ContentsCynnwys

Cors Caron

At just over two thousand acres, Cors Caron fills the valley of the upper Teifi river between Tregaron and Pontrhydfendigaid. It’s hard to miss this magnificent reserve in this part of Wales. The reserve boasts three raised bogs - areas of deep peat that have built up over the last 12000 years – and these in turn are surrounded by a complex and unique mix of habitats. These include:
· Reedbed · Wet grassland · Rivers and streams
· Ponds · Woodland
Of course, all of this makes the reserve a fantastic place for wildlife.

Cors Caron is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a wetland of international importance (Ramsar site).

Grid Ref: SN690642 Area: 839.74 hectares

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Visiting

A fully accessible boardwalk route runs for some three-and-a-half kilometres over the south-east bog, while there’s also an accessible bird hide next to this route.

Passing and resting places are also on hand along the way.

_{Photo by Mike
Alexander,©CCW}

Access to the boardwalk will soon be made available from the nearby car park.

From the main access points to the reserve, you can also reach:

A fully surfaced path

This runs for about six kilometres from north to south, along the edge of the reserve. Once a railway route, the path is now part of the Ystwyth Trail - which goes all the way to Aberystwyth. Seats are provided along this path and cyclist and horse riders are welcome to use the route.

The riverside Walk

The walk lies a little north of the current car park, and runs for about seven kilometres along a largely wide, dry and level route. Do keep mindful of a little surface vegetation and the occasional though.

How to get there

The reserve is situated just to the north of Tregaron, between Lampeter and Aberystwyth. The main access to the reserve is from the new car park on the B4343.

There is also access from:

The lay by car park at Ty Coed on the B4343
Ystrad Meurig Station Yard on the B4340
The car park north of Maesllyn Farm

Transport
There is an infrequent bus service that passes through Ystrad Meurig - the T21, running from Tregaron to Aberystwyth. For more information contact Traveline Cymru on 0871 2002233 or on www.traveline-cymru.org.uk.

Cyclists and walkers can use the Ystwyth Trail, which now occupies the disused railway line from Aberyswyth to Cors Caron.

Facilities

The reserve boasts excellent access facilities, including a boardwalk, viewing hides, dedicated car parking and seating.

There are also fully accessible toilets at the new car park. A little south of the car park a boardwalk route leads to a newly constructed bird hide.

You can find a second bird hide, some two kilometers to the north of the car park, along the old railway line. Please note, this is not accessible to visitors using wheelchairs.

North of the reserve, the nearby village of Pontrhydfendigaid has public toilets, two pubs, a shop and a post office, while Tregaron to the south is larger, and has even more facilities.

_{Photo by Mike
Alexander,©CCW}

Who looks after it?

The reserve is managed by CCW.

You can contact the Western Region Reserves Team via the CCW enquiries help line on 0845 1306229 or by email at enquires@ccw.gov.uk. You can also write to us at the address under ‘Contact the team’.

Wildlife

Raised bog is the most important habitat here, home to several important species such as:

Sphagnum mosses
White beaked sedge
Sundew
Bog asphodel

There is a wide variation in vegetation on the reserve, next to rich locations of sphagnum moss species there are areas dominated by:

Heather
Purple moor grass
Deer grass

This variation is largely due to historical practices such as burning.

_{Photo by Mike
Alexander©CCW}

By the river, different types of plant have laid stake to separate zones, which reflect the different levels of flooding that occur:

Reed canary grass and tufted hair-grass grow along the river edge
Bands of soft rush, alder and willow carr thrive further out
Purple moor grass dominates furthest from the water

Mammals that frequent the bog include:

Otter
Polecat
Harvest mouse
Water vole

Of course, the reserve also supports a large invertebrate population, with sixteen species of dragonfly recorded in good numbers - while the presence of the large heath butterfly marks the most southerly boundary for the species in Britain.

Cors Caron through the seasons

Through spring migratory birds can be seen returning such as:

Willow warbler
Chiffchaff
Sedge warbler
Cuckoo

While about 70 bird species breed on or near the site throughout the season, including:

Teal
Curlew
Snipe
Water rail
Redshank

In summer lookout for:

Redshank
Curlew
Flowering cottongrass
Bog asphodel
Heath spotted orchids
Sundews

As Autumn falls, passage migrants such as green sandpiper dot the skies, while the bog and adjoining river provide valuable cover for many species of wildfowl through the winter, including:

Mallard
Wigeon
Teal

At the same time, winter whooper swans represent the most southerly flock of any great size in Britain.

Similarly, the area is a crucially important winter-feeding site for the likes of the red kite and hen harrier.