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Sunday 8th January 2023

Rhiwargor Waterfall Trail and Reservoir View Trail closure

From Monday 9th January 2023, the Rhiwargor Waterfall Trail (Green) and a section of the Reservoir View Trail (Red) will be closed.

Work we will be doing

The Waterfall trail is a popular and high footfall walk on the estate.  As part of our Brilliant Basic's Grant from Powys County Council, we will be improving parts of the green trail to reduce footpath erosion, improve accessibility by creating a more even surface and futureproof the trail, so that visitors can continue to enjoy this beautiful part of the estate over the years to come.

Simultaneously, our partners, Hafren Dyfrdwy, will be working closely with Tilhill Forestry, to reduce the spread of larch disease across the woodlands using mechanical harvesters and forwarders to fell, process, and remove the trees from the woodland.

Phytophthora ramorum also known as 'larch disease’, is a disease that has affected large areas of larch plantations in the UK- including within North Wales, which causes infected trees to die quickly.

This work is essential and being undertaken through a Statutory Plant Health Notice (a legal directive from Natural Resources Wales). Once the felling process is complete, these areas will be restocked with a mix of native broadleaves and conifers, which are more resilient to disease, with all works carried out to minimise the impact to residents, wildlife and visitors.

What this means for you

Unfortunately, to enable this work to take place, the circular route on the Rhiwargor Waterfall Trail (green) and the second section of the Reservoir View trail (red), beyond the boathouse, will have to be closed for health and safety purposes as they will not be passable until the work is complete.

Contractors will be starting these vital improvements next week and as a result, the waterfall car park, the circular walk to the falls itself and the red trail will be closed from Monday 9th January.

We know this will be disappointing for many of you but I'm sure you'll agree, the work is essential in ensuring a healthy, bio-secure natural environment at Lake Vyrnwy and in ensuring all who visit can continue to do so safely. 

We envisage that the remedial work to the path surface of the green trail will take around a month to complete and hope we will then be able to re-open one side of this trail safely for visitors to enjoy. The forestry work on both the green and red trail will take longer and we hope will be complete by Easter, but we will of course keep you up-dated as to its progress on our website and social media.

In the meantime, we have four other waymarked trails that can be enjoyed during your visit.

2023-01-09 Footpath closure map.001.jpeg

All visitor facilities, including the RSPB hides, RSPB Play Park, car park, toilets, Artisans Cafe and bike hire, Bethania Adventure and Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, will continue to remain open throughout the work and our programme of events, including lambing and stargazing and much more, will continue to run.

Thursday 14th April 2022

Re-openingof the Car Park below the dam

The car park below the dam, which has been closed over the winter for major work, is opening tomorrow on Friday 15th April. Some sections will remain closed for the time being as the work is not yet finally completed.

Monday 15th November 2021

Hafren Dyfrdwy begins major upgrade at Lake Vyrnwy

Hafren Dyfrdwy will begin work to improve the visitor experience at Lake Vyrnwy this week.

The water and waste company, which serves customers in and around Powys and Wrexham, is investing £1 million to improve the car parking facilities at the popular visitor site.

The project includes plans to extend the main car park at the side of the Dam, resurface nearby roads and install electric vehicle charging points.

To help reduce the impact on the local community during peak times, the company is also introducing customer parking payment points, as well as double yellow lines which will be reduced in size and painted in a darker shade of yellow - in-keeping with the heritage of the area.    

Work will begin from Monday 15th November and will take approximately four months to complete.

Catherine Webb from Hafren Dyfrdwy said:

“We’re excited to start work on improving the visitor experience at Lake Vyrnwy this week. We know it’s a popular site that means a lot to people, whether they’re part of the local community or those who come from further afield. 

“That’s why we’re investing £1 million to make these significant improvements, which include plans to extend the main car park and install electric vehicle charging points.”

Catherine added: “Visitors and people living nearby will notice increased activity when the work begins. We’ll be doing everything we can to minimise the disruption and complete the work as soon as possible. We’d like to thank everyone in advance for their patience as we get this major project done.”

