Clywedog dam overflow 2022 | Walking in the Rain | Mid Wales

In February 2022, following several days of fierce and unrelenting named storms - Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin - the water in the Clywedog Reservoir overtopped the concrete dam. It gushed down the River Clywedog to join the already bloated River Severn a few miles downstream in Llanidloes, where the worst floods in decades took place in the town on the afternoon of Sunday 20 February 2022.

You can watch a video of the floods in Llanidloes from February 2022: https://youtu.be/I8an5H4XuQk

Clywedog Dam & Reservoir

This imposing concrete dam was built between 1963 - 67 to hold back and regulate the waters of the Clywedog River. Water is released into the river during periods of low flow and the Clywedog Reservoir refilled during the wetter winter months. Unfortunately on this occasion the dam was not able to hold back the high levels of water dumped during the storms and so it was not possible to prevent flooding downstream. The water can be seen here flowing over the top of the dam, which is a rare and very dramatic sight!

The Clywedog Dam is the tallest concrete dam in the UK at 72 metres high and 230 metres long.

The area around Clywedog Dam and Reservoir is a popular tourist destination, with scenic walks, fishing, sailing, birdwatching opportunities and many picnic sites. It is just a few miles away from Llanidloes, a small market town in Powys.

Clywedog Reservoir is managed by Hafren Dyfrdwy. You can find out more about the area here: https://www.hdcymru.co.uk/wonderful-water/our-visitor-sites/our-visitor-sites/llyn-clywedog/

Bryntail Lead Mine

The walk also takes in the remains of this 19th century lead mine which sit at the base of the Clywedog Dam and hark back to a time when this peaceful spot was a bustling industrial site. Back then it would have been a different place altogether, with miners hurrying about their work amidst the din and smoke of the lead extraction and processing activities. The lead was then shipped to Llanidloes along the River Clywedog which runs alongside.

In 1884 operations came to a close at Bryntail Lead Mine, along with many others in the area, as the lead mining boom came to an end. Visitors to this CADW* managed site can explore the remains of original industrial buildings, including crushing houses, ore bins, roasting ovens, the smithy and the mine manager's office.

Entry to the site is free - there is a small car park across the Clywedog River. It is about 3 miles from the market town of Llanidloes in Powys.

* The body which looks after the historic environment in Wales.

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