CRAIG YR ADERYN Site Guides for Recreation Protected Landscapes of Wales 2. CRAIG YR ADERYN Site Guides for Recreation CRAIG YR ADERYN Protected Landscapes of Wales
Introduc on The impressive, rocky outcrop, Craig yr within its boundaries all the climbing Abergynolwyn Aderyn (Birds’ Rock) juts sharply out of crags, as well as a small area of moorland. the Dysynni valley, rising to a height of As its name suggests, it is renowned for 258m. The area lies within the Snowdonia its bird popula on as an important Na onal Park and consists of rocky crags, breeding and roos ng site for the red- acid grassland, heath and bracken. Craig billed chough which is on the Amber List yr Aderyn is designated as a Site of of UK birds of conserva on concern due P Craig yr Aderyn summits Special Scien fic Interest (SSSI) and to its localised breeding distribu on in synni Y Palis Mawr and Y Palis Bach- on Dy Special Protec on Area (SPA). The SPA the UK. Af ‘the large stockade the small covers an area of 89.26ha and includes stockade’. A stockade is a defensive structure of tall walls made of logs placed side by side ver cally, with the tops sharpened to provide Designa on security. Today the summit is s ll reached via the original The European Union have iden fied the Sites of Special Scien fic Interest (SSSIs) Y Palis Bach entrance to the hill fort. most important sites for wildlife in Europe are the most important sites for Wales' & hill fort as the Natura 2000 sites. There are two natural heritage and are legally types of Natura 2000 sites: designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Iron age hill fort The Special Protec on Areas (SPAs) - Craig yr Aderyn designated because of rare or migratory Na onal Nature Reserves (NNRs) are summit is occupied by a small hill fort thought to originate birds and their habitats. designated under the Na onal Parks and Col Crag from the Iron Age. The fort Special Areas of Conserva on (SACs) for Access to the Countryside Act 1949, or Y Palis Mawr wall’s line the crest of the a wide range of habitats and species under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. hill's lower terraces, and other than birds. today are covered in turf. In addi on to these interna onal See back cover for more informa on on Artefacts discovered at the designa ons there are UK conserva on designa ons. site include Roman po ery designa ons: and a curved lead bar, possibly an armlet.
Site of Special Scien fic Interest (SSSI) Special Protec on Area (SPA) 1km e al-y-llyn Lak yngil / T Towyn Llyn Mw Site Guides for Recreation CRAIG YR ADERYN Protected Landscapes of Wales
Dysynni drainage Up un l the 18th Oak fern grows in the century the Dysynni estuary would cool, damp rocky crevices of have come up very close to the foot of Craig yr Aderyn. Whilst tricky Craig yr Aderyn but the natural to find it can be iden fied in extension of the shingle spit on the dark places by its bright coast caused the river to silt up, un l it green colour and small oak- was no longer navigable at high de. shaped fronds. Since the 1700s the valley has been extensively drained to create miles of flat fer le farm land. More recently a local drainage scheme focused on strengthening the banks and straightening the river’s course- s ll one of the most highly mechanised drainage projects ever undertaken in Wales to date.
Land management The majority of Craig yr Aderyn is open access land used for sheep farming. Sheep numbers and bracken control are managed carefully to ensure the grass is kept to a short sward to provide foraging habitat for chough.
Norsemen Tywyn was a acked and burned by marauding Norsemen in 963AD. As the enemy approached a warning beacon would be lit on the coast and the residents of Tywyn would flee to the safety of Craig yr Aderyn.
