River Ystwyth
Encyclopedia
The River Ystwyth is a river
in the county of Ceredigion
, Wales
. Its source is a number of streams that include the Afon Diliw, located on the border of Ceredigion and Powys
in the Cambrian Mountains
.
The river flows generally westwards before draining into Cardigan Bay
at Aberystwyth
where it shares the harbour with the River Rheidol.
The Ystwyth valley is now sparsely populated with only a few towns and villages such as Ysbyty Ystwyth
, Cwm Ystwyth
, Pont-rhyd-y-groes
, Llanilar
and Llanfarian
. In previous centuries, however, the Ystwyth valley was relatively densely populated due to its mineral wealth. Silver
, lead
and zinc
have been mined in the valley since Roman
times, an activity that reached its peak in the 18th century. The largest of the very many mines was Cwm Ystwyth Mine. It is reputed that the average age at death of the miners in Cwm Ystwyth was 32, largely because of acute lead poisoning
. There is no active metal mining in the Ystwyth valley.
The River still carries elevated levels of lead, zinc and silver in its water, mostly due to seepage from abandoned mine tailings
and discharges from mine adit
s.
Away from the abandoned mine workings, the river valley is one of the most beautiful in Wales with steep wooded banks carrying crystal-clear water. It is especially beautiful in autumn. The autumn tends to bring large numbers of visitors to parts of the upper valley.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the county of Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Its source is a number of streams that include the Afon Diliw, located on the border of Ceredigion and Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
in the Cambrian Mountains
Cambrian Mountains
The Cambrian Mountains are a series of mountain ranges in Wales, reaching from, and including, the South Wales mountains of the Brecon Beacons, north Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, the Black Mountains of eastern Wales, to Snowdonia in North Wales...
.
The river flows generally westwards before draining into Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales....
at Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
where it shares the harbour with the River Rheidol.
The Ystwyth valley is now sparsely populated with only a few towns and villages such as Ysbyty Ystwyth
Ysbyty Ystwyth
Ysbyty Ystwyth is a small village in Ceredigion, Wales 13 miles S.E.S. from Aberystwyth. Its church and the parish of the same name were the property of the Order of the Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, hence the 'Ysbyty' in the title , which never was a hospice for travellers...
, Cwm Ystwyth
Cwmystwyth
Cwmystwyth is a village located in Ceredigion, Wales near Devil's Bridge, and Pont-rhyd-y-groes.The Ordnance Survey calculates Cwmystwyth to be the Centre point of Wales, - History :See Cwmystwyth Mines...
, Pont-rhyd-y-groes
Pont-rhyd-y-groes
Pont-rhyd-y-groes is a village in Ceredigion, Wales located near Cwm Ystwyth and Pont ar Fynach. The village takes its name from the bridge and ford over the River Ystwyth....
, Llanilar
Llanilar
Llanilar is a village in Ceredigion, Wales, about 4 kilometres southeast of Aberystwyth.- History & Amenities :The village was built along the southern side of the River Ystwyth and contains a parish church, Nonconformist chapel, post office, primary school, GP Surgery and garage. The church is...
and Llanfarian
Llanfarian
Llanfarian is a village located in the district county of Ceredigion, Mid-Wales, south of the administrative centre Aberystwyth.The 2001 census showed Llanfarian as having a population of 1442....
. In previous centuries, however, the Ystwyth valley was relatively densely populated due to its mineral wealth. Silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
have been mined in the valley since Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times, an activity that reached its peak in the 18th century. The largest of the very many mines was Cwm Ystwyth Mine. It is reputed that the average age at death of the miners in Cwm Ystwyth was 32, largely because of acute lead poisoning
Lead poisoning
Lead poisoning is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the heavy metal lead in the body. Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems...
. There is no active metal mining in the Ystwyth valley.
The River still carries elevated levels of lead, zinc and silver in its water, mostly due to seepage from abandoned mine tailings
Tailings
Tailings, also called mine dumps, slimes, tails, leach residue, or slickens, are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction of an ore...
and discharges from mine adit
Adit
An adit is an entrance to an underground mine which is horizontal or nearly horizontal, by which the mine can be entered, drained of water, and ventilated.-Construction:...
s.
Away from the abandoned mine workings, the river valley is one of the most beautiful in Wales with steep wooded banks carrying crystal-clear water. It is especially beautiful in autumn. The autumn tends to bring large numbers of visitors to parts of the upper valley.