To keep Hafren Dyfrdwy engineers and other road users safe, a small number of temporary road closures and some traffic management will be in place at times throughout the project.

Thursday 14th October 2021

Road closure for tree felling

The road around Lake Vyrnwy from the toilets by the dam up to the boathouse will be closed between Monday 18th October 2021 and Friday 22nd 2021 to allow for timber felling to progress safely. The remainder of the road around the Lake is open but it will not be possible to complete a full circuit between them dates.

Saturday 14 August 2021.

The Workhouse Llanfyllin - Celebration of the Master’s House.

An event to celebrate restoration of the Master’s House at Llanfyllin’s historic Workhouse, set in tranquil countryside on the road to Lake Vyrnwy.  Building open from 10.00.  Launch of a new book on Llanfyllin’s Masters and Matrons; opening ceremony at 11.30; harp and accordion music; displays; art and craft exhibition and demonstrations; open studios; print making; talk on ‘Punishments in the Workhouse'; garden; lunches.  Some activities outdoors: visitors are asked to wear a mask indoors.

27th May 2021

Spring Bank Holiday and Half Term - your welcome to visit Lake Vyrnwy

With a dry, warm forecast we are looking forward to sharing the best bits of Lake Vyrnwy with you this coming Bank holiday and Half Term.

The magnificent Victorian engineering and architecture is looking splendid with just a trickle of water coming over the dam today and our woodlands and moorlands are looking fresh and full of our summer migrants.

So what can you expect when you visit us this coming week?

Most of our site is now fully open but do please take note of the signage and follow the guidelines to help keep everyone safe and happy.

Our two main carparks below the dam can often fill up but there are plenty of carparks and picnic areas around the lake which are well worth exploring.

The welcome hut as you come over the dam will be staffed daily and is the place to get information on the walking trails and the best places to view the wildlife. We have a super walk up to the Rhiwargor waterfalls and the yellow trail is great for spotting Pied Flycatchers and our other woodland birds.

Our main bird hide Coed y Capel is now open which is a great place to get close up to birds on the feeders, Social distancing rules and face coverings are required so please follow the instructions as you enter.

Cycling around the lake is a great way to take in the whole estate, 12 miles of flat roads!

The children’s nature play area is open and the sculpture park below the dam is a great spot for a picnic. If you fancy something more adventurous, Bethania Adventure offers the opportunity to get out on the water on a SUP or in a canoe and take in the stunning scenery from a whole different perspective. Bike Hire is available from Artisans and there is a little craft shop in the lower courtyard. With all of these activities please follow the guidance provided to enable staff and visitors to enjoy Lake Vyrnwy Safely.

Artisans Café is offering a takeaway service and the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel has both internal and external catering and bar. Please be patient with staff, things will inevitably take a little longer as we keep everyone safe.

Please don’t swim in the reservoir, although tempting it can be extremely dangerous, with cold water and steeply sloping sides. We would be grateful if you refrained from lighting fires and BBQ’s. Wildfires cause accidently can cause devastation to rare habitats and wildlife.

We hope you will have a great time at Vyrnwy this Half Term and thank you for playing your part in keeping our community and visitors safe.

1st April 2021

Easter at Lake Vyrnwy - update from Hafren Dyfrdwy

Lake Vyrnwy is open for visitors from Wales, but we ask that people continue to follow the current government guidance. 

We ask that people follow the rule of 6, or visit in groups made up of two households, so we can continue to keep everybody safe during their visit. 

We expect the site to be busy, so we may have to close our car parks when we reach capacity, so please be prepared to turn around and visit another time. 

On site, all toilets will be open from  Friday (02 April) between the hours of 9am and 5pm, as well as Artisans Coffee Shop for takeaways. 

The cinema, RSPB Shop, and birdhides will remain closed for now.

 Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding, and for more information visit the Hafren Dyfrdwy website at - https://www.hdcymru.co.uk/wonderful-water/our-visitor-sites/our-visitor-sites/lake-vyrnwy/

25th March 2021

Easter at Lake Vyrnwy - update from RSPB

We look forward to welcoming back visitors who are allowed to travel to Lake Vyrnwy this Easter and hope we will be able to welcome everyone back in the near future.

RSPB’s trails are open and over the Easter weekend our staff will be on-hand at the welcome hut to provide information and help visitors get the most from their visit.

The nature play park is open but our hides and retail shop remain closed.

Please remember to follow Welsh Government covid-19 guidelines during your visit to make sure we are all able to continue enjoying Lake Vyrnwy this spring.

The welcome hut will be staffed 7 days a week 10.00 – 4.30 onwards from the Easter weekend.

20th February 2021

Lake Vyrnwy Perimeter Road blockage has been cleared

The perimeter road, which was blocked by a landslide last year, has now been repaired. When The Welsh Government announces that sites such as Lake Vyrnwy can reopen, Hafren Dyfrydwy will post a notice to say when we are ready to accept visitors. The road will then be fully opened for everybody to enjoy.

20th February 2021

Hafren Dyfrdwy anounces the removal of Larch trees around the Lake Vyrnwy Estate due to disease caused by Phytophthora Ramorum

Hafren Dyfrdwy, as owners of the Lake Vyrnwy Estate, has received a Statutory Plant Health Notice from Natural Resources Wales requiring them to remove all Larch trees on the estate. The vital work will commence immediately to prevent the sread if the disease

The company will be treating and removing trees that have been affected by Phytophthora, and will be replanting the affected areas in the future as part of a long term forest design plan.

Specialist contractors will begin work by stem injecting the infected trees, which will then be removed in sections over the next two years as advised by Natural Resources Wales.

John Telford, Assistant Property Manager for Hafren Dyfrdwy said: “We’re working closely with Natural Resources Wales, to prevent the spread of Phytophthora across the estate.

“Phytophthora is a type of water mould, that can be spread by wind driven rain and particularly effects Larch trees. It’s a problem across Wales, and action is required now to help prevent further infection.

“We’re really sorry for any disruption this may cause to anyone visiting while work is taking place, but this is vital work that is needed to protect Lake Vyrnwy and it’s environment. We will be replanting all of the affected areas as part of a bigger longer term forestry plan, so all the trees will be replaced.”

Stem injecting and harvesting of Larch trees will continue over the next 18-24 months.

2021-02-19 Lake Vyrnwy - Hafren Dyfrdwy - Larch treatment.jpg

9th December 2020

Lake Vyrnwy Experience Project Update

Unfortunately, our bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Lake Vyrnwy Experience Project has been unsuccessful. Despite this, we are still dedicated to working alongside the community to improve Lake Vyrnwy for those who live, work and visit here, and are absolutely committed to investing in this wonderful site. Training, skills building, volunteering and event opportunities for people in the area will still go ahead, as will the renewal of the road and car parks. We will now take some time to work with our partners, funders and community to assess which of the other funding elements can still be retained and how we can deliver them. We’re extremely thankful for all the support we’ve received so far, especially from the local community who have played an important role within the Lake Vyrnwy Experience project. We want to assure everyone that we’re dedicated to enhancing the area around Lake Vyrnwy, for the benefit of the community, environment and for those who love to visit and look forward to sharing more news when we can.”

 Lake Vyrnwy Experience Team

1st December 2020

RSPB Welcome Cabin

2020-11-24 RSPB Cabin.jpg

RSPB has installed a new welcome hut that will be in place until the shop back up and open. It is located in front of the exisitng shop and will be staffed every weekend providing maps and information on sightings etc.

It may be open some weekdays depending on staff availability.

6th November 2020

Update from Hafren Dyfrydwy about opening Lake Vyrnwy after Monday 9th November

- The site will be open with limited facilities.

- The Car park and toilets will be open.

- Artisans will be open for take away.

- People within Wales can travel freely within Wales. The Welsh government have asked for people to avoid travelling from England.

