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You are here: Experience and Enjoy > Wildlife & Nature > Birdwatching in Mid Wales

Birdwatching in Mid Wales

Mid Wales is where the red kite was saved. By the 1960s, this bird had been reduced to just a handful of breeding pairs in the remote valleys of the Cambrian Mountains. From that tiny population, the kite has recovered across the whole of Wales and beyond, and today you can see them overhead from almost anywhere in Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia.

Two feeding stations give guaranteed close-up views. At Gigrin Farm near Rhayader, red kites gather every afternoon for the daily feed, and at Nant yr Arian near Aberystwyth the kites come down to the lake while you watch from the cafe terrace. Both are worth visiting, and on a good day you might count fifty or more birds circling overhead.

Ospreys returned to Wales at the Dyfi estuary near Machynlleth. The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust runs the Dyfi Osprey Project with live nest cameras and a public viewing point open from April to September. Watching a fish eagle return to its nest with a catch is one of the best wildlife experiences in Britain.

The oak woodlands of Mid Wales, particularly in the Dyfi valley, around Lake Vyrnwy and in the Elan Valley, hold breeding pied flycatchers, redstarts, wood warblers and tree pipits in spring and summer. These are some of the most important woodlands for these species in the UK.

On the Ceredigion coast, choughs nest on the cliffs between Aberystwyth and Cardigan. Upland moors across the Cambrian Mountains support breeding curlew, golden plover, ring ouzel and merlin. The estuaries of the Dyfi and Mawddach draw wading birds and wildfowl through autumn and winter.

For guided birdwatching, check listings for local wildlife guides who know where to find the birds at different times of year.

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Roundton Hill Nature Reserve

Address

Old Churchstoke, Churchstoke, Powys, SY15 6EL

Telephone
01938 555654

info@montwt.co.uk

Churchstoke

From the top of Roundton Hill it's easy to see why an Iron Age hillfort was once sited here - the vantage point offers great viewing across the surrounding countryside.
Oswestry Bus Station

Address

Station Road, Oswestry, SY11 1QP

Telephone
0800 464 0000

feedback@trawscymru.info

Oswestry

Oswestry bus station is in the centre of the town next to the Aldi store with services to Shrewsbury, Welshpool, Newtown, Machynlleth and Wrexham.
Minffordd Railway Station

Address

Minffordd, Porthmadog, LL48 6HG

Telephone
0800 464 0000

Porthmadog

Minffordd railway station is on the Cambrian Coast Line from Machynlleth to Pwllheli.
Great Little Trains of Wales | Discount Card

Address

Wharf Station, Tywyn, Gwynedd, LL36 9EY

gr8littletrains@gmail.com

Tywyn

Discover Great Little Trains of Wales: Buy a 20% off Discount Card and get 20% off one adult full round-trip fare on twelve steam railways located in stunning scenery across Wales.
Brechfa Forest (NRW)

Address

Abergorlech, Carmarthenshire

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Carmarthenshire

The famous Brechfa Forest is managed by Natural Resources Wales for the benefit of people, wildlife, recreation and timber production.
Usk Reservoir

Address

Nr Trecastle, Powys, LD3 8YF

Powys

The Usk Reservoir is a remote upland 280 acre reservoir surrounded by the Glasfynnedd Forest. Waymarked route around the reservoir for walking and cycling. Great for fishing and is one of the National Park's top ten sites for stargazing.
Llyn Teifi | Teifi Pools

Address

Teifi Pools, Pontrhydfendigaid, Ceredigion

Pontrhydfendigaid

Llyn Teifi is the largest of a group of six pools and reservoirs in Mid Wales in the western edge of the Cambrian Mountains. The area is a Dark Skies Discovery site and the nearest village is Pontrhydfendigaid which is close to the site of Strata…
Shrewsbury Bus Station

Address

Raven Meadows, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1PL

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury bus station is at Raven Meadows in the town centre with services to Mid Wales.
Knighton Bus Station

Address

Bowling Green Lane, Knighton, LD7 1DR

Telephone
0800 464 0000

feedback@traveline.cymru

Knighton

Knighton bus station is off Bowling Green Lane with services to Ludlow.
Cymer Abbey (Cadw)

