Cadair Idris National Nature Reserve

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Overview

The 2,930ft (893m) mountain of Cadair Idris has classic glacial erosion features, such as moraines and cwms, which are reminders of the retreat of glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age. Wildlife habitats in the Cadair Idris NNR include semi-natural woodland, blanket bog, dry heath and craggy high mountain pastures. The tree canopy in the woodland areas is home to summer migrant pied flycatchers, spotted flycatchers, redstarts and wood warblers. Ferns also grow among the rocks and lichens on the trees, and dead trees left in the woodland provide homes for insects and fungi. On the areas of blanket bog, mosses, the carnivorous sundew and butterwort grow, while on the dry heath various heathers and bilberry are found. Higher up in the mountain crags, arctic-alpine plants such as alpine saw-wort, moss campion and parsley fern grow in the more inaccessible places. More familiar plants such as Welsh poppy and thrift grow here too, plus starry saxifrage, green spleenwort, lemon-scented fern and fir clubmoss. Mountain birds found on the reserve include peregrine falcons, choughs and ring ouzels.

Location

Dyffrydan

About the area

The county of Gwynedd is home to most of the Snowdonia National Park – including the wettest spot in Britain, an arête running up to Snowdon’s summit that receives an average annual rainfall of 4,473mm. With its mighty peaks, rivers and strong Welsh heritage (it has the highest proportion of Welsh-speakers in all of Wales), it’s always been an extremely popular place to visit and live.