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Elan Valley cannot be undersold on its majestic beauty. With multiple dams and reservoirs, woodland trails, winding roads and stunning views it deserves a full day to explore its many hidden wonders.
You can walk along the dams and sometimes can pay to enter them. Numerous adventure activities can also be found such as mountain biking and canopy walks. So whether you wish to explore its grandeur or lounge in any number of its beauty spots, Elan Valley will not disappoint.
Filmed: Spring 2021
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Entry: Free
---- Short History ----
- In 1892, the British government passed the Birmingham Corporation Water Act allowing the council to affect compulsory purchase of the total water catchment area of the Elan and Claerwen valleys (approximately 180 square kilometres (69 sq mi)). The Act also gave Birmingham the powers to move more than 100 people living in the Elan Valley.
- All the buildings were demolished; these included three manor houses (two of which had links with the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1812), 18 farms, a school and a church (which was replaced with Nantgwyllt Church). Only landowners were given compensation.
- Construction of the dams began in 1893 to supply water to Birmingham and was officially opened by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra on 21 July 1904.
- The workers were housed for the ten year project in a village of wooden huts. The settlement eventually became Elan Village.
- Work continued until the last dam was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
- There are six dams in total with four along the Elan River and two on the river Claerwen.
- The network drops 52m along its 73 mile journey.
- Water takes two to three days to reach Birmingham.
- Caban Coch Dam:
- Construction: 1894 - 1904
- Height: 37m
- Length: 172m
- Capacity: 8 billion gallons
- It’s the lowest of the four along the Elan River.
- Garreg-ddu Dam:
- Construction: 1904
- Height: 37m
- Length: 127m
- Capacity: 4,585 million gallons
- Craig Goch Dam:
- Construction: 1897 - 1904
- Height: 36.5m
- Length: 127
- Capacity: 2 billion gallons
- Pen y Garreg Dam:
- Construction: 1904
- Height: 37m
- Length: 127 m
- Capacity: 1.32 billion gallons
- Dol-y-mynach Dam:
- Unfinished
- Height: 10.7m
- The Three Dams Project:
- Consisting of the Dol-y-mynach Dam, the Nant-y-Gro Dam and the Garreg-ddu Dam.
- The foundations were laid at the same time as the other dams.
- They were never completed though as newer technologies made it redundant and the single, larger Claerwen dam higher up the valley could do the job of all three.
- The Nant-y-Gro Dam was used during WWII to test the bouncing bomb.
- Claerwen Dam:
- Construction: 1946 - 1952.
- It was scheduled to begin in 1939 but was delayed by WWII.
- Height: 56m
- Length: 355m
- Capacity: 10.6 billion gallons
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---- Further Reading ----
- www.elanvalleyp...
- en.wikipedia.o...
- www.discoverin...
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10 сен 2024