Address

Vaynor Farm, Llanelltyd, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, LL40 2HE

Telephone
0300 025 6000

cadw@gov.wales

Dolgellau

Dates

From:

1 Apr 2026to31 Oct 2026

From:

1 Nov 2026to31 Mar 2027

The serene ruins of Cymer Abbey stand in a lovely setting beside the River Mawddach. Particularly impressive are its great windows, arches and an unusual tower. Saif olion heddychlon Abaty Cymer mewn lleoliad hyfryd ger Afon Mawddach.
Bala Lake Railway | Halloween Trains

Address

Llyn Tegid | Bala Lake Railway, Llanuwchlyn Station, Llanuwchlyn, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7DD

Telephone
01678 540666

enquiries@bala-lake-railway.co.uk

Llanuwchlyn, Bala

Dates

From:

30 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026

Join us for a scary evening train to celebrate Halloween!
Tywyn

Address

Tywyn, Gwynedd, LL36 0DF

Telephone
01654 767321

TIC.Aberdyfi@eryri-npa.gov.uk

Tywyn

Tywyn is a coastal town in Southern Snowdonia on the Mid Wales coast. The name Tywyn comes from the Welsh word for beach or sand dunes.
Llangynllo Railway Station

Address

Llangynllo, LD7 1SY

Telephone
0800 464 0000

Llangynllo railway station is on the Heart of Wales Line which runs from Shrewsbury to Swansea and is located 1.5 miles north of the village.
Pwllheli Railway Station

Address

Station Square, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 5HG

Telephone
0800 464 0000

Pwllheli

Pwllheli railway station is the terminus of the Cambrian coast Line from Machynlleth.
International Ceramics Festival 2027

Address

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DE

Telephone
01970 623232

artstaff@aber.ac.uk

Aberystwyth

Dates

From:

25 June 2027to27 June 2027

The biennial festival features demonstrations, kiln builds and spectacular firing sculptures, talks and discussions, films, exhibitions, performances and lectures as well as hands-on activities for visitors to get involved.
Penrhyndeudraeth Railway Station

Address

Cambrian View, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, LL48 6LN

Telephone
0800 464 0000

Penrhyndeudraeth

Penrhyndeudraeth railway station is on the Cambrian Coast Line from Machynlleth to Pwllheli.
Mynyddoedd Cambria | Pumlumon

Address

Cambrian Mountains, Devils Bridge, Ceredigion

Telephone
01974 282581

wynne@pumlumon.org.uk

Devils Bridge

Discover the awe-inspiring beauty of Pumlumon, aptly named "five peaks," as it stands as the highest point of the Mynyddoedd Cambria, the magnificent Cambrian Mountains in Mid Wales. This is a wild landscape on the eastern edge of Ceredigion.
Ceri Forest | Block Wood Car Park (NRW)

Address

Nr Newtown, Kerry, Powys, SY7 8PS

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Kerry

Ceri Forest is a coniferous forest which sits astride the Kerry Ridgeway in the uplands of Montgomeryshire / Shropshire border
Knighton Festival of Books, Art and Music 2026

Address

Knighton Community Centre, Bowling Green Lane, Knighton, Powys, LD7 1DR

Telephone
01547 740052

knightonfest@gmail.com

Knighton

Dates

From:

16 Oct 2026to25 Oct 2026

A lively celebration of music, arts and community in the heart of Knighton. Enjoy a fantastic programme of entertainment, performances and activities, bringing locals and visitors together for a memorable festival.

Price
Price £25.00 per adult
Craig Cerrig Gleisiad & Fan Frynych (NRW)

Address

Brecon Beacons, Nr Libanus, Powys, NP8 1LG

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Nr Libanus

Craig Cerrig-gleisiad and Fan Frynych National Nature Reserve is a 156 acre (631,000 m²) area of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Talley Woodlands (NRW)

Address

Talley, near Llandovery, SA19 7AX

Telephone
0300 065 3000

near Llandovery

Talley Woodlands overlook an historic village and ruined abbey in Carmarthenshire, 12 miles from Llandovery. Picnic area and waymarked walking trails with steep climbs and far-reaching views over the abbey and surrounding hills