"Crychan is situated within Llanymddyfri Forest District and is located between the 'triangle' of Llandovery, Sennybridge and Llanwrtyd Wells. The forest is a large mixed woodland covering some 4,500 hectares.
The Forestry Commission acquired the forest land where Crychan now stands in the early 1900s and planted it predominantly with conifer species such as Larch, Norway Spruce and Douglas Fir. The landscape within the forest is extremely varied and there are numerous valleys and plateaus that give fantastic views of the surrounding countryside of Mid Wales. The forest is made up of a wide variety of habitats, ranging from conifer woodland, broadleaf woodland, rides, streams, open scrub, and moorland edge.
Within Crychan, particularly along the streams and rivers, there are large areas of broadleaf forest and these account for nearly 20% of the forest area. Many of these broadleaf areas are Ancient Woodland Sites. Species that that can be found in Crychan are oak, beech, hazel, ash, alder, rowan and birch. Also present are heather, bilberry, bluebells, dog's mercury, wood anemones and, in the wetter areas, marsh marigolds.
Crychan has a number and variety of streams and the Forestry Commission has been working with the Environment Agency to improve the water quality. This has meant clearing conifers, and some broadleaves, from the water's edge to reduce the effect of acidification and improve the light levels along the streams. There appears to have been improvement with increases in the numbers of aquatic insects being found in the streams and flowering plants such as bluebell, archangel, stitchwort and red campion.
The forest is a haven for many species of birds, mammals and insects, due to the diversity of species, age, and structure of the woodland as a whole. Crychan is home to a number of birds of prey such as red kites, goshawks, sparrowhawks, buzzards and peregrine falcon. It is also a stronghold for the nightjar, a migratory bird that arrives in mid-May from Africa to breed for the summer, and returns to Africa in August and September. Other bird species that can be seen in Crychan are goldcrest, siskin, willow warblers, wood warblers, song thrush and jay.
There are many species of butterfly and moth that can be found in mixed woodland. The Forestry Commission, working with Brecknock Wildlife Trust undertook the first moth survey of the forest and found species such as the Early Thorn, Hebrew Character and Poplar Hawkmoth."
Written by David Rees from the Forestry Commission.
Further information about Crychan can be found on the Forestry Commission Wales website or by telephoning the Llandovery district office on 012550 720394.
Directions: Follow the brown tourist signs from the A40 (Llandovery to Brecon) or the A483 (Llandovery to Builth Wells).
