Llyn Fanod

Llyn Fanod is a small upland lake in Ceredigion, Wales, lying between Penuwch and Bontnewydd. It sits in a hollow shaped by glaciers long ago and is dammed by a ridge of rocks left by the ice. The lake covers just over five hectares and reaches a depth of eight metres in places. It drains into the River Aeron, whose clear waters support rare water plants. Dragonflies and damselflies drift above the surface in summer, while waterfowl and seabirds pause on their travels. The lake is recognised for its special wildlife and is partly owned by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. Studies of ancient pollen show that Llyn Fanod formed after the last ice age and was once part of a much larger lake. Around its edges grow uncommon plants such as marsh cinquefoil, bog asphodel and water lobelia. Yellow and white water lilies float on the southern side, while at the northern end rare water plants like lake quillwort take root. A rough grassland path circles the lake, often boggy underfoot. Cattle and sheep graze the surrounding pasture, keeping the grass short. Purple moor-grass and patches of common hair moss grow among tussocks of peat. In the wetter spots marsh willowherb and marsh-bedstraw appear, adding colour to the landscape. The southern end holds a small peat mire where Sphagnum mosses thrive.