Plynlimon
Encyclopedia
Plynlimon is the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains
in Wales
, and the highest point in Mid Wales
. It is a massif
that dominates the countryside of northern Ceredigion
.
The highest point of the massif itself is Pen Pumlumon Fawr at 752 metres (2,467.2 ft). Its other important peaks are Pen Pumlumon Arwystli
, Y Garn
, Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan
and Pumlumon Fach
.
The longest river
in Britain, the River Severn
, has its source
on the mountain, as do the rivers Wye
and Rheidol.
Folklore
says there is a sleeping giant in Plynlimon.
s across Wales, intensive land use activities have resulted in a significant loss of biodiversity
, with many of the habitats being either lost or degraded to poor condition. Over-grazing of sheep has induced soil compaction, which has resulted in increased flooding of the lowland areas. The Pumlumon area is the largest watershed in Wales and is the source of the rivers Wye, Severn and Rheidol.
The principal land cover within the project area is dominated by a complex mosaic of locally, nationally and internationally important habitats and species, such as dry and wet dwarf-shrub heathland, blanket bog
, unimproved acid grassland
and a number of oligotroph
ic lake
s. Agriculturally improved grassland, broadleaved woodland
s and forestry plantation are also characteristic features of the area.
The Pumlumon area is also important for breeding, wintering and feeding bird fauna particularly Hen Harrier
, Merlin
, Short-eared owl
and Red and Black grouse
, and a number of Red Data Book and UK BAP invertebrates.
runs for 210 miles (337 km) along the River Severn
between the mouth of the Severn at Bristol
, England, and its source at Plynlimon, Wales.
Cambrian Mountains
The Cambrian Mountains are a series of mountain ranges in Wales, reaching from, and including, the South Wales mountains of the Brecon Beacons, north Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, the Black Mountains of eastern Wales, to Snowdonia in North Wales...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and the highest point in Mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
. It is a massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
that dominates the countryside of northern Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
.
The highest point of the massif itself is Pen Pumlumon Fawr at 752 metres (2,467.2 ft). Its other important peaks are Pen Pumlumon Arwystli
Pen Pumlumon Arwystli
Pen Pumlumon Arwystli is the second highest point on the Plynlimon massif, a part of the Cambrian Mountains in the county of Ceredigion, Wales.The summit is grassy, and is marked by 3 large ancient cairns...
, Y Garn
Y Garn (Plynlimon)
Y Garn is a subsidiary summit of Pen Pumlumon Fawr and the fourth highest peak on the Plynlimon massif, a part of the Cambrian Mountains in the county of Ceredigion, Wales.The summit is marked by a large shelter cairn, hollowed out from an ancient burial cairn...
, Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan
Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan
Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan is a subsidiary summit of Pen Pumlumon Fawr and the third highest point on the Plynlimon massif, a part of the Cambrian Mountains in the county of Ceredigion, Wales.The summit is boggy, and is marked by a few stones...
and Pumlumon Fach
Pumlumon Fach
Pumlumon Fach is a top of Pen Pumlumon Fawr on the Plynlimon massif, a part of the Cambrian Mountains in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. It lies on small ridge heading north-west from the summit of Pen Pumlumon Fawr....
.
The longest river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Britain, the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
, has its source
Hafren Forest
The Hafren Forest lies North-West of Llanidloes, an ancient market town situated in Mid-Wales.Covering around 40 square kilometres, and consisting of mainly Pine and Spruce trees, the Forest takes its name from the Afon Hafren which rises in a deep peat bog approximately 800m outside its western...
on the mountain, as do the rivers Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
and Rheidol.
Folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
says there is a sleeping giant in Plynlimon.
Habitat
The Wildlife Trusts of Wales are working together to improve the habitat as years of drainage have resulted in loss of biodiversity, erosion of the peaty soils structure, and accelerated drainage. Some believe this has contributed significantly to flooding in areas some distance downstream, though this cannot be clearly proved. Like most of the uplandHighland (geography)
The term highland or upland is used to denote any mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau. Generally speaking, the term upland tends to be used for ranges of hills, typically up to 500-600m, and highland for ranges of low mountains.The Scottish Highlands refers to the mountainous...
s across Wales, intensive land use activities have resulted in a significant loss of biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, with many of the habitats being either lost or degraded to poor condition. Over-grazing of sheep has induced soil compaction, which has resulted in increased flooding of the lowland areas. The Pumlumon area is the largest watershed in Wales and is the source of the rivers Wye, Severn and Rheidol.
The principal land cover within the project area is dominated by a complex mosaic of locally, nationally and internationally important habitats and species, such as dry and wet dwarf-shrub heathland, blanket bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
, unimproved acid grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and a number of oligotroph
Oligotroph
An oligotroph is an organism that can live in an environment that offers very low levels of nutrients. They may be contrasted with copiotrophs, which prefer nutritionally rich environments...
ic lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s. Agriculturally improved grassland, broadleaved woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s and forestry plantation are also characteristic features of the area.
The Pumlumon area is also important for breeding, wintering and feeding bird fauna particularly Hen Harrier
Hen Harrier
The Hen Harrier or Northern Harrier is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost USA, and in northern Eurasia. This species is polytypic, with two subspecies. Marsh Hawk is a historical name for the American form.It migrates...
, Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
, Short-eared owl
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . In Scotland this species of owl is often referred to as a cataface, grass owl or short-horned hootlet. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may...
and Red and Black grouse
Black Grouse
The Black Grouse or Blackgame is a large bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal...
, and a number of Red Data Book and UK BAP invertebrates.
Severn Way
The Severn WaySevern Way
The Severn Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in the United Kingdom following the course of the River Severn in the West Country of England and Mid Wales.-Distance:...
runs for 210 miles (337 km) along the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
between the mouth of the Severn at Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England, and its source at Plynlimon, Wales.
External links
- Computer generated summit panoramas Plynlimon index
- http://www.montwt.co.uk/pumlumon.html
- www.geograph.co.uk ; photos of Plynlimon and surrounding area
