When approaching the Elan Valley from Rhayader the first obvious point of interest is the Visitor Centre. This photograph shows the nice little restaurant which, I have to say, serves very good food. If you look through the window you should see the first dam with water cascading down it (better seen in the large picture).

This shows the Caban Coch Reservoir and its dam which is also shown in the picture above. There is a free car park near this viewpoint and there are free car parks near all the dams. The only paid car park is at the visitor centre.

Claerwen Dam which does look impressive when the water is flowing over it but you may be disappointed if you visit during a relatively dry period although the dam and its surroundings still look very attractive.

Another view of the Claerwen Dam which gives an idea of the surrounding countryside.

This dam is was the last of the group to be built in 1952. It was deliberately built in the Victorian style so as to blend in with the other dams. The dam took six years to complete and was almost twice the size of the other dams in the Elan valley. The Claerwen reservoir is almost the size of all the other reservoirs in the Elan Valley system combined.

The view looking downstream from the top of the dam showing the rugged Cambrian Mountains landscape. The local National Nature Reserve is behind us and covers about 2000 acres. This National Nature Reserve is not easily accessible, and getting into it requires a lengthy hike over some very rough and inhospitable terrain.