Craig yr Aderyn quarry Up un l Bracken Originally a woodland plant, Goats In the early 1960s a herd of feral the late 1980s the hill was quarried for bracken rhedyn in Welsh, spreads goats were introduced from the road stone on its north side. To prevent prolifically across much of the Welsh Rhinogydd to graze the narrow, further degrada on the Snowdonia uplands through under-ground rhizome precipitous ledges of the cliff face to Na onal Park Authority acquired this (dense root stalks), making it difficult to prevent sheep from becoming stuck. One small area to protect it and allow it to control. Grazing ca le have been found by one the goats vanished, some say regenerate. to limit its growth by trampling it flat, they ate their way through local gardens preven ng further spread. back to their beloved Rhinogydd! CR of r mul -pit popular partof ther Bas and low hea how and theColCr climbing; theE Climbing cliff f and li leowlha k Whea the abundanceofbir Cr es aig yrAder tr es on, fr vily v e els andr ace. v tric on. t er thesear ear er er AIG ch r eg s, s amed byitsimpr Ther e t out t a ed kit onecha , andisalsosubjectt ag. TheE t as ed. TheCen es, noneofwhich ar e ar v t e br e allsubjectt ern F yn es o e f ock, andc d lif ed inthegulliesandledg ts andlinne YR ADER (Bir our principalcr ace, theCen as en flyher e seenonandar t ern F ds’ R tr essiv al Bu r on o aseasonalr ock) t ace hasthelong e 'DiamondF ts ar t ains amixtur e andboththebarnowl o ther tr ess, whichhasanupper e subjectt ak al Bu r e c ags usedf es itsnamefr E ommon; Ra ound itscr es as tric on. The ess, TheBas es ace', isthemos t es ofthe o an tric on andar e ofsingleand ern F or r Y es t r y kind ock N v out ags. om ens, es, on ace t e CR Climber in cr w pit be Gr orth f ea tw orma ch climbingwithgr oup climbing ng ac een the2highes while r s onthe backc on oncr om out AIG f ort es, thecr ag e able spotf TheColCr que oups. About30f t peak ov er ag sitsinthe‘bowl’ofameadow . s isapopularv e f or thew ag ollow theGr , loc Col Cr a YR ADER t ai ng gr ed onthesaddle ee t high,with2 ag enue f een Guidef oup. F or single or mor or , e near t c July Seasonal r ormor Central . Thisist
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e West Face t Site Guides for Recreation CRAIG YR ADERYN Protected Landscapes of Wales HISTORIC LANDSCAPE t Castell y Bere Just up the valley stands the ruins of Castell y Bere, a castle built in 1221 by Llewelyn Fawr (known in English as ‘Llewelyn the Great’) and captured by the English in 1283. According to local folklore, a watchtower stood on top of Craig yr Aderyn's fort and was used to warn Castell y Bere of approaching danger by ligh ng a beacon or flying a red flag.
Geology The Tal y Llyn valley PLANTS lies on the Bala Fault line, a major q Tormen l Although it looks a geological feature in Wales MYTH li le like a bu ercup, the formed 800 million years ago. tormen l, tresgl y moch in Welsh, Cantre'r Gwaelod Looking Volcanic magma rose up through is actually a member of the rose down the valley from the summit this fracture, crea ng Cadair Idris family. Its four petalled yellow you can catch a glimpse of nearby. Craig yr Aderyn itself is flowers appear May to October Cardigan Bay, home to the well predominantly volcanic, the rock and typically grow low to the known legend of Cantre'r being known as 'rhyoli c tuff' ground. Its medicinal proper es Gwaelod. It is said that a great created from ash deposited a er are said to cure fever, diarrhoea, tract of low lying rich farmland the erup on. During the last ice burns, sore throats, infected reached from Pembrokeshire to age 12,000 years ago, a glacier gums, bed we ng and toothache. the Llyn Peninsula, nearly 50 carved its way down the Dysynni miles in length and holding 16 valley crea ng the classic steep towns. Defended from the sea by sided U-shape. Evidences of sluice gates, the area was glacial deposi on and ac on have inundated when Seithenyn, the created the landforms seen today. 'keeper of the gates', became River Capture The upper drunk and forgot to close them. course of the Afon Dysynni starts Trees have been spo ed below in the Tal y Llyn valley and follows the water at low de in Tywyn p Bu erwort are a low, s cky plant which like to grow in damp the fault line. It became blocked and if you walk on the coast path condi ons, they have delicate blue flowers that grow above starfish-like by a major landslide, causing the you might catch a glimpse of the leaves. It is one of two insec vorous plants (the other being sundew), river to divert northwestwards drowned houses lying beneath meaning it traps insects on its s cky leaves and digests them to finding a new course in the the waves or hear the bells of the supplement its diet. The Welsh name, tafod y gors translates as 'tongue of Dysynni valley, the process known church ringing! the bog'. as 'river capture'. Site Guides for Recreation CRAIG YR ADERYN Protected Landscapes of Wales
