Penmaenpool Reed-beds, Nature Reserves Barmouth , Gwynedd - Wales where to go, what to see and where to stay in Wales

The Penmaenpool reed-bed is found in the Mawddach Valley between Barmouth and Dolgellau, West Wales. The site has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is one of the largest areas of common reed in Wales, and is an important breeding ground for wetland birds such as the red-breasted merganser and the redshank. The Mawddach Trail (for both cyclists and walkers) passes close by and the full height of the reed beds can be appreciated from the trail itself. There is a wide range of vegetation close by, which includes salt marsh, reed bed, raised mire, sedge meadow, and pasture. Reed Warbler breeds in the reed-beds here at the western edge of its British range and you may hear the characteristic scratchy call of the Sedge Warbler in the summer time. Many Swallows roost during the autumn period whilst Pied Wagtails also use the reed-beds as a roost in the late winter and spring. Water rails are common in winter. <br><br> The Penmaenpool reedbed is also an ideal breeding place for the otter that finds a wide range of its food in the Mawddach valley including eels, fish, crustaceans and also birds and frogs.