23rd October 2020

Update from the Lake Vyrnwy Experience Project Team

With half-term upon us and everyone looking forward to some relaxing time with family, we thought this might be an opportune moment to share some project updates with you all. Alas, Ed, our Community and Volunteer Development Officer, has left us for pastures new and is currently settling into his new role in the big city of London – a little different to the peace and tranquillity of Lake Vyrnwy! We’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to him for all his work these last few months and wish him every luck for the future.

We’re pleased to announce planning success for the works to the lower car park and road; events shelter on the sculpture park; signage and external interpretation and hay barn to support the peatland restoration programme. It’s important to us that we re-start discussions and consultations around the proposed work to the car parks, roads and to Bethel Chapel with the residents of Llanwddyn, if our funding application is successful, and we’re working on putting plans in place to hopefully start these discussions in late November or early December – if you live in Llanwddyn, please look out for a mailshot that will arrive through your doors in the first two weeks of next month, which will provide further details on this.

We continue to work from home for now but as always, we are available via email for any enquiries you may have about the project at hello@lakevyrnwyexperience.com.

Stay well and stay safe,

Thanks,

Sioned, Angela, Alex and Claire.

22nd October 2020

Hafren Dyfrdwy shuts visitor sites 

Water company Hafren Dyfrdwy will be shutting its visitor sites to help limit the spread of coronavirus as Wales prepares to go into a two-week national lockdown from Friday (23rd Oct).

The company says all facilities across Lake Vyrnwy and Lake Clywedog, both in Powys, will be closed for the duration of the fire-break lockdown.

Dominic Robinson, Visitor Site Experience Lead at Hafren Dyfrdwy, said: “It’s important we follow the latest government rules, and make sure we’re doing what we can to limit the spread of the virus.

“We know how incredibly popular the sites are but the safety of our communities is the most important thing right now which is why we’ll be closing them.”

The closures will be in place from Friday 23rd October, and will remain closed for the duration of the national lockdown. All events will be cancelled and facilities on site will be closed.

Unless Welsh Government advice changes, the sites will reopen on November 9.

“We really appreciate everyone’s understanding, and we’d encourage our customers to follow the latest advice to keep safe and help prevent the spread of the virus,” adds Dominic. “ We look forward to welcoming everyone back when it’s safe to do so.”

6th October 2020

Update from RSPB Lake Vyrnwy

As the summer draws to a close, we wanted to take the opportunity to update you on how RSPB’s visitor engagement at Lake Vyrnwy will operate over the coming six months considering the ongoing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was great to see the site come alive again as restrictions were eased earlier this summer and huge credit goes to everyone who played their part in managing the unprecedent surge in footfall and enabling visitors to benefit from getting back out in nature again.

Nationally, the RSPB is taking a measured approach to restarting visitor operations to ensure we operate within government guidelines; our priority will always be the safety and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and visitors. We are working carefully within these guidelines at Lake Vyrnwy.

Having worked with Hafren Dyfrdwy to get the trails open earlier this summer we are now moving forwards with reopening the RSPB play park and the bird hide in the Artisans carpark (Chapel Hide) which will be a real plus as we head towards October Half Term. The hide is now open daily, and the play park will open from Friday the 9th of October.

Opening the RSPB shop poses a far greater challenge and we have come to the decision to keep the shop closed over the winter period. Our current desire is to reopen for Easter 2021, but this will depend on a review early next year.

In order to offer a visitor welcome / front of house over the coming six months we intend to have a member of the team onsite every weekend working from a gazebo, the hide or possibly the front of the shop to provide information to visitors and this will be extended to cover the two full weeks of half term.

This is a time for understanding and kindness as we all navigate our way through difficult times. Our intention is to resume fully as soon as circumstances allow.

 

30th September 2020

Landslip closes section of road around the Lake  

Visitors to Lake Vyrnwy are being advised that the section of road affected by the landslide, will stay shut and Hafren Dyfrdwy, who manage the site, says the section of road has been closed to keep people safe, as it works with specialist teams to make sure the area is safe again.

