Llyn Eiddwen

This natural upland lake surrounded by heathland and mire is a good example of clean and low-nutrient water, lying 300m above sea level. The lake is some 10.5 hectares in size, about 7m deep at the deepest point.

The surrounding area of upland heathland and acidic grassland is typical of this part of mid Wales and is common land, grazed mainly by sheep.

Grid Ref: SN606669 Area: 11.53 hectares

Llyn Eiddwen

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Visiting

Access is on foot across common land to the north, or via bridleway at the south.

The reserve boundary is not fenced and some of the terrain is extremely wet and difficult to walk, with some very soft places.

It is not suitable for wheelchairs.

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Llyn Eiddwen

How to get there

Take the second left turning from the B4576, south from Aberystwyth, as you come south through Llangwyryfon. Continue through Trefenter until you see Llyn Eiddwen in front of you and to the right.

There is limited off-road parking by the cattle grid at the north east corner of the lake.

There is a public footpath along the ridge and access is only available along the lake’s western shore; these routes are not accessible for wheelchairs.

Public Transport
The Royal Mail provides a limited service (595) to Trefenter.

The 585 Aberystwyth / Lampeter bus service passes through Bronnant – a 4-5 km walk from the lake.

For more information contact Traveline Cymru on 0871 2002233 or visit www.traveline-cymru.org.uk

Facilities

None on site.

Who looks after it?

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales owns and manages the reserve. You can contact the Trust by e-mailing info@welshwildlife.org or by telephing 01656 724100

You can contact CCW’s Western Team via our enquiries helpline, 0845 1306229, e-mail, enquiries@ccw.gov.uk or write to us under the ‘Contact the team’ section on this website.

Wildlife

The lake is home to a number of locally rare water plants – water lobelia is abundant, with shoreweed, spring quillwort, awlwort (at one of its southernmost locations in the UK) and floating water-plantain.

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Llyn Eiddwen

Bottle sedge and water horsetail dominate the vegetation at the south end of the lake, while cotton grass and bog mosses predominate at the north end, with some bog asphodel and cranberry.

Aquatic invertebrates include the keeled skimmer and the sponge-feeding caddis fly. The threatened water vole inhabits the shoreline, and there are populations of native brown trout, pike, minnow and three-spined stickleback.

The lake is important locally for wintering wildfowl, including coot, mallard, pochard, teal, and wigeon with part of the flock of whooper swan which winter in central Ceredigion. Black-throated diver and green-winged teal have visited the lake in recent years.