The reservoir is a protected area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is an important habitat for birds to roost and feed throughout the winter months. In order to minimise disturbing the birds and to protect them from harm, the water activities that normally take place there such as sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing are banned between November through to March, whilst some parts of the reservoir trail are closed seasonally whilst birds are nesting.
This area above Glascoed was prime agricultural land that was well farmed and in order to create the reservoir people had to give up their homes and farms, losing their livelihood as they were subjected to a compulsory purchase order, so the area could be flooded. The only water source was the small Sor Brook, so water had to be pumped from the River Usk into the northern end of the reservoir at Glascoed. Work began in 1961, and the reservoir began to fill in October 1963, whilst the official opening of the Llandegfedd reservoir was in May 1965.
A zig zag pathway led them from the public car park towards the visitor centre and a work of art which when viewed through a small picture frame at the top of some steps reveals itself as a pike, which as fisherfolk will know this reservoir is famous for. Back in March 1989 the infamous rugby player Sir Gareth Edwards obtained another string to his bow when he caught a pike weighing 46lb 6oz, which held the British record for two and a half years.
Continuing past a wildflower meadow and long grass left purposely for wildlife and insects, the path led past the water sports centre and along the lakeside trail through woodland with intermittent views of the reservoir and out into long grassed meadows containing colourful wildflowers, which were attracting butterflies. Reaching a bird hide it was time for morning break and whilst no birds were visible on the lake, above them a buzzard lazily circled.
Onward then through more wildflower meadows, passing Woodlake Park Golf Club which opened in 1993 and the pumping station, before reaching the reservoir’s northern end where a car park and picnic area is situated. Following a lane and a path beside a house, a climb led through meadows to a hilltop from where there were stunning views back over the reservoir. A gateway led them into woodland and because of the heatwaves some trees are beginning to show signs of stress through lack of water. The undulating path through beautiful beech trees and where the woodland floor was strewn with fallen tree trunks brought them back out into the open and across a minor road to return back into woodland which protected them adequately from the strong sunshine.
Weith the hilltops of Mynydd Twyn-glas and Mynydd Llwyd silhouetted against the skyline they walked on past the dairy farm of Upper Trosta with its duck pond covered by reeds and a small group of cows taking shelter from the heat below the shady trees. Opposite the farm they noticed a large disused water pump covered by a stone shelter which was most likely used for irrigation, before following a narrow path between hedges into woodland. A series of wooden steps and bridges over dried up streams made for a slight deviation to a bird hide situated near the shoreline and a lunch stop in most welcome shade as the heat rose, whilst gazing at a cormorant diving for fish and a black-headed gull swooping over the water.
Re-joining the main track through the wood and across a field of long grass where the footpath had been cut for walkers, more woodland led them out onto the road by the Dwr Cymru treatment works. Then steeply downhill to a newly opened path through woodland adjacent to the road, to reach the reservoir dam and crossing it they made their way to the visitor centre café for much enjoyed refreshments before the journey home.
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