'Opping over Offa's Dyke, Sunday 3rd June. Four Dams and a Dark Park

 
The market town of Rhayader is both isolated and almost smack in the middle of Wales. It is a significant centre for outdoor pursuits which attracts visitors throughout the year. The town's name means waterfall and in Welsh translates as Waterfall on the Wye. Its raison d' etre is the major cross roads going to the four points of the compass and that is exactly at the clock tower. As well as being the gateway to the Elan valley reservoirs, there are several things of note about the town. The coldest temperature recorded in Wales was minus 23.3° C. here in 1940. The world "rock paper scissors" championships takes place here annually as does the world wheelbarrow championships. With 173 people per pub, Rhayader has the highest ratio of drinking establishments per person in the UK. When red kites were virtually extinct throughout Europe, they hung on here to spearhead their revival.

An Act of Parliament was passed in 1892 for the Birmingham Corporation to compulsory purchase the water catchment area of the Elan and Claerwen valleys. After the land was cleared of the existing residents including 3 manor houses, 18 farms, a school and a church, the building work commenced in 1893. In addition to the dams and reservoirs a 75 mile long aqueduct was constructed the allow the water supply to flow into the Frankley reservoir near Birmingham. 

This first stage was opened by King Edward Vll and Queen Alexandra in 1904. A very impressive performance given the relatively primitive level of mechanisation. One can't help pondering how many years it would take to build today and how huge the budget overrun would be. 

Phase two of the plan was delayed by WWl, the 1930's depression and WWll. However work restarted in 1946 and the Claerwen Valley system was eventually opened by Queen Elizabeth ll, six months after she came to the throne. 

Caban Coch dam and reservoir, the lowest of the series of dams. The reservoir that the dam supports contains 8 billion gallons of water 

Looking back down the Caban Coch reservoir. At this point there is a bridge across the reservoir with the Foel water outlet tower just "up steam" of it. Submerged at this point is our second dam called Carreg Ddu. It acts like a step on the reservoir floor and is built directly underneath the bridge. Its purpose is to ensure there is always water available to drain out at the Foel tower. Across the bridge there's a Baptist Chapel, built to replace the one that lies drowned at the bottom of the water. 

Pen y Garreg dam with a fine run off of water. Known as the middle dam. The reservoir behind the dam contains 1.3 billion gallons of water. There is a tunnel through the dam giving access to the central tower. It is illuminated by apertures on the down stream side (of course) and must be like looking through a waterfall. 

A small break from all things aquatic and please join me in looking at this chainsaw wildlife gallery. Paul Edwards and Michael Crabb working with local school children, who provided the ideas, created this wonderful set of sculptures from a redundant Douglas Fir plantation. Google them up for more details, and have a look at their YouTube film. 

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So how many creatures did you recognise?

The Craig Goch dam which is the forth or top dam of the Elan Valley system. It is aesthetically the most pleasing,  with its gentle curve and arches along the top. In my photo water appears to be flowing down the front, but this is just the result of staining from previous flows. The reservoir contains 2 billion gallons...... and all this so my brother can have a drink of water in Birmingham. 

The upper Elan Valley has been designated a Dark Sky Park. A body called the International Dark Sky Places oversees and ratifies these places around the world. There are over 200 of them in 22 countries. They are in one of three categories. 

Sanctuaries; the most remote and darkest conservation areas, also the most fragile. There are 20 of them around the world. Bardsey island (Ynys Enlli) is the only one in the UK.

Parks; Conservation areas that provide dark sky programmes. There are 7 in the UK, Elan Valley being the only one in Wales. 

Reserves; Surrounded by population at its periphery  however policy controls the darkness of its core.Two in Wales, both are also National Parks. Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia (now reverted to its original name Eryri.

Nought baa sheep for miles and miles. 

A photograph of sky at night in the Elan Valley. This was not taken by me, but downloaded from the Dark Park website, but I am pretty sure that you will agree it's very impressive. 

After that photograph it must be time for bed.