John Telford, from Hafren Dyfrdwy said: “It’s really important that we make sure that this area is safe and the ground is fully secure and stable again before we re-open the road, so we’re going to keep it closed while our specialist teams do this.

“We hope this doesn’t cause any disruption to anyone’s visit, as it’s just a small section of the road that’s affected, and access to the car park, dam and visitor centre is still available.”

Hafren Dyfrdwy have closed a section of the road between the Bala and Eunant turnings with signs and barriers in place, with full access to all areas of the site is still available.

Mr Telford added: “We’ll be doing everything we can to make the area safe again with the road fully back open as quickly as we can, but in the meantime we’d really appreciate it if those who do plan to visit follow the road signs and barriers in place for everyone’s safety.”

1st September 2020

National Lottery Heritage Fund Bid Submitted

It’s been a busy and productive eighteen months of consultation and collaboration, but at last the bid is in! RSPB Cymru’s fundraising team submitted the application as of midday today on behalf of the project and partnership. Words can’t quite express our thanks and appreciation to each and every one of you for your contribution to this exciting and once-in-a-lifetime project opportunity; from survey input; focus groups, workshops, open days and meetings, the combined efforts of the community, local businesses and visitors alike have been both tremendous and inspiring to be a part of. The road to submission hasn’t always been easy but everyone’s continued support, input and engagement has allowed the project to produce a realistic but inspirational final proposal to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

If successful, the benefits for people and for nature will be immense. Built and natural heritage will be restored; ecosystems strengthened; social and cultural stories brought back to life and shared; young people and children connected; the local community engaged; facilities improved and the local economy more resilient.

We expect to hear from the National Lottery with their decision just before Christmas and we look forward to sharing more news with you then as well as the next steps in our journey together here at Lake Vyrnwy. In the meantime, the project team will continue to plan and prepare in advance of the decision, to ensure the project works well for residents and visitors alike, if approval is given.

If you have any questions and would like to get in touch with the project team, please email us at hello@lakevyrnwyexperience.com.

Thank you once again,

 

Angela, Ed, Alex, Claire and Sioned.

Lake Vyrnwy Experience Project Team

23rd March 2020

We hope you enjoyed our debut on Countryfile last night. The beauty, habitats and amazing wildlife of Lake Vyrnwy rely on those who live and work here and along with our partners, Hafren Dyfrdwy, we’ve sadly taken the decision to close the site to help limit the spread of Coronavirus. The safety of our staff, visitors and the local community are our main priority. Stay safe, stay well, stay local.

20th March 2020

RSPB: We’re closing all visitor centres, cafes & shops following government advice but we’re keeping as many reserves open for as long as possible with free car parking so you can still enjoy these amazing places for wildlife (please follow government guidance on physical distancing). We know that nature can be a powerful force for good in difficult circumstances. As many of you have told us, it can lift our spirits, educate us, inspire us, and provide a space for us to exercise and enjoy fresh air. Over the coming days and weeks, we will be helping you to share your wildlife encounters and provide ideas for things you can do for wildlife close to home. We hope to guide you through spring, when birds are nesting, and tell you when our amazing migratory friends like swifts and swallows return to these shores from Africa. We’ll be updating our reserve webpages via www.rspb.org.uk with the latest information but in the meantime stay safe, stay well and as always, thank you for your support during this challenging time #BeKind #inittogether #natureisopen

18th March 2020

RSPB Lake Vyrnwy: We are sorry to say that all events at RSPB Lake Vyrnwy have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. The reserve is still open to the public as usual but the shop has closed for the forseeable future. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

All of the hides remain open and Walks Leaflets are available at Artisans Cafe.