p Cormorant Despite being 7km from the sea, Craig yr Aderyn is believed to support the only regular inland breeding colony of cormorant in Wales, which along with its chough popula on, gives it its SSSI status. The cormorant, known as mulfran in Welsh, is a large, p Meadow Pipit Corhedydd mostly black coloured waterbird with a long neck and almost rep lian y waun in Welsh translates as appearance. Typically, cormorants nest near the sea as they are 'small lark of the heath'. They supreme fishers, freshwater fish are much less fa y than salt water can be frequently seen in pairs fish, so inland cormorants need to consume around twice the volume flu ering about in acroba c of fish in their daily diet. style over grassy knolls.
t Peregrine Falcons are p Chough are the rarest member of the crow family and the species known as hebog tremor in that elevates Craig yr Aderyn to its site of interna onal importance. Welsh which directly translates They breed and roost on the ledges of Craig yr Aderyn, and forage for as 'foreign hawk'. It feeds insects on the cropped grassy slopes. The popula on has seen a steep primarily on birds that it catches decline in the past twenty years. This is due to agricultural changes in in flight of up to 200mph, the their habitat, today numbers are slowly on the increase. Craig yr ac on being called a 'stoop'. You Aderyn is a 'nursery' site for young chough with birds coming from might hear a peregrine before miles around. Their Welsh name, brân goesgoch, means ‘red-legged you see one, their call being a crow’. loud 'yip yip yip'. Site Guides for Recreation CRAIG YR ADERYN Protected Landscapes of Wales
Maps Parking and Access The following sec on refers to best prac ce guidance for those less • OS Landranger map: OS124: Porthmadog The main access to the summit is from the path at familiar with the upland environment for you to share with your groups. & Dolgellau SH650 075, park here on the grass verge. There is a s le • OS Explorer map: OL23: Cadair Idris & to access the public right of way, a restricted byway. Ligh ng fires Fires can be as devasta ng to wildlife and habitats Bala Lake / Llyn Tegid Following the 'Wild Trail' signs bear right along an as they are to people and property – so be careful with naked Many Welsh names describe in detail types indis nct uphill permissive path, when the path forks, flames and cigare es at any me of the year. Ligh ng fires risks of terrain, habitats and iden fying features. take the right fork approximately 200m to the more damaging the special features of the site, therefore under the Some place names refer to historical events popular, lower summit of Craig yr Aderyn. Take care of Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is against the law to do so or people, or are associated with local the steep drop below! Alterna vely, take the le fork to Ligh ng without the wri en consent of NRW. legends. Welsh names help to be er reach the Col Crag. Fires understand, respect and value the heritage Points of contact: Snowdonia Na onal Park Warden Wild Camping Wild camping is discouraged on Craig yr Aderyn. and culture of the sites in which we work. Service 01766 770274 or 01341 422878 and ask for the There is a campsite at the foot of the rock at Llanllwyda with More informa on can be found on the last Llanfihangel y Pennant parish warden. NRW enquires toilets & hot water. If you are contempla ng wild camping then page of this document. on 03000 653000 and ask for the Natural Resources always follow the code of conduct which supports the principle Management (NRM) Meirionnydd team. of leaving no trace. Alterna vely, 'Ty Coch', a privately owned Wild bothy can act as an excellent base for ac vi es, please make any Camping enquiries to the farm at Gesail (SH 642 063).
