Radnorshire Wildlife Trust is supporting the Breathing Places campaign.
Llandeilo Graban Reserve
Photo by Penny Hurt
History
The road running through the middle of the reserve lies on the former railway bed of the Wye Valley line that ran from Three Cocks to Llanidloes. The railway was opened in 1864 and was closed in 1963. Subsequently the county council converted this stretch of line into a road.
Wildlife of Interest
The Llandeilo Graban reserve has a rich and varied flora which in turn supports a very large number of invertebrates and animals. The uncommon Welsh Stonecrop (Sedum fosterianum) occurs here in one of only a handful of sites in Radnor, as does the Hare's Foot Clover (Trifolium arvense) a plant of arable fields. Other flowering plants include Columbine which is thought to have been introduced with the railway, as well as Woodsage, Angelica and Common Valerian.
A moth record for the Llandeil Graban reserve contains over sixty species. Butterflies seen on the site include Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Small Skipper and Dark Green Fritillary. The now uncommon Glow Worm was recorded on the reserve in the Mid-1990's, and many species of longhorn beetle have been found feeding on flowerheads. The small mammal records for the reserve include Common and Pygmy Shrews as well as Wood and Field Voles.
Status
The roadside reserve has been managed by the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust under an agreement with Powys County Council since 1976.
Directions
The roadside reserve can be found by taking the road from Erwood Bridge towards Llanstephan. Once the cattle grid is crossed leaving the common and you have crossed the bridge over the new road leading to Erwood road bridge you will be on the roadside reserve. The reserve extends for about another 1.5 miles on either side of the road down to the railway bridge at Ciliau Dingle. There are laybys on the road please park in these to avoid blocking this narrow road.