22nd October 2019

‘As part of the Lake Vyrnwy Experience Project, we’ve undertaken visitor and community consultations over the last few months and produced some exciting plans for the area. We’d now like to share those plans with you, our visitors. Below is a link to the visuals we’ve created, along with seven questions we’d like you to answer. The survey will take no longer than a couple of minutes to complete and we’d really appreciate your feedback. If you could share the survey far and wide with friends and family who may have visited Lake Vyrnwy too, that would be fabulous!’

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9QTJ6G9

This survey is now closed. Thank you to everybody who contributed - the results were very valuable.

 

4th July 2019 Bethel Chapel Open Evening 6 - 8pm

Please join us for drinks and nibbles at Artisans Cafe to talk about the restoration of Bethel Chapel followed by a tour inside the Chapel.

5th June 2019

The latest news about events in the village of Llanwddyn (and the HLF Lake Vyrnwy Experience project) can be read here.

10th May 2019

The latest news about events in the village of Llanwddyn can be read here.

1st May 2019

‘Exciting plans and big changes are being developed here at Lake Vyrnwy, thanks to initial support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and made possible by National Lottery players. RSPB Cymru, in partnership with Hafren Dyfrdwy, are working on plans that will improve facilities, the local community and the wildlife; meaning a better experience for everyone visiting this beautiful part of Wales. They also need your help to make Vyrnwy one of the best places to visit in Wales. If you’ve visited in the last year then please fill in the survey below, tell them your thoughts and ideas and help them shape the future of this beautiful place. Thank you.

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TG987WB

2nd February 2018

The Valley Arts and Crafts Gallery and Shop (situated next to The Old Barn Cafe) will be open for our 11th year from March 26th 2018. Come visit our newly refurbished shop for gifts and items for the home from our unique collection of locally produced hand crafted creations by jewellers, silversmiths, wood workers, ceramicists, pyrographers, artists, photographers, needlewomen, paper crafters, stained glass artists, preserve makers  not forgetting teddy bear makers Open 7 days a week from 11 to 4 until October 29th when we close for the winter.  

30th September 2017

The Valley Arts and Crafts Shop at Lake Vyrnwy (next to The Old Barn Cafe and open 7 days a week from 11 to 4) is closing on Monday October 30th (but only for the winter!)  Do your Christmas shopping early  with unique hand mae items, from Christmas candles to sparkly scarves, stained glass to ceramics, Find that special gift. Something for everyone's budget. Watch out for our opening date in March 2018

15th June 2015

Samworth Brothers, better known for their Ginsters and Soreen brands, have just completed the 2015 Samworth Brothers Challenge Event based around the Lake over the past two weekends. 424 competitors completed gruelling cycling, canoeing, orienteering and assault course events raising £370,000 for the charities chosen by the  individual teams of four. Generous donations have also been made to local charities including £20,000 to the Llanwddyn Village Hall, £5,000 to the Welsh Air Ambulance, £3,000 to Medicare (who provided medical services for the event) and £3,000 to RSPB.

Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge organiser Anil Ahir said; “Samworth Brothers holds a Charity Challenge event every two years and we always like to give back to the local community that has helped to host the event. We were really overwhelmed by the welcome we received in mid-Wales and the help we received from the local community. Lake Vyrnwy was a great location for our Challenge event. Many of the team members were bowled over by the beauty and landscape of mid-Wales and plan to come back.”

B2 They are off 200.jpg  B4 Canoe sets off 200.jpg  B6 Team 33 cycling 200.jpg

B15 Assault course ladder walk 200.jpg  B16 Assault course razor wire tunnel 200.jpg  B22 Assault course wall climb 200.jpg

26th February 2015

The dam is overflowing again at the moment.

2015-02-26 Dam overflowing.jpg

20th February 2015

Valley Arts & Crafts has announced that it will be opening on Saturday 14th March and from then on it will be open seven days a week until Saturday 31st October.

2015-02-20 Valley Arts Crafts.jpg

21st December 2014

Scottish Power has announced that it is ditching its plans to build a wind farm in Dyfnant Forest that would have overlokked Lake Vyrnwy. Further details at:

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/controversial-plans-build-windfarm-dynfnant-8317257