Nant-y-moch Reservoir

Nant-y-moch Reservoir lies in the Cambrian Mountains of northern Ceredigion, Wales, close to Pumlumon. The water body fills a valley once drained by the River Rheidol and its tributaries, its name taken from a former stream called Nant-y-moch. The dam stands about three miles north of Ponterwyd village, part of the Cwm Rheidol hydroelectric scheme. Water from the reservoir flows onward to Dinas Reservoir, where turbines generate 13 MW of power. The headwaters of the River Rheidol rise within the reservoir’s catchment. The reservoir was created in 1964 when the valley was flooded, submerging the hamlet of Nant-y-moch. Builders moved an entire graveyard to Ponterwyd chapel before the waters rose. Teams also relocated a number of cairns, some dating back to the Iron Age. The dam’s construction reshaped the landscape and redirected the river’s flow. Today the scheme remains an important source of renewable energy in the region. Visitors find a broad expanse of water set against steep hillsides and open moorland. A track runs along the eastern shore, offering views across the reservoir to surrounding peaks. The Iron Age cairns that were saved now stand beside the water’s edge. Walkers can follow paths up the valley sides to higher ground. From Drosgol peak a wide panorama shows the dam, the reservoir and the distant hills.