See also – Cwm Rhaeadr Forest – click here.
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Cwm Rhaeadr is situated in the upper Tywi valley, approximately 1 mile North of Cilycwm. Forest Enterprise, which is an agency of the Forestry Commission, manages these woodlands on behalf of the National Assembly of Wales.
A minor council road leads right to the forest entrance where there is a small car park and picnic site. There are a number of permissive walks, including a 2 mile waymarked route, which lead from the entrance, and there is also a network of public footpaths leading through the forest and out onto Mynydd Mallaen.
The old farm buildings and open fields located beyond the waterfall, which gives the forest its name, are leased to the Scouting organisation. The forest is open to walkers, cyclists and soon to horse riders. Care will be required by horse riders so as to avoid riding on permissive and public footpaths and thus avoid potential damage to surfaces.
The total woodland area is 144 hectares , with a species composition as follows: –
Douglas fir – 37 ha – 25%
Larches – 31 ha – 22%
Sitka spruce – 14 ha – 10%
Norway spruce – 22 ha ) – 15%
Pines – 1 ha – 1 %
Broadleaves – 10 ha – 7%
Open space – 15 ha – 10%
Felled areas – 14 ha – 10
1 Hectare = 2.47 Acres
The forest has had a number of felling coupes in recent years resulting in multi-aged crops. The current design plan identifies large areas of the mature Douglas fir stands for managed retention, particularly around the picnic site and adjacent to the forest walks. Norway spruce and Larch stands will be felled in small to medium sized coupes with a minimum gap between adjacent fellings of seven years. Replanting will where appropriate mean the move from conifer stands to broadleaf planting. Many of the retention areas will gradually revert to broadleaves and where appropriate conifer stands will be regenerated naturally.