The Ystwyth. part 1.

The Ystwyth is the southern of the 2 rivers which meet the sea at the harbour of Aberystwyth.

The Harbour was developed in the 18 ^th and 19 ^th centuries to export the lead and zinc ore from the mines some 10 or 15 miles in land to south Wales for smelting.

The northern of the 2 rivers, the Rheidol, holds the largest Hydro Electric scheme in Wales or England, is followed by a 12 mile narrow gauge railway climbing the side of the valley, has Oak woodlands clinging to its sides and from about 6 miles inland the valley narrows and around the Devils bridge area the valley is very steep sided and contains a deep gorge and a famous waterfall, but more about that another time!

The Southern valley is the Ystwyth, it is a remarkable valley because in its length of little more than 15 miles there are 6 or 7 distinctly different landscapes, with some dramatic changes along the way.

Pen Dinas Iron Age Hill fort stands guard high above the short tidal reaches of the Ystwyth, the first of many above the sides of the valley. Heading up stream the river starts along behind a shingle bank, but it soon turns inland. The valley bottom here is wide and open and green, millennia ago it could have been an estuary, cut off by the shingle bank. The route of the old Carmarthen railway line skirts the bottom of the hill, following the river inland. It is possible to follow the route of the old railway line some 10 miles before it leaves the valley, it is a cycle route now.

For 8 miles or so the valley is wide with gently sloping sides and the fields are green pastures all year around. If you take the road from Aberystwyth which takes the more direct route to Trawscoed, you will pass the Nanteos Mansion, with a story about the holey grail, it is now a very smart Hotel. ( www.nanteos.com ) It has some intriguing ghost stories too! ( http://www.strangedayz.co.uk/2008/08/ghosts-and-holy-grail-nanteos-mansion.html )

At New Cross there is a tantalizing glimpse of the hills ahead, before plunging down into the valley again.

Alternatively if you stick closer to the course of the river from Aberystwyth you pass through the Village of Llanilar, which holds a wonderful (agricultural) show at the beginning of august every year. It is the only sizeable village in the whole valley, apart from Llanfarian at the junction with the main coast road.

The Ystwyth Valley looking towards Llanilar. The sea can be seen on the horizon.

9 miles from Aberystwyth is the Trawscoed estate, with its huge mansion, seat of the Lisburnes for 800 years, was a massive, 45,000 acres. http://www.trawsgoed-estate.co.uk/2.html There is a story of a poacher, Will Cefn coch, (William Richards) who shot Gamekeeper Joseph Butler in1868. He was kept hidden in various houses for some time, and eventually escaped to Ohio where he lived for the rest of his life without being charged for the crime. (Welsh Murders Vol 1: 1770 - 1918 By Peter Fuller and Brian Knapp.

Trawscoed mansion.

The site of the mansion marks the beginning of the first dramatic change in the character of the valley, it starts to narrow, and after a mile or so the sides are steep and heavily forested. The valley bottom instead of being wide and green is now narrow and stony, covered in gorse bushes. The wide B road we had been following turns south for Tregaron, now a minor road follows the valley bottom between the hills. As you progress you can see why the area around Pontrhydygroes used to be known as little Switzerland it is a little Alpine in character.

Above Pontrhydygroes, the valley widens out a little and a great variety of trees line the hillsides. The Hafod Estate is a magical place, its wonderful and tragic story is told in the book Peacocks in Paradise by Elizabeth Inglis Jones. http://www.hafod.org/

East of Hafod the valley widens for Cwmystwyth Village, narrows again where the Cwmystwyth mines can be found, and then disappears up into the hills.

Part 2 of this exploration up the valley will feature the upper half of the valley in more detail.