In the late 19th century, the burgeoning industrial city of Birmingham, across the border in England, was in great need of clean, fresh water. The solution lay in the hills and valleys of Mid Wales. Between 1893 and 1952, five dams (plus the foundations for a sixth) were built on the Elan and Claerwen rivers to form a series of reservoirs from which water enters into an aqueduct and takes three days to fall 52m (171 feet) as it flows the 73 miles to the Frankley Reservoir in Birmingham.
As fascinating as that is, the Elan Valley is on my favourites list simply because of its breathtaking beauty and its wealth of plant and animal life, for example around 180 species of birds have been spotted in the area. Make sure you’ve got plenty of storage space available on your phone or memory card because you’re going to want to take a lot of photographs! It’s an amazing place to discover by car and each dam is easily accessible from the road but there are also lots of walks and cycle routes through the 70 square mile estate.
I recommend beginning your visit at the excellent Visitors’ Centre where you can find out why the geography and geology of this area make it perfect for water collection and storage. There are also regular exhibitions and events, if you arrange it in advance you can even have a ranger join you in your vehicle to give you a guided tour.
Official Website: elanvalley.org.uk
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