Itinerary Planner

Elan Valley Reservoirs Walk

The Elan Valley sits about three miles west of Rhayader in the Cambrian Mountains, and a walk around the reservoirs is one of the best things you can do on a day in Mid Wales. Five Victorian dams hold back a chain of lakes that supply water to Birmingham, and the engineering is something to see up close, especially when the dams are overflowing after rain.

The Route

Start at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, where there is free parking, toilets, a cafe and an exhibition about the history of the dams. From here, follow the road along the southern shore of Caban Coch reservoir. The dam wall is the first you reach, and when it is full the water pours over the curved stone lip in a wide curtain. It is worth stopping here for a few minutes.

Continue along the valley road past Garreg Ddu, the submerged dam that acts as a junction between the reservoirs. The road follows the water through mixed woodland and open hillside. You can walk as far as Pen y Garreg dam, where the water drops through a series of stone arches, or carry on to Craig Goch at the top of the valley, the most photographed of all the dams with its graceful curve and tower.

The full out-and-back walk from the Visitor Centre to Craig Goch dam and return is roughly 9 miles along the estate road, which is mostly flat and suitable for families with older children. For a shorter walk, turn back at Pen y Garreg (about 6 miles round trip). The road is closed to most traffic, so you share it with cyclists and the occasional estate vehicle.

What You Will See

Red kites are everywhere here. The Elan Valley is one of the places where they were saved from extinction, and you will almost certainly see several circling overhead. In spring, the valley is full of birdsong and the hillsides are dotted with lambs. In autumn, the oak woods along the reservoir edges turn copper and gold. Winter brings a quieter beauty, with mist sitting in the valley and the dams at their most dramatic after heavy rain.

Good to Know

The walk follows a tarmac estate road the whole way, so boots are helpful but not essential. There is no shelter between the Visitor Centre and Craig Goch, so bring waterproofs. The cafe at the Visitor Centre serves hot food and drinks. Dogs are welcome throughout the valley on a lead near livestock.

Rhayader is the nearest town, about a 5-minute drive from the Visitor Centre. It has pubs, cafes, shops and accommodation if you want to make a weekend of it. The town sits at the crossroads of the Wye Valley and the Cambrian Mountains, making it a good base for exploring the wider area.