Vale of Rheidol Railway Reopening

We are delighted to hear that the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge steam railway will be reopening from the 24th of May 2021. Initially there will be two trains a day, with four trains on busier days. They have published a timetable for 2021, although the railway reserves the right to vary the published timetables with or without notice.

All trains start and finish at Aberystwyth, it isn’t possible to join the train elsewhere (not even Devil’s Bridge) and only return tickets are available.

Face coverings are required indoors, on platforms and on the trains (unless exempt), with a maximum group size of six from up to two households.

Tickets should be pre-booked using the link on the Vale of Rheidol Railway website.

Nature News May 2021

After nearly three weeks of mostly dry but cold weather we have had a couple of heavy rainstorms and the stream has filled up again. All of the trees are either budding or in leaf and flowers are beginning to open on the rhododendrons.

Our daffodils finished flowering at the beginning of the month and have been replaced with many self-set yellow primroses. Our bluebells are also starting to open along with a few tiny orchids.

On the subject of bluebells, there is now a good display of them at the RSPB Ynys-Hir Nature Reserve on the Dyfi valley. Check the website for opening times and recent sigtings. There are also osprey nesting at the near-by Dyfi Osprey Project, and there is a live stream of their nest.

Sightings in and around Wye View in May:

  • Chiffchaff
  • Cuckoo (heard, not seen 11/05/2021)
  • Great tits
  • Pied wagtail
  • A whole squadron of sparrows
  • Five red kites
  • Buzzard
  • A pair of thrushes
  • Male blackbird
  • Tawny owl (heard, not seen)