A Wale(s) of a Time (Part I)

 The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read - Mark Twain

We enjoyed a couple of trips into Wales at the end of November to celebrate my birthday. On the first trip we stopped briefly at Water-Breaks-Its-Neck waterfall before moving on to Llanbister and a couple of nights stay at the Lion Hotel. Janet & Ray, our hosts were excellent company and the food was top notch. The view from our bedroom window with the River Ithon in the foreground was delightful (Photo 1) ...

Photo 1: View over the Ithon Valley from Our Bedroom Window at the Lion Hotel Nov 2025)

... and atmospheric when the evening mist settled in the valley bottom (Photo 2) ...

Photo 2: Evening Mist Rolling Down the Ithon Valley (Nov 25)

The River Ithon is well-known for its game fishing (mainly grayling and trout) and is monitored by citizen scientists as part of the Wye Alliance. One of the three sampling points on the River Ithon is just upstream of Llanbister (Figure 1) so we can use WyeViz to look at the citizen science data collected at this site (U167).

Figure 1: Citizen Science Sampling Site near Llanbister

Nutrient pollution is low with SRP (Soluble Reactive Phosphates) values typically between 0.00 and 0.20 ppm and Total Oxidised Nitrogen (Nitrates + Nitrites) values between 0 and 2 ppm. Figure 2 shows the turbidity values measured with a Secchi tube. For most of the time, turbidity is recorded as 12 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units) which is the minimum value measurable with the standard issue Secchi tube. In all probability, the turbidities were lower than this (perhaps <5 NTU) and so the water would look clear and clean. Occasionally, following heavy rain, the turbidity would increase; on one occasion the value reached 240 NTU which is the maximum value that can be measured with the standard Secchi tube. 

Figure 2: Turbidity Values (NTU) at U167 (Llanbister)

The spikes in turbidity occur during the winter period when arable soils are more likely to be bare and susceptible to soil run-off. However, the agricultural land around Llanbister is predominantly pasture (Photo 2) and should, therefore, be resistant to run-off during heavy precipitation events. The turbidity source may, therefore, be upstream towards Llandridnod Wells. 

After a delicious evening meal (vegetable lasagne) and a pint of local ale, at the Lion Hotel, we headed off to the Community Hall for an evening's excellent entertainment from the Rhayader Male Voice Choir. As an added bonus we won a prize in the raffle!

The next day we visited Gilfach Nature Reserve, one of our favourites.

Photo 3: Lichen-covered Tree, Gilfach NR (Nov 25)

Ostensibly, we went to see leaping salmon on the Marteg River but, alas, there were none to be seen. Here is a video (with slo-mo) taken from the viewing platform where, under normal circumstances, you might see the salmon swimming upstream to the spawning grounds. 

Video 1: Marteg River from the Salmon Viewing Platform (minus salmon) - Nov 25

2025 looks like another bad year for salmon in the Wye and Usk river catchment, though decent numbers of trout have been caught. As always, it is a complicated picture: low river levels and high water temperatures didn't help, nor did the levels of pollution (nutrients + turbidity). I read somewhere (cannot locate where at the moment) that the number of fish returning to spawn is less than the numbers that left the previous year (marine exploitation?).

After an excellent breakfast at the Lion Hotel, we set off for Llandrindod Wells; it was fairly quiet as it was Sunday. We had a look around Rock Park and Spa in the centre of town.

Video 2: Rock Park & Spa, Llandrindod Wells (Nov 25)

The Chalybeate Spring ...

Photo 4: Chalybeate Spring, Llandrindod Wells

... allegedly, has healing properties. From the ochre deposits, the spring waters are clearly rich in iron ...

Photo 4: Chalybeate Spring Information Board

After a little more time exploring ...

Photo 5: Rock Park & Spa, Llandrindod Wells

... Mary went off to church while I retired to the Chalybeate Tea Rooms for a very reasonably priced coffee ...

Photo 6: Coffee @ Chalybeate Tea Room (Nov 25)

... despite the rather plush surroundings. I resisted the temptation to have some cake ...

Photo 7: Cake Table, Chalybeate Tea Rooms

The staff were a little over-attentive (it wasn't too busy at 11 am on a Sunday) but otherwise a very pleasant time was had. Roast dinners were the order of the day for later and I would imagine this place would be extremely popular.

After meeting up again, we headed for the Landrindod Wells Lake Park conveniently located within walking distance of the town centre. We had planned on having lunch here but the cafe/bistro was busy with the 'Sunday Roast' crowd so we opted for a walk round the lake (about 1 km) instead.

Photo 8: Llandrindod Wells Lake viewed from the Cafe/Bistro Building

The dragon statue does spray water from its mouth but not while we were there. It did, however, provide a suitable resting place for the cormorants (to the annoyance of the anglers who also use the lake for fishing?).

Photo 9: Dragon & Cormorants, Llandrindod  Wells Lake

Photo 10: Lake View Looking Towards the Cafe/Bistro

Lunch was soup, bread & cheese followed by fruit and yoghurt purchased at a local supermarket and eaten in a lay-by on the outskirts of Llandrindod Wells! Not for the first time, the campervan kitchen facilities came into their own.

We just had time for a quick visit to the Elan Valley to see the overflow of the main dam (Caban Coch) ...

Photo 11: Caban Coch Dam, Elan Valley (Nov 25)

... before it started to rain. We headed back to the Lion Hotel for a superb vegetable curry (with all the trimmings) and another pint of the local ale.

Originally, we had planned on slowly winding our way home on the Monday but decided at the last minute to make a detour via the Winter Fair at the Royal Welsh Showground near Builth Wells. The Winter Fair combines the usual farm stock shows/competitions ...

Photo 12: Head to Tail

Photo 13: Or Head to Head

... with lots of Christmas shopping. After 4-5 hours at the show, it was time to head home, exhausted but happy.