Ground Nes ng Birds The nests of meadow pipits, skylark & stonechat are some mes just a scrape in the earth, which can leave them vulnerable to preda on & disturbance. Dogs running free can have significant detrimental effects to their breeding Ground success. Under the CROW Act, dogs on open access land must be Nes ng kept on a short lead between 1 March to 31 July to prevent Birds disturbance to livestock and ground nes ng birds.
Li er Li er in the mountains is an increasing problem. Add into your session a discussion on the impact of li ering and as a group carry out all li er you find. Communicate that there is no 'acceptable' waste, not even that which is biodegradable, such as banana peels and apple cores. It takes 2 years for an orange peel to biodegrade! Li er
Closing gates It is always best prac ce to shut gates, however a farmer may some mes leave them open so the animals can reach food and water. Leave gates as you find them. When in a group, make sure the last person knows how to leave the gates. Always follow The Countryside Code and use gates or s les- climbing Closing over walls and fences will damage them and increase the risk of Gates farm animals escaping. Site Guides for Recreation CRAIG YR ADERYN Protected Landscapes of Wales Site Guides for Recreation - Protected Landscapes of Wales © Snowdonia-Active (2018) All rights reserved.
CONSERVATION DESIGNATIONS The European Union have iden fied the most • Special Areas of Conserva on (SACs) - have conserve and protect the best of our wildlife, important sites for wildlife in Europe as the been chosen to make a significant contribu on geological and physiographical heritage for the Natura 2000 sites. There are two types of Natura to conserving habitats and wildlife species other benefit of present and future genera ons. 2000 sites: than birds, named in the EC Habitats Direc ve. • Na onal Nature Reserves (NNRs) are • Special Protec on Areas (SPAs) - in Wales are In addi on to these interna onal designa ons designated under the Na onal Parks and Access areas that have been designated specifically to there are a number of UK conserva on to the Countryside Act 1949, or under the conserve wild birds that are listed as rare and designa ons: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Wales has 76 vulnerable in the Birds Direc ve. They also • Sites of Special Scien fic Interest (SSSIs) are NNRs that help protect a wide range of wildlife include the sites in Wales that migratory birds the most important sites for Wales' natural and landscapes. All NNRs in Wales are legally use as stop-off points on their journeys across heritage and are legally designated under the protected as SSSIs. Most are also declared under the planet. Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. They help the EU Habitats Direc ve as SACs, SPAs or Ramsar (wetlands).
OTHER RESOURCES Green Guide for Climbers - www.bmcshop.co.uk/products (bit.ly/2nbkAiF) Welsh heritage - www.anturenwau.com and www.mudandroutes.com/get-to-grips-with- welsh-names-on-your-map/ Wild Camping Code of Conduct - www.snowdonia.gov.wales/visi ng/walking/ where-can-you-go/wild-camping ( bit.ly/2k2RjJ6 ) NRW Countryside Code - www.naturalresources.wales/media/1369/the-countryside- code.pdf The Bri sh Mountaineering Council - Regional Access Database www.thebmc.co.uk/ modules/RAD/ (bit.ly/1mAC1Sj)
CREDITS Landscape: cover, Craig yr Aderyn crag - ©John Bea y, www.johnbea y.uk, Craig yr Aderyn quarry - Benefit of hindsight, www.bit.ly/2DHcOE1, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Other: goats - Richard Sunderland, www.bit.ly/2DHULOg, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, oak fern - Natural England, www.bit.ly/2nmPh4A, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Castell y Bere - Welsh photographs, www.bit.ly/2jvI1Fh, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, tormen l - Badly Drawn Dad, www.bit.ly/ 2yMX4gg,CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, bu erwort - Kari Pihlaviita, www.bit.ly/2iExJz6, CC BY-NC 2.0, chough - David Evans, www.bit.ly/2hHTjSw, CC BY 2.0, meadow pipit - Ken sh Plumber, www.bit.ly/2myLAv8, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, cormorant, peregrine falcon - www.northeastwildlife.co.uk
This guide has been produced by Snowdonia-Ac ve (2018).