. We'd love to